The Growth of Skid Steers and Skid Steer Tires

Maneuverable, versatile, and indispensable are a few words that describe skid steers. Consequently, they’ve become a fixture on everything from construction sites to road crews to recycling centers, and their use shows no sign of slowing down. Equipment manufacturers continue to develop new attachments and find new applications for the venerable skid steer, while tire manufacturers keep pace with innovative offerings designed to maximize operational efficiency and productivity, and deliver a long-lasting product at a low total cost of ownership (TCO).

Tires Improve Rental Skid Steer Performance and Profits 

Preventative Maintenance Helps Farm Tires Last Longer

Ag tires are built tough—they need to be to handle the numerous challenges they encounter on the farm, from transferring equipment horsepower to the ground to pulling tillage equipment and carrying massive loads of seed, spray, and commodities. The durability and ruggedness of the best ag tires can make it easy to overlook the demands placed on them, but devoting time to tire maintenance can pay off, especially when you consider that the price of a single tire can run hundreds or thousands of dollars.

A little preventative maintenance can go a long way to ensuring the long service life of your tire. Below are seven tips for making the most out of your investment in farm tires.

More Stable. Last Longer. 

In southern Indiana, the Dubois County Highway Department road crew mows 1,400 miles of roadside shoulders all season long, racking up 1,200 hours on each of the county’s four mowing tractors each year. Mowing on steep shoulders, carrying heavy bar
mowers, running on pavement—it’s tough duty for tires, which is why Dubois County Highway Department mechanic Max Hopf got so excited when he compared a set of Alliance 550 Multiuse radials against the department’s ag-style R-1 tires.

• Stability? Better.
• Traction? Every bit as good.
• Power hop? Gone.
• And wear? No contest.

Tractor Tires Cut Farm Fuel Costs

Fuel is one of the largest expenses for a farm and while farmers can’t control the cost of fuel, there are some steps they can take to reduce the amount their tractors use—such as ensuring optimal wheel slippage and proper tire inflation pressure. In addition to improving fuel efficiency, optimal wheel slippage and proper pressure can lead to other cost-saving benefits such as decreasing time in the field, reducing yield-sapping soil compaction, and minimizing wear and tear on equipment.  

Just how much can you save by improving farm equipment efficiency? A bulletin from Michigan State University Extension estimates that poor tractor performance wastes nearly 150 million gallons of fuel each year in the U.S.