How to Select the Right Tractor Tire

In my role as the National Agriculture Product Manager, one of the most frequent questions I receive is how to pick the perfect set of tires for a tractor. With so many different technologies, tread patterns, and features available on today’s tires, in addition to a whole host of other variables, it’s easy to see how customers can get bogged down when searching through a company’s catalog. However, over the years, I’ve developed a simple process for finding just the right tractor tire for you.

Learning an Unplanned Lesson About Tire Inflation 

“The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” - Robert Burns

I’ve always liked this quote and can’t help but think of farmers when I hear it. With so many decisions needing to be made throughout the year, even the best-prepared farmers can watch their plans unravel as factors outside of their control—such as tariffs, insects, drought, flood, fuel, labor, and breakdowns—conspire against them. With so many elements that farmers can’t control, it’s important to seek out advantages with the ones they can, such as tires.

Since the development and introduction of IF, then VF, tire technology nearly a decade ago, more and more farmers have been using them as a way to offset withering profits caused by low commodity prices and increasing input costs. Farmers fighting against tighter profit margins can increase their yields with high-tech tires like our AgriFlex line of IF/VF tires, and now the question begs to be asked: are IF/VF the future of farm tires?

As of Jan 1, 2021, Alliance Tire Group and Alliance Tire Americas, Inc. changed their names to Yokohama Off-Highway Tires and Yokohama Off-Highway Tires America, Inc respectively. The Alliance, Galaxy and Primex brands and product names remain unchanged. Product information is available at www.yokohama-oht.com.

Alliance Tire Americas has announced the appointment of Olivier Hubrecht as Vice President of Sales, South America. Hubrecht—educated in Europe and China and posted in various management roles in Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America—brings extensive international experience to his new role with Alliance, which is growing rapidly in the region. He is fluent in English, Spanish, French, and Dutch.

Reducing Compaction and Improving Yields at Harvest 

Due to the seasonal nature of combines and grain carts, most farmers only think about them at harvest time—and often only think about the tires on this equipment when they fail. However, because of the growing size of harvest equipment, it’s more important than ever to pay attention to tires. According to a study from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, from 2006 to 2015, the average horsepower of combines rose from 230 to 342. Over that same time, the average capacity of grain carts grew from 689 bushels to 883 bushels. Because of the massive weight and power of these machines, they're capable of creating deeper, longer-lasting compaction. Luckily, farmers can take a few measures to reduce the impact of their enormous equipment.