Agrimax V-Flecto launched at SIMA

Agrimax V-Flecto, is the first BKT tyre that uses NRO (Narrow Rim Option) technology. It already complies with the new experimental standards introduced by ETRTO, the European Tyre and Rim Technology Organisation. This marking makes it possible to use the recommended rims in the standard size instead of specific rims, which are required for VF tyres of the same size.

BKT says this tyre also offers a 10% longer life cycle than its standard equivalent. BKT adds that the ultra-resistant casing and the special reinforced bead make Agrimax V-Flecto perfect both in the fields and during road transfers without changing the inflation pressure along the way.

One of the tyre’s greatest strengths, according to BKT, is the ability to maximise the load without having to change the inflation pressure, regardless of the speed, managing to transport 40% more weight compared with a standard tyre of the same size and with the same recommended rim. BKT believes this tyre reduces soil compaction; with a streamlined footprint and a 10% larger thread profile. Noise levels on the road are also reduced, with a new lug design according to the firm.

New Michelin Ultraflex technology teamed with Massey Ferguson power

At the SIMA show in Paris, Massey Ferguson joined with fellow leading French manufacturers Michelin and Grégoire-Besson to demonstrate how advanced engineering designs combine to improve field performance for farmers. “No machine works in isolation on a farm, so working closely with colleagues makes sense and helps us all to develop our technology,” said Campbell Scott. “This autumn we jointly examined the potential to reduce compaction and increase traction when ploughing with a Grégoire-Besson plough pulled by a MF 8730 tractor, equipped with new Michelin tyres.

“The results show how each element enhances the work quality, productivity and performance, as well as protecting the soil. It also illustrates how by carefully selecting the right tractor, equipped with the best tyres for the job and matching those to the best implement makes a big difference,” he added.

During the trials, the MF 8730 tractor was fitted with Michelin’s new VF650/85R42 AxioBib 2 tyres with Michelin Ultraflex Technology. This is a completely new design developed to enable large high-power tractors be used for ploughing in the furrow.

In tests, the large diameter tyres, running at a pressure of just 0.8 bar, placed three full lugs on the ground, creating a 26% longer footprint with a 28% increase in traction compared with previous designs. This greater traction reduces wheel slip by up to one-third, saving both fuel and time and increasing productivity by up to 11%.

“This demonstrates the gains that can be made by selecting the best tyres for the job, running at the right pressures on a well-ballasted tractor and a high-quality, properly set plough,” said Scott. “The figures are clear – this combination will save time, diesel and cut soil compaction in the furrow by reducing smearing and running at low inflation pressures.”

The MF 8730, at 295hp has an impressive maximum permitted weight of 18t, allowing ballast to be added, when required, for jobs such as ploughing. For transport duties, the ballast can be removed to provide impressive payload, cycle times and fuel savings.

“It’s impossible to remove weight from a heavy draft tractor, but it’s simple to add ballast to an inherently light tractor, like the MF 8730. Lighter tractors use less fuel and cut soil compaction, with users adding only enough weight for each specific task,” he explains.

New Firestone Maxi Traction

Firestone says its tyres can last for longer thanks to new lug design. The new Firestone Maxi Traction 65 does this thanks largely to its 11% deeper lugs. Its 9% wider lug and wider tyre width provide more ground contact, extending its tyre life, while its 24% longer lug and increased lug overlap result in reduced tyre wear while on the road, thus increasing the life of the new Maxi Traction 65 even further according to the manufacturer. Firestone also says the tyre will reduce operation costs per hour. Firestone’s unique patented Dual-Angle Lug Design gives a larger contact area, delivering 4% more traction over standard tyres. The design also allows self-cleaning of the lugs so the mud doesn’t cling and traction properties are kept in most conditions. The manufacturer says the dual angle of 35° at the front of the lug and 15° at the back enable this unique feature.

Michelin EVOBIB

Michelin believes this tyre is revolutionary, the first big step forward since the introduction of the radial tyre itself.

The manufacturer says this tyre is for farmers looking for results in two key areas of farm transport – maintaining the soil and delivering good performance when travelling on roads. With this new two-in-one tyre, farmers can move from field use to road use with no compromise, according to Michelin. At the recommended pressure on the road, only the central portion of the tread pattern is in contact with the ground. This portion is specifically designed to target road performance (low rolling resistance and good performance). This zone is driven by the top belt, which is the tread pattern. Michelin says road performance is similar to that of a radial tyre, with a pattern specially designed to ensure continuous rolling with no vibration, for greater driving comfort.

In the field, working at low pressures, the tyre’s footprint spreads across a wider surface, boosting traction while improving soil protection. Compared with a Michelin AxioBib tyre of the same dimensions, the two-in-one tyre demonstrated a 20% increased ground contact patch. Field pressure is one of the lowest on the market; it can go as low as 0.6 bar. At low pressure, the outside portion of the tyre lugs expand to the ground due to a hinge effect. This effect is provided by the new belt’s innovative design and its combination of materials.

When the lugs expand, the contact area is quite significantly increased compared with a traditional radial design. At work, sliding is limited; the surface soil being sheared is spread under all the studs, which is better for the soil. The Michelin EVOBIB tyre is the first radial tyre whose contact area expands when the pressure drops.

The manufacturer claims there is a 20% to 50% increase in traction. The tyre is really suitable for a machine with a central inflation system. Available in 2017, the tyre will be offered initially in 710 and 650 tyre sizes.

Trelleborg VIP System

This system, developed in partnership with Fendt, regulates the tyre pressure according to the actual load of a combine during harvesting. It adapts the tyre’s footprint to stay constant in the soil depending on the load carried. With no action needed from the driver, the tyre pressure adjusts automatically to reduce soil compaction. When the hopper is being emptied, the valve opens, and the pressure falls to the new load pressure setpoint, giving a wider footprint. This value may be half the working pressure under load, according to Trelleborg, which is of sizeable interest in terms of protecting the soil. While harvesting, as the hopper is gradually filled, the compressor raises that value to the original setpoint. The system consists of a set of sensors measuring displacement, pressure, and temperature. An electrical device controls a compressor and a valve to adjust the pressure. The compressor is mounted on the tyre’s rim. Trelleborg appears to provide a solution for virtually every all-terrain vehicle maker that has to manage tyre-ground interface in terms of increasing traction or reducing soil compaction. All of the components fit inside the rim. The kit is fully autonomous and free from the complex and fragile connections of compressed air and rotating joints. The upshot of this idea is the advantage of total right-left independence. Adopting such automation, VIP (Variable Inflation Pressure) may provide an alternative to investing in a track train system.