Agricultural tyres, while often neglected, are a key part of your business equipment. Whether for working in the fields, transport by road or manoeuvres in the farm courtyard, their role is decisive in ensuring the smooth running of your operations. A puncture while working or a breakdown can rapidly transform your day into a nightmare: immobilisation of the tractor, loss of time and money or even danger or risk for your safety on the road.
But did you know that regular, appropriate maintenance can not only prevent these unpleasant surprises, it can also extend your tyre lifespan, reduce your fuel consumption and improve your productivity? A few simple, basic maintenance measures can make all the difference.
In this article, discover why maintaining your agricultural tyres is much more than just a precaution: it’s a strategy for optimising performance levels, protecting your soil and securing your operations. Take on board some good practices to turn your tyres into a precious day-to-day ally.
1. Maintenance of agricultural tyres reduces the risk of your operations being blocked
A tyre breakdown mid-field can paralyse your operations and result in significant loss of time and money.
That’s why it’s highly recommended that you inspect your tyres regularly to detect any weaknesses, signs of premature wear or minor damage.
How to prevent the potential breakdown
- Cuts: these are the most common type of damage. A cut to the sidewall, at the lug base between the lugs or at the level of the bead at the base of the rim can cause a loss of airtightness or tyre bursting.
- Hernias: a hernia is a swelling which appears on the tyre, often due to an impact. It weakens the structure of the tyre which may break at any time.
- Irregular wear: uneven deterioration of the lugs is often a sign of a problem with parallelism or wheel balance. It accelerates tyre damage and can cause a loss of grip on the road or traction in the field.
Simple check-ups which are easy to carry out
To avoid bad surprises, you can carry out a regular visual inspection of your tyres: sidewalls, tread, bead cleanliness, rim base, abnormal wear, tightening of the bolts…
If, during your check-up, you note an irregularity in one of your tyres, act rapidly.
Repairs can be considered in certain cases, but it’s best to call in a professional.
A qualified technician can easily assess the extent of the damage and set rapid repairs or a replacement in motion, to avoid immobilisation mid-field.
2. Avoid accidents linked to bad maintenance
Bad maintenance or failure to carry out check-ups or adjustments can cause accidents linked to the tyres, which may be serious both for the operator and for the equipment.
The risks linked to bad management of tyre maintenance
- Bodily injury: during tyre mounting, the inflation process may be dangerous if it is not carried out properly. A tyre that explodes while the beads are being placed can cause serious injuries.
- When a tyre is being replaced, an axle stand must always be used to secure the vehicle. Bear in mind that the jack is designed only to raise the tractor, not to hold it in place. Certain faulty jacks may give way, resulting in the tractor falling.
- During tyre changing or demounting operations, handling heavy wheels without the necessary precautions or equipment can also lead to serious accidents.
The risks linked to lack of maintenance
Road accidents: an inadequate tyre inflation pressure, excessive wear or damage that is not detected early enough, can cause punctures or an explosion when driving on the road at speed.
This type of incident can result in loss of control of the tractor and more or less serious accidents, depending on the circumstances and the load.
Good practices to prevent accidents
To guarantee the safety of you and your entourage, the following good practices should be adopted:- Pressure control: check your tyre pressure regularly and adjust it based on manufacturer recommendations and the load you are transporting.
- Frequent visual inspection: before each use, carry out a visual inspection of your tyres to check for cuts, hernias or signs of abnormal wear.
- Respect the authorised speed limit: adapt your speed to the conditions in the field, to the weather and to the state of your tyres. Excess speed on the road can generate overheating of the tyre which can lead to problems.
3. Increase your tyre lifespan
By conducting regular maintenance of your tyres, you extend their lifespan. On average, appropriate maintenance can double the wear life of your tyres, i.e. slow down tyre wear by between 25% and 50%.
This minimum daily intervention allows you to reduce your operating costs by limiting the frequency of tyre replacements, representing savings of up to 30% of your annual budget.
What are the factors that impact agricultural tyre wear
Several elements can accelerate agricultural tyre wear and reduce their lifespan. Among the most important are the following:
- Incorrect pressure: underinflation leads to heating of the tyre on the road, accelerated wear to the shoulders and excess fuel consumption. On the other hand, an overinflated tyre in the fields increases rolling resistance and slip, also leading to additional fuel consumption.
- Overloading: transporting heavier loads than recommended by the manufacturer puts too much strain on the tyre, leading to deformation of the sidewalls and premature wear to the casing.
- Incorrect parallelism: incorrect parallelism settings cause irregular wear to the tyres and reduce their wear life.
4. Increase hourly productivity
By preparing your agricultural tyres properly, you can improve your hourly work rate and reduce production costs.
Reduced slip: better transfer of power to the ground, optimal traction
A good tyre with the right pressure settings improves traction capacity, provides better grip, allows your tractor to transmit all its power to the ground and reduces slip.
Regular maintenance, including pressure and tyre wear check-ups, make it possible to detect and rapidly correct any problem that could affect adherence and thus indirectly your working time and corresponding level of fatigue.
Reduction in fuel consumption: adjusting pressure depending on the conditions
Correct pressure minimises rolling resistance, thus reducing fuel consumption.
Bear in mind that overinflated tyres tend to sink into the ground, which increases rolling resistance.
The result is less grip and a higher risk of slippage, leading to unnecessary fuel consumption of up to 20% more.
By adjusting the pressure in your tyres regularly based on the load and type of ground, you can make significant annual fuel savings.
5. How to perform regular maintenance?
Carrying out regular check-ups will allow you to detect problems early on and avoid costly breakdowns.
Here are the key control points to enable optimal maintenance of your tyres:
- Pressure: check tyre pressure regularly using a pressure controller and adjust it based on the load and type of ground.
- The tread: carry out a visual inspection of the tread to detect any irregular wear, cuts or hernias.
- The rims: presence of fissures, corrosion or deformation.
- Check that the bolts are screwed on tightly, to avoid vibrations or the bolts coming loose, with the risk of damaging the rim disc.
- The wheel alignment: incorrect parallelism can cause vibrations when driving, poor road handling in the bends and premature tyre wear, with a loss of stability linked to speed.
- Foreign bodies: remove the stones, pieces of earth or other debris that could be stuck in the tread grooves.
- Abnormal wear: look out for any irregular wear to the tread, which may be the sign of a problem with alignment or balance.
6. Which tyre requires less maintenance?
The choice of agricultural tyre is not limited to its performance in the field. The frequency and type of maintenance are also decisive criteria, in particular for farmers who are looking to optimise their productivity and reduce their operating costs.
The VX-TRACTOR tyre: a sturdy long-lasting tyre
Bridgestone’s VX-TRACTOR tyre is often cited for its low maintenance needs. Here’s why:
- 20% more rubber: this feature makes the tyre more wear resistant, reducing the frequency of tyre replacements. The addition of plant-based oil in the rubber compound makes the tyre more resistant to wear and to cuts.
- Resistance to heavy loads and high pressure: its reinforced casing and the higher than average number of plies make it more resistant to strain. This tyre can carry heavy loads and cope with more variations in pressure.
- Better return on investment: thanks to the length of its lugs, it improves traction, which has a positive effect on fuel consumption, meaning that the VX-TRACTOR provides a better long-term return on investment.
Appropriate, regular maintenance of agricultural tyres represents much more than a small daily obligation: it’s a strategic investment which is profitable. By taking care of your tyres, you will reap the benefits: better safety, controlled costs, optimised productivity…
By investing in quality tyres like the VX-TRACTOR tyre and by performing rigorous maintenance, you contribute to the longevity of your agricultural equipment and the sustainability of your farm.
The Bridgestone-agriculture.eu blog is written and administered by tractor tyre experts who are available to provide you with the advice you need on the subject of your agricultural tyres. They allow you to maximise your productivity with information on all subjects linked to tyres: Cheap tractor tyres — Technical data for agricultural tyres — Air pressure advice — Solutions to avoid soil compaction — Sprayer tyre pressure — Why and how to ballast your tractor tyres — When to use dual wheels — The mechanical causes of abnormal wear — Cheap agricultural tyres – etc.
To learn more and boost your farm's profits, Bridgestone-Agriculture is offering you a free, detailed white paper that explains the essential role your agricultural tyres play in your productivity.
Most people who read this article have also read some of the following articles:
- 5 essential techniques to optimise your agricultural tyres
- Can my agricultural tyres help reduce my fuel consumption?
- Does improper lead invalidate your agricultural tyre warranty?
- How can you manage the rolling resistance in agricultural tyres better?
- What are agricultural tyres’ high-strain zones?
- Should you change the rim for wide agricultural tyres?
- Is a premium rim better suited to my tractor tyres?
- What is the link between the environmental impact of tyres and your profitability
- Braking capacity: role and impact of the agricultural tyre
- Are adjustable rims better than welded rims?
- How reliable are your agricultural tyres when cornering?
DOWNLOAD FOR FREE
Increase the profitability of your operation: eBook on the essential role of tyre in cost saving
