Non-adjusted tyre pressure will lead to damage to my tyres

When they design a tyre, constructors anticipate a specific adapted working pressure to get the best performance from agricultural tyres.
This pressure can vary over time depending on the temperature, the load and the tyre’s condition.
 

Ill-adjusted pressure will cause your agricultural tyres to deteriorate

and they will not perform to the best of their capacity. If the tyre is under inflated, it will “bounce” on the ground, which results in abnormal wear to the shoulder and the lugs (only one out of two is worn). Rather than being reduced, the level of vibrations transmitted to the farmer may even increase.

A tyre pressure that is too low will also lead to overheating of the materials which will result in the rubber separating from the nylon, rayon or metal elements.

Conversely, if the tyre is overinflated, this will reduce its footprint on the ground. The surface absorbing the vibrations is reduced. Over inflating also leads to an increase in wear to the tread and poor road holding which increases the risk of accident.

It is therefore important to assess the pressure to be applied to the tyre depending on the load. To do this, weigh the whole tractor (the tractor itself plus towed or mounted machinery), from the front axle to the rear axle. This way the user is sure to choose the best possible tyre pressure. If the tractor is not equipped with VF tyres, you will also need to take the forward speed into account. With standard tyres, the forward speed impacts the tyre pressure.

Tyre manufacturers also develop Smartphone apps

Bridgestone Firestone has developed the Tyre Pressure Bridgestone and Firestone applications.
These apps are available from iTunes and Androïd.

Highly functional, they allow the farmer to choose the optimum working tyre pressure depending on the type of tyre, its size, the tractor’s rolling speed and the load carried.

• Download the FIRESTONE AG app for Androïd or iPhone for free
• Download the BRIDGESTONE app for Androïd or iPhonefor free

To take it a step further

Beyond the damage to tyres, the farmer’s health is also at stake as the risks relating to vibrations and the risks of the tractor overturning are also directly impacted by the pressure of your tyres. If you would like to learn more, download the free white paper below:

Most people who read this article have also read some of the following articles:

• 12 tips to better manage the pressure of your agricultural tyres
• No, adjusting the pressure of your tractor tyres is not optional
• How can I be sure that my agricultural tyres are always at the right pressure?
• Pressure: it’s the volume of air in the tractor tyre that counts
• 7 advantages of low-pressure tyres compared to normal tyres