A Far Cry from My Father's Farm Tire.

LSW Tire Matches High HP

When I rode into town with my father for a new tire for his tractor or plow, the dealer would bring out the size Dad asked for and toss it in the back of the pick-up. A tire was a tire. Not much choice of brands and no questions about where or how the tire was used. Times have certainly changed, with new tire models for every type of environment and special needs. We asked Raymond W. Evans, vice president, tire engineering for Titan Tire Corporation of Ohio, to answer a few questions for I&T about some of the changes that have brought the agricultural tire industry to its current state.

Ray Hudacko, senior sales forecaster for Firestone, does a bit of forecasting for I&T. He tells us about several trends that will drive the ag tire industry in the foreseeable future. For sure, this is not my (or your)father's farm tire any more.

I&T: What technological changes have you seen in the ag tire industry in the past few years?

Evans: Minimal-till and no-till farming have continued to grow and new strains of grain and other crops have created harder stubble in the fields. This change in farming practice has necessitated the change in the compounding on the drive wheel tractor and implement tires to better withstand stubble damage. It is not uncommon to see tire compound hardness in the 75-80 durometer range today.

I&T: What trends do you see happening in the US and world ag tire industry?

Evans: Farmers have learned to farm larger areas with fewer people. This has required more specialized equipment and, out of necessity, specialized tires have been developed for the equipment.

Higher tractor speeds, both in the field and on the road, have necessitated more uniform tires and wheels. The increasing horsepower on 4WD tractors has necessitated changing tire construction in order to minimize problems with road lope and power hop. The industry had to develop tires that have lower footprint pressures in order to minimize compaction. This has led to larger diameter and wider tires.

I&T: How are today's ag tires different from hose our fathers used?

Evans: Only a generation ago, a tractor was considered big if it had 50 horsepower, whereas today the biggest tractors are pushing 500 horsepower. The increasing torque and power being transmitted has required a totally different construction, newer compounds and tighter fit of the tire to the rim in order to minimize rim slip on these big tractors.

The biggest change that will be occurring over the next several years is the conversion to the low sidewall (LSW) tires that have been pioneered by Titan. These tire and wheel assemblies will greatly reduce the amount of bounce, road lope and power hop. They also provide a much more stable tractor when operating at high speeds.

I&T: What should ag equipment dealers know about Titan, as OE or aftermarket products?

Evans: Titan manufactures tires, wheels and brakes for the agricultural industry, in both North America and Europe. The company is a major supplier to the original equipment industry tires, wheels and tire/wheel assemblies.

I&T: And the future for Titan?

Evans: With an eye toward the future, Titan recently purchased a manufacturing plant in Natchez, Miss. and the FUNSA plant in Montevideo, Uruguay. We're also building a brand new facility in Brownsville, Tex. In two years, Titan will become the world's largest manufacturer of agricultural tires.

Driving the Ag Tire Industry

The ag tire industry will be driven by four basic trends: planting of more rows per acre, rise in low- and no-till farming, environmental issues and larger equipment with higher horsepower, according to Ray Hudacko, Firestone Agricultural Tire Company senior sales forecaster.

"Packaged together, these trends translate the main challenge of the farm tire industry into coming up with the best overall tire package for the American farmer," he says.

Hudacko says tire choices are now dependent on the type of equipment used and its specific function. He expects to see movement toward larger cross-section tires with better traction and extra load-carrying capacity at minimum air pressure and narrow cross section tires for narrow-row crop planting, cultivating and spraying.

"Row widths have been shrinking from about 30 inches to anywhere between 15 and 24 inches. As tires become thinner, they also get bigger in diameter to maintain load capacity," he explains.

"This is one reason we'll see trends moving from a 38-inch rim to a 42- to 46-inch rim."

The demand for better road wear is becoming increasingly common, he says. American farmers are traveling greater distances over the road in their tractors, so tread life and comfort are important.

In 1998, farmers concentrated on buying new equipment and did not buy a lot of replacement tires, so Firestone's OE farm tire sales were better than average. In 1999, with equipment production decreasing an estimated 20 to 25 percent, the farm tire industry will see an eventual trend shift toward the purchase of radial replacement tires, Hudacko says.

"We are working very closely with OE accounts, trying to give them the product that does the best job for them," he adds. "We're constantly looking at what is going on in the farming industry and providing the best performing tire for any particular environment."

New Steer Tires on the Market

Michelin says its new AT Steer tire is up to 30 percent heavier than competitors' steer tires, improves suspension by reducing front-end vibration, resists punctures and stubble damage and delivers a smooth ride. The three-rib tire comes in 6.50-16; 7.50-16, 10.00-16 and 11.00-16.

BF Goodrich says its new Power Steer tire, with a three-rib design and heavy-duty shoulders, provides easy steering, rugged durability and stubble damage resistance. Sizes include: 5.00-15 four ply; 6.00-16, 6.50-16 and 7.50-18 six-ply; and 7.50-16 and 11.00-16 eight-ply.