New farm tires introduced by Michelin

Tires will be available for tractors, sprayers and other equipment

By Diego Flammini, Farms.com

Michelin, one of the largest tire manufacturers in the world, has launched four new tires for its agricultural division that will also include the world’s largest agricultural tire.

The tires are currently on display at the Farm Progress Show in Decatur, Illinois along with Michelin’s current VF tractor tires.

The tires feature Michelin’s Ultraflex Technology, which can allow tires to be used with as much as 40% less air pressure when compared to standard radial tires. The result is a larger footprint and reduced soil compaction.

The new tire models are:

Michelin VF480/80R50 179 SprayBib – James Crouch, farm segment marketing manager for Michelin North America said the tire offers farmers a balance between narrow tires to avoid crop damage and flotation tires to minimize compaction. The tire has a maximum load of over 17,000 pounds and a top rated speed of up to 40mph. The tire will be available later in September 2015.

Michelin 710/45R22.5 165D CargoCBib High Flotation – With its release scheduled for December 2015 and equipped with Ultraflex Technologies, which allow the tire to use central inflation systems to get the lowest pressures in the field to protect as much soil as possible.

Michelin IF900/65R46 190D AxioBib – At 7 feet 6 inches tall and a capacity of nearly 24,000 pounds it’s the largest farm tire in the world. North American farmers can expect to see the tire on the market in March 2016.

Michelin IF1000/55R32 CFO 188A8 CerexBib – Designed for large harvesting equipment and grain carts, it offers a large load capacity and larger footprint. The tire is expected to launch in June 2016.

In addition to the introduction of the new tires, Michelin unveiled a free mobile app to help farmers calculate tire pressure.

To use the Michelin Pressure Calculator, farmers only need to follow three steps.

1. Enter the load supported by the front and rear axle
2. Enter the type of tire fitted to the front and rear of the tractor
3. Take a photo of the tractor. The app has a built-in camera that can calculate the load distribution and the length of the overhand measured from the wheel axles.

The application is available for Apple and Android devices.

For more apps, check out the Farms.com mobile apps page.

Should you find yourself needing tires, visit the Farms.com used farm equipment page.