Conserving agricultural soil is essential for the production of food, feed and fibre. That's why Yokohama's radial tractor tyres, with Improved and Very High Flexion (IF and VF) respectively on tractor tyres, as well as the Alliance 389 VF tyre for trailers have made an impression in the industry.
Tyres Tried and Tested in the Field
At the ILVO (Institute for Agriculture and Fisheries Reserve) in Belgium, practical demonstrations were taken at the Bayer ForwardFarm Hof ten Bosch in Huldenberg, Belgium, on 15th September. Mounted on a trailer and combined with an air pressure control system, tyres such as the Alliance 389 VF-IMP made soil protection visible and measurable.
The Alliance A389 VF-IMP has a special tread design to make for a solid grip, excellent flotation and self-cleaning, as well as a 25 per cent larger footprint resulting in significantly lower soil compaction. Containing a strong carcass to carry loads at around 30 per cent lower inflation pressure, the tyre features steel belts for reduced rolling resistance and minimum downtime, and special compounds for better overall performance and low wear.
The non-directional tread design with unique ‘S-shaped’ centre blocks ensures optimum traction on all soil types, effective steering in both directions, and easy mounting.
“As could be seen in the course of the practical demonstrations at Hof ten Bosch, flotation and VF technology of Alliance offer a convincing overall package – which functions particularly well with an air pressure control system, allowing for the adaptation of the inflation pressure for in-field work and on-road transport," noted Gerrit Vinkers, Customer Quality Improvement and Application Specialist at YOHT.
"These tyres were designed to avoid soil compaction and to allow for efficient operations – and they truly deliver. Measurements in the field with a folding yardstick and a penetrometer clearly showed the positive effects of our combination of flotation and VF technology."
