At the U.S. Farm Progress show in Iowa in August, tire manufacturer Titan had something new to show farmers — its Ultimate Flex Technology (UFT) sprayer tire. Titan describes this latest offering from the brand as a technology that combines the elements of conventional, increased flexion (IF) and very high flexion (VF) tires, to create a “universal solution.” In other words, one tire that can take the place of all three existing types.
Titan UFT tires allow farmers to replace any sprayer tire without having to worry about what other standard, IF or VF tires are mounted at the other wheel positions. Titan says by having one tire that will work with the other existing types, dealers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) can reduce quantities and complexities in their inventories and just stock the one kind of tire.
“We wanted to create a simple solution for farmers, dealers and OEMs,” says Scott Sloan, ag product manager at Titan. “Our thought was why don’t we make a tire that’s capable of all three applications: conventional, IF and VF. This makes it easier to quickly replace any sprayer tire, without sacrificing performance.”
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Tires classified as UFT can run at 40 per cent lower inflation pressures than a standard tire, which can help reduce soil compaction. Even with lower inflation pressures, UFT tires can carry the same weight as standard types. However, if they’re being used as a replacement tire on the same machine where other types are being used, UFT tires must use the same inflation pressures as the other tires already installed on the sprayer.
Titan says the UFT tires can be set up to exactly fit the customer’s application and field conditions. For example, if a farmer is running a sprayer with a 1,200-gallon tank, they can have the inflation pressure set to 78 psi like a conventional tire. However, if they are looking to decrease ground pressure, they may want to set the pressure to 64 psi, which would be similar to an IF tire, or 50 psi for a VF tire. The brand says this would be particularly useful in wet clay soils where compaction has the greatest effect on yield.
The UFT tires have an R-1 tread lug design, and initial size offerings from the company include just the 380/90R46 and 380/105R50. Titan has plans to expand the UFT design into different sizes and even different applications. Those are already in final development. Expect to see more announcements on that sometime in the future.
