Like every other aspect of agricultural equipment design, ag tires have evolved significantly from the days when bias-ply technology was about the only choice for most tractors. The introduction of modern radials means tires are now much more capable of turning engine horsepower into usable traction than bias-ply tires ever were.
The way bias-ply tires need to be mounted and maintained has also changed to take full advantage of their designs. Some old practices that no longer offer any benefit to traction are proving to die hard, according to one tire manufacturer, BKT.
The company says its staff has found one of those practices that should have died out but hasn’t yet is hydroflating — basically the old idea of adding fluid to the interior of a tire to improve ballast weight at the axle and provide better traction in the field.
Read Also
Deere’s Tier 4 engines get B30 upgrade
John Deere has just announced it is increasing the biodiesel approval rating on its Final Tier 4 diesel engines from B20 to B30.
A recent press release issued by BKT says it still finds too many farmers insisting on hydroflating tractor tires, even with modern radials. BKT wants to impress upon producers they should put an end to this practice
“Today, supported by BKT, we are dispelling this habit,” states the press release. “(It) definitely belongs to the past … because a certain type of tire belongs to the past, which has been replaced with sophisticated products with innovative technology.”
That tire of the past BKT refers to is the bias ply. Anyone with older tractors on the farm fitted with bias tires that had fluid ballast in them for years has probably noticed significant corrosion on the wheel rims (in severe cases, it can make rims unusable). But with more modern machines, corrosion may be the least of the risks of hydroflating.
BKT research on hyroflating found the practice can seriously compromise machine operating safety on modern tractors now engineered to operate with only air-inflated tires. If tires are water ballasted, especially in high-powered tractors travelling at road speeds, handling characteristics can be adversely affected.
The dynamics of a large amount of fluid sloshing around inside a tire can completely distort the calculations made by engineers related to inertial forces and can increase transmission vibrations, particularly while travelling on roads. As well, putting unintended stresses and vibrations on a tractor’s driveline can cause premature mechanical failures.
BKT maintains aside from these risks, there really isn’t any need for hyroflating anymore. The latest generation tires, such as VF (very high flexion) tires, allow agricultural machinery to carry heavier loads at reduced inflation pressures. VF technology is also designed to offer greater traction and to prevent tire slippage, without the need for hydroflating. And all equipment manufacturers offer a number of factory ballasting options to maximize pulling performance right from the factory.
“Water ballasting tires is a no-go practice for these products,” says BKT. “If inflated with water, tires are much stiffer and all performance is compromised. Flotation, a specific feature of VF tires, will no longer be possible, and hence the main advantage of using these products would be lost.”
