WAKEFIELD, Mass. — Alliance Tire Americas has added an all-steel, VF (very high flexion) radial implement tire, the Agriflex+ 881, to its range of VF-rated agricultural tires.
The Agriflex+ 881 VF launches in three sizes — VF 295/75R22.5, VF 255/70R22.5 and VF 445/65R22.5 — with four more sizes in the planning, ATA said, as part of the company's commitment to minimizing soil compaction from nearly every piece of equipment on the farm.
"We are dedicated to what we call our whole-farm concept, where we look at every machine that touches the field and seek to provide farmers with a low-compaction tire to help protect their yield potential," Nick Phillippi, national product manager – agriculture, said.
"When you look at research about soil compaction — which can reduce yields for years — you see that it's caused not just by the heavy, high-profile machinery like tractors and combines or sprayers, but also from planters and drills, grain carts, and all sorts of other towed equipment."
The Agriflex+ 881 features a cross-cutting rib tread pattern for better traction on loose soil and to spread loads more evenly for reduced soil compaction, ATA said. At the same time, the tire's all-steel construction resists punctures and maintains a longer footprint.
The steel-casing construction also helps to dissipate heat more effectively than other cord materials, a characteristics deemed "crucial" when running at speeds up to 40 mph. The tire's "stubble guard" compound is optimized to reduce road wear as well as damage from crop residue, ATA said.
In general, ATA states its Agriflex+ VF product lines employ flexible sidewall technology to improve load-carrying capacity and reduce soil compaction at 40% lower inflation pressure, helping to reduce soil compaction force by about the same percentage.