Here in the northern hemisphere our tractors are out in force. We asked our in house experts for their top tips for agricultural tyre maintenance.
A delicate touch is needed when repairing sidewall injuries
A thin sidewall requires particularly finesse when prepping the liner in particular. Too heavy a buff can remove more than just the butyl liner.
Spot damage where the lug meets the tyre early
Regularly check agricultural tyres for signs of damage where the lug meets the tread. This can occur via very high torque loading of the lugs on hard surfaces, lower than needed tyre pressures and/ or overloading.
Spotted early, these types of injuries can be buffed back and repaired easily. Early treatment prevents more serous repairs further down the line.
Ensure your external heat pad has adequate contact
When curing repairs on the crown, especially those with high tread values, you must always ensure there is adequate contact between the external heat pad and the injury site.
You’ll need to adequately pack our your treads using lug fillers which may extend cure time. Get in touch if you would like advice on calculating cure time.
Provide additional support for the repair unit
As with all tyre repairs, but particularly beneficial for repairs effected to tyres with thinner sidewalls, it is good practice to surround the patch with strips of cushion gum prior to the cure.
Adjust your tyre pressure when terrain changes…
Many farmers lower their tyre pressure to improve traction and reduce soil compaction. Returning the pressure to a road suitable level when leaving the field is absolutely vital. Unsuitably low pressure will quickly generate heat and the added bulging will risk sidewall and shoulder splits.
…and adjust your pressure when load increases
Check your agricultural tyre manufacturer guidelines, they often offer a calculator to work out the optimum pressure for each axle. If the load on the rear increases, pressure needs adjusting. Again, this reduces tyre stress, uneven wear, damage and premature failure.
Get in touch with your questions or comments on agricultural tyre maintenance.
Monaflex offers systems optimised for agricultural tyre repairs. You can read more about them here.
