Comparison between a standard narrow tyre and a tyre with a steel belt

You have decided to equip your tractor with narrow tyres to optimise your passes between the rows without damaging your crops. A strategic choice which has a direct impact on the success of your sowing operations and the quality of your phytosanitary treatments. But faced with the different tyre technologies available, a question arises: should you opt for standard narrow tyres, IF tyres or invest in tyres that are reinforced with a steel belt?
Classical narrow tyres, although widely used, have certain limitations: rapid wear, slip and tractor instability, especially during spraying with long boom arms. Other models such as IF tyres or steel belt tyres offer a better load capacity and optimised lifespan thanks to their reinforced structure. But what is really the best solution for your needs?

To help you make an enlightened choice, we have analysed the efficiency of these different types of tyre, taking into account the constraints linked to narrow tyres, the loads carried and agronomic issues. Discover our detailed comparison to help identify the technology that will allow you to improve your productivity while preserving your crops and your soil.

1. Three types of radial construction: standard narrow tyre, tyre with a steel belt or IF tyre

What you need to know about narrow tyres in general

While they offer the major advantage of being able to pass between the rows without damaging the crops, there is a downside; the disadvantage of having a reduced width, which implies less grip on the ground and therefore less stability and traction.

Narrow tyres require more pressure to cope with the load. There is not much volume of air inside, so you have to increase the pressure so that the tyre keeps its solidity, is able to cope with the load and offer better resistance to obstacles.

By choosing narrow tyres with a higher load capacity, you could use heavier implements such as a large seeder or very wide sprayer booms with higher capacity tanks. This would allow you to boost productivity while reducing the amount of toing and froing across the land.

1. Characteristics of standard narrow tyres

Standard narrow tyres, produced with layers of rayon or nylon, are not sufficiently solid to carry very heavy loads.

Their structure isn’t sturdy enough to cope with excess weight or too much variation in load, which is par for the course during spraying operations. In these operating conditions, standard narrow tyres will suffer from premature wear.

They have certain weaknesses:

• Limited load capacity: they are not the best tyres to cope with a lot of weight, which makes them unsuitable for uses involving heavy loads, like spraying.
  

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• Sensitivity to variations in load: frequent changes in load, which are typical of spraying operations, put too much pressure on the tyre’s internal structure, thus accelerating tyre wear.
  

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• Frequent replacement: the combination of an excessive load, a large variation in load and intensive road use cause irregular wear which reduces the tyre lifespan.

2. Narrow tyres with a steel belt

These tyres offer remarkable versatility. The way their internal structure is designed means that they can cope with heavier loads and a higher inflation pressure, but also operate at a reduced inflation pressure if you wish to protect your soil.

This extensive pressure flexibility is particularly beneficial, because it allows you to adjust pressure based on your needs, without ever damaging the tyre.

The addition of the steel belt reinforces the structure of the tyre, which results in:

• A higher load capacity: the tyre can cope with a very high inflation pressure and therefore manage heavy loads without distorting.
  

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• A reduction in wear and better durability: the steel belt protects the tread from exterior aggressions and makes the tyre more shock and wear resistant, thus extending its useful life.
  

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• Intensive use by road with variable loads: you leave with a full tank and return with an empty tank, generally at a steady pace.

3. IF technology narrow tyres

IF (Improved Flexion) technology narrow tyres offer a better load capacity than standard narrow tyres. Their design allows for a longer soil footprint with the aim of reducing soil compaction and improving traction. However, the benefit linked to reducing compaction is not the priority for this format of tyre which fits between the rows and preserves the crops, whatever the model.

The main advantage sought is the high load capacity, making it possible to work with very wide sprayer boom arms and large tanks during spraying operations. On this last point, the narrow IF tyre will not be much more efficient than the classical standard tyre. It is also sensitive to frequent variations in load during spraying, which leads to wear that is similar to that of standard tyres.

2. Comparison of the load capacity between standard narrow tyres and narrow tyres with a steel belt

Here is a comparative study of the unit load capacity by tyre between narrow Firestone Performer 95 tyres with a steel belt and standard tyres produced by a competitor.

To simplify the replacement work, we have put the previous tyre as a wide tyre which corresponds with each narrow tyre size proposed:

Comparative load table 1

Firestone Performer 95 steel belt 230/95 R32 - 128 D
versus competitor brand
TM 100 standard narrow 230/95 R32 - 128 A8

Before moving to narrow tyres, the wide tyres fitted on this tractor were Bridgestone’s VX-R TRACTOR tyre – Dimensions: 340/85 R28 127D 124E TL, with a rolling circumference of 3867 mm.

Comparative load table 2

Firestone Performer 95 steel belt 270/95 R32 – 136 D
versus competitor brand
TM 100 standard narrow 270/95 R32 - 136 A8

Before moving to narrow tyres, the wide tyres fitted on this tractor were Bridgestone’s VX-R TRACTOR tyre – Dimensions: 460/85 R34 144D 141E TL, with a rolling circumference of 4904 mm.

Comparative load table 3

Firestone Performer 95 steel belt 230/95 R36 - 130 D
versus competitor brand
TM 100 standard narrow 230/95 R36 - 130 A8

Before moving to narrow tyres, the wide tyres fitted on this tractor were Bridgestone’s VX-R TRACTOR tyre – Dimensions: 380/85 R30 135D 132E TL, with a rolling circumference of 4208 mm.

Comparative load table 4

Firestone Performer 95 steel belt 230/95 R38 - 140 D
versus competitor brand
TM 100 standard narrow 230/95 R38 - 140 A8

Before moving to narrow tyres, the wide tyres fitted on this tractor were Bridgestone’s VX-R TRACTOR tyre– Dimensions: 460/85 R30 145D 142E TL, 4550 mm.

Comparative load table 5

Firestone Performer 95 steel belt 230/95 R44 - 134 D
versus competitor brand
TM 100 standard narrow 230/95 R44 – 134 A8

Before moving to narrow tyres, the wide tyres fitted on this tractor were Bridgestone’s VX-R TRACTOR tyre – Dimensions: 420/85 R38 144D 141E TL, with a rolling circumference of 5030 mm.

Comparative load table 6

Firestone Performer 95 steel belt 270/95 R44 - 142 D
versus competitor brand
TM 100 standard narrow 270/95 R44 - 142 A8

Before moving to narrow tyres, the wide tyres fitted on this tractor were Bridgestone’s VX-R TRACTOR tyre – Dimensions: 480/70 R34 143D 140E TL, with a rolling circumference of 4753 mm.

Comparative load table 7

Firestone Performer 95 steel belt 300/95 R46 - 148 D
versus competitor brand
TM 100 standard narrow 300/95 R46 - 148 A8

Before moving to narrow tyres, the wide tyres fitted on this tractor were Bridgestone’s VX-R TRACTOR tyre– Dimensions: 520/85 R38 155D 152E TL, with a rolling circumference of 5466 mm.

Comparative load table 8

Firestone Performer 95 steel belt 230/95 R48 – 136 D
versus competitor brand
TM 100 standard narrow 230/95 R48 - 136 A8

Before moving to narrow tyres, the wide tyres fitted on this tractor were Bridgestone’s VX-R TRACTOR tyre – Dimensions: 520/70 R38 150D 147E TL, with a rolling circumference of 5173 mm.

Comparative load table 9

Firestone Performer 95 steel belt 270/95 R48 - 144 D
versus competitor brand
TM 100 standard narrow 270/95 R48 - 144 A8

Before moving to narrow tyres, the wide tyres fitted on this tractor were Bridgestone’s VX-R TRACTOR tyre – Dimensions: 520/85 R38 155D 152E TL, with a rolling circumference of 5466 mm.

Comparative load table 10

Firestone Performer 95 steel belt 340/85 R48 - 151 D
versus competitor brand
Agrimax RT standard narrow 340/85 R48 - 152 A8

Before moving to narrow tyres, the wide tyres fitted on this tractor were Bridgestone’s VX-R TRACTOR tyre – Dimensions: 520/85 R38 155D 152E TL, with a rolling circumference of 5466 mm.

Comparative load table 11

Firestone Performer 95 steel belt 300/95 R52 - 151 D
versus competitor brand
TM 100 standard narrow 300/95 R52 - 151 A8

Before moving to narrow tyres, the wide tyres fitted on this tractor were Bridgestone’s VX-TRACTOR tyre – Dimensions: 520/85 R42 162D TL, with a rolling circumference of 5845 mm.

Comparative load table 12

Firestone Performer 95 steel belt 270/95 R54 - 146 D
versus competitor brand
Agrimax standard narrow 270/95 R54 - 146 A8

Before moving to narrow tyres, the wide tyres fitted on this tractor were Bridgestone’s VX-TRACTOR tyre – Dimensions: 520/85 R42 162D TL, with a rolling circumference of 5845 mm.

3. Why give priority to narrow tyres with a steel belt

High-tech narrow agricultural tyres with a steel belt offer several advantages: increased load capacity, reduction in the number of passes required through the fields, time saving, fuel savings and better stability.

Greater load capacity = longer sprayer boom arms

The sturdiness of narrow tyres with a steel belt leads to a higher load capacity. This characteristic makes it possible to use more imposing equipment such as high capacity tanks and longer sprayer boom arms.

As a result, you can cover a larger surface area with each passage. This optimisation results in:

• Time saving
• Fuel savings
• Less soil compaction, because the tyre will only have an impact on a very small part of the area to be treated, thus preserving the global structure of your soil

More stability in the fields and on the road

The steel belt integrated in narrow tyres offers remarkable stability, which is an essential asset for agricultural operations.

Greater stability on the road

During spraying, the weight of the tractor fluctuates considerably. The steel belt acts as a shock absorber and attenuates these variations, minimising any bouncing effect and oscillations, especially when the tanks are empty. This improves safety and driving comfort.

Stability at speed and even wear

The rigidity of the tread, reinforced with steel, ensures optimal stability, even at high speed. This stability encourages regular tyre wear, extending their useful life and ensuring constant driving comfort.

They allow you to adapt your lead ratio

The design of narrow tyres with a steel belt offers great flexibility in terms of dynamic rolling circumference.

• The reinforced structure allows for a larger range of pressure settings than other tyre models. It is therefore possible to adjust pressure to optimise lead, even with a heavy load.
  

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• For example, if the lead ratio is too high with high pressure, the pressure can be reduced to reach the ideal balance, without sacrificing the tyre’s load capacity.

For more information on tractor tyres

With Firestone, you have the guarantee of tractor tyres that deliver a real advantage, and that in choosing our brand, you can work worry-free. 

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