A tire can suffer punctures and tears in traversing a field after harvest where the toughest stalks – or stubble – can represent a real problem. For this, there is one solution: use compounds and structural solutions to make the tire more resistant. Immediately after the harvest and during dry-plowing are the conditions with the highest risk of puncture.
Stubble damage most often occurs in the tire’s sidewall and tread, especially the grooves. In passing over crop stubble, friction causes the detachment of large pieces of rubber, something which cannot always be repaired.
Stubble damage happens as a result of sturdier crops. Producers of seeds, such as corn, soybeans, cotton and rapeseed, have developed genetically modified crops, which stay stable, have high wind resistance, can withstand significant temperature variations and resist disease and parasitic infections. However, a more robust crop brings extremely rigid stubble. This means operators have to outfit their machines with special equipment, and above all, with highly resistant, high-performance tires.
BKT has introduced various ways to minimize the damage. The most effective inventions for combatting stubble damage include engineering specific, highly resistant compounds and structural changes in the body of the tire. For example, aramid, a fiber that is five times more resistant than steel and characterized by high traction resistance, is used in a tire’s belt. These belts also enable greater uniformity in the product on the ground and guarantee better puncture resistance.
For years, BKT has worked on increasing stubble damage in its bias and radial tires, offering aramid-belted versions for more resistance to punctures as well as special versions of a tire in which the compound guarantees resistance against cutting.
One example of this technology in action is in the Agrimax Teris, a radial tire which has a tougher, more resistant compound for cropping and harvesting machines, in particular for combine harvesters. A special protection for the sidewall and the reinforced shoulder increases the tire’s resistance and the life-cycle of the product. Traction, stability and a high load capacity are key features of The Agrimax Teris. Numerous sizes are available and some come equipped with IF technology.
When it is time to plow and the machines are normally fitted with flotation tires, BKT also offers a better product for improved weight distribution and support. The BKT Flotation 558 and Flotation 648, bias tires that have an aramid-belted heavy-duty compound to avoid punctures, are especially suitable in the case of tough stubble.
The Flotation 558 is a cross-ply tire for combine harvesters and round balers, both on and off the road. The Flotation 648 is particularly suitable for transport in the field, as well as spreading applications. Both have a high traction capacity; the particular design of the tread allows the transport of very heavy loads at low pressure, consequently guaranteeing reduced soil compaction and protecting crops from damage.
Finally, BKT’s radial tires for agricultural equipment and trailers use different technologies to provide resistance to stubble. Among these for implement applications is the AW 711, specifically designed for soil tillage applications with a special tread compound that ensures its long life cycle, when used on both soft and hard surfaces; RIB 713, a tire with a steel-belted structure that guarantees resistance to punctures; SR 713, an all-steel radial tire with VF technology, characterized by a large tire footprint, for reduced soil compaction; and finally I-1, designed with a compound resistant to stubble to increase its duration and overall performance in the field.
This content is sponsored by BKT Tires.
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