Tractor with implement working in field
How can I avoid tire damage in the field and on the road?
Tire damage is a reality and can paralyze your activity in many situations. Stubble, heavy loads that your farm machinery must carry during harvesting or even sharp pieces of metal on the ground can damage your rubber spheres. By equipping yourself with tires designed to withstand these elements, you limit the risk of business interruptions and can devote yourself to your work with peace of mind.
What solutions can Michelin offer you for the various activities concerned? Find out in this article.
1- Resistance to stubble damage
Michelin Yieldbib tires installed on a tractor in a stubble field
After harvesting, some stubble is harder than others, to the point of attacking your tires when you drive over it.
Little by little, the tractor tire rubber is abraded, particularly on the tread. The lugs are damaged, the rubber is hollowed out and your tires show signs of premature wear.
This phenomenon becomes more pronounced as the tire damage caused by stubble increases.
Premature tire wear leads to reduced performance and therefore, lower productivity. Even worse, if a puncture happens, which is possible, it can bring your business to a standstill.
To avoid stubble damage, choose tires that have been designed to be more resistant to these types of aggressions.
Our solution for stubble resistance
Michelin YIELDBIB tire
This low-pressure tire for high horsepower tractors is marked "Stubble Shield". It offers increased resistance to damage caused by stubble thanks to its optimized lug design and its crown composed of a specific Michelin rubber.
Michelin stubble shield
- An anti-stubble strip reinforces the main area that is subject to attack from residual stubble
- The studs are oriented in such a way to deflect the stubble
- The rubber contains specific components to improve tire life
The Michelin YIELDBIB tire features Michelin UltraFlex technology and is compatible with Central Tire Inflation System (CTIS).
Find out more:
2 - Resistance to heavy loads during harvesting
When the time comes to harvest, you need to be reactive. There's a lot to get done and the weather conditions are not always optimal. You can't afford a punctured tire that would prevent you from harvesting.
But combine harvesters are heavier machines than other farm machinery, with heavy cutting bars and pickers, as well as hoppers that have larger capacities, meaning the load on the soil is much heavier than normal farm equipment.
Choose ag tires that are resistant to heavy loads for harvesting
Obviously, it's the tires that bear all these loads, and they do so cyclically as the hopper is filled and emptied. These extreme loads can sometimes involve up to 20 tons per tire. In other words, they're under a lot of repeated stress!
The role of a combine harvester tire must be able to withstand these heavy loads repeatedly and for years to come. With some tires, the carcass could be damaged, which requires reinvestment in new tires.
Our solutions for heavy loads resistance
We recommend that you choose tires with Michelin UltraFlex technology.
Why? Because this carcass technology designed by Michelin makes the tire capable of carrying very heavy loads over time without the carcass being damaged. That could bring you better profitability and productivity thanks to the Michelin UltraFlex technology which is designed to provide more longevity for the tires.
Michelin CEREXBIB 2 tire
Featuring Michelin UltraFlex technology, the Michelin CEREXBIB 2 tire is designed to increase productivity for heavier, more powerful harvesting machines.
Thanks to its steel reinforced tread, this tire offers excellent puncture resistance and better load distribution. Moreover, it has been developed and designed in conjunction with the main harvesting machine manufacturers to meet the requirements for harvesting. Find out more:
Michelin FLOATXBIB tire
Designed for self-propelled spreaders, this low-pressure tire (equipped with Michelin UltraFlex technology) offers high load capacity and speed. It is also designed to resist stubble and wear.
The reinforced central zone with its special lug design and its innovative compound reduces heat build-up, increasing speed and load capacity. Find out more:
Michelin MEGAXBIB 2 tire
Designed for harvesting machinery, this tire offers excellent capabilities under heavy loads and at high speeds. It is marked "Stubble Shield", which means it offers extra protection against stubble damage. It has a steel reinforced tread and a reinforced carcass that offers excellent puncture resistance, better load distribution and longer life. Find out more:
3 - Puncture resistance
If you're handling backhoes, compact wheel loaders or telehandlers on hard surfaces where pieces of scrap metal or other sharp objects could cause punctures, reinforced tires will save you a lot of trouble.
Our solutions for puncture resistance
Michelin BIBLOAD Hard Surface tire
We've designed this tire with reinforced sidewalls and steel crown plies for greater puncture resistance. It also has a high tread height for prolonged use on aggressive soils, and a steel casing structure that’s designed to increase longevity.
With this hard-wearing tire, you'll be able to work without fear of aggression, without compromising comfort, since its 96 tread blocks and large rubber surface in contact with the ground help to reduce vibrations.
Find out more about the Michelin BIBLOAD Hard Surface tire
Michelin XMCL tire
Also designed for backhoes, compact wheel loaders or telehandlers, this tire offers great resistance to damage and prevents punctures thanks to its reinforced sidewalls and steel crown plies. Its durable compound also offers good wear resistance. Find out more:
Looking for more advice about choosing tires? Read "Six Tips for Choosing the Ideal Tractor Tires (or any Ag Tires)"
Need more advice? Discover our tire buying guide.