The many benefits of good tyre traction

Hennie Hattingh is responsible for original equipment sales at the Johannesburg branch of a major Southern African tyre and tube distributor. Stehan Cloete spoke to him about the effect of tyre pressure and tractor ballasting on fuel efficiency and productivity.

- Stehan Cloete

The arrival of the Fourth Industrial Revolution has made many farmers feel that the only way to improve their operations’ productivity and efficiency is to invest in new technology. This is partly true, but best practices and good old experience are still highly relevant and a key part of farming successfully.

Simply looking after the equipment you have and ensuring optimal operating conditions is half the battle won. The next step is to deploy technology to help you run your equipment consistently at optimal conditions.

TRACTORS AND TRACTION

As South Africa’s summer crop areas enter the land preparation phase, now is a good time for farmers to focus on tractors and traction. In short, are your machines transferring all their power to the ground?

Traction is largely determined by the available friction between the tyre and the surface on which it operates. Friction can be increased by adding weight or by selecting the right tyre design.

If tyre pressures and ballasting of the tractors are not set correctly, land preparation will be far more costly. Special care should therefore be taken to optimise these parameters so that the tyres can take the full load and perform at their best.