Planting Season Tire Inspection

Check those tires before it's too late.

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Planting windows are narrow, so it's important to hit the ground running by ensuring that you take care of all maintenance points — tires included. Tire failure during planting can be frustrating and costly. Firestone estimates that each hour a flat tire keeps a farmer from planting, it could cost the farm nearly $2,500.

Inspection Points

To begin the inspection, bring the tractor and planter into the shop and park on a concrete pad, so you can do a full walk-around.

Check the tractor tires' air pressure; the weight of heavy farm equipment can damage underinflated tires. Overinflating tires leaves them with less ground contact surface area, causing more slippage and soil compaction.

Look out for any cracks, cuts, and exposed cords by carefully running your hand along the sidewall. Deeper cracks could cause further damage while driving through stubble, and make the tires more susceptible to failure.