Yokohama Off Highway Tires

Farm Equipment and Dinosaurs Exert a Heavy Toll On Soil  Over the past century, mechanization has dramatically improved crop production and efficiency; however, the size and weight of farm equipment have also grown alongside yield and productivity. A  new study  found that the weight of modern farm machinery rivals that of sauropods, the largest animals ever to have ever lived on land. Farm Equipment and Dinosaur Weights The wheel loads of combine harvesters grew  roughly 65% between 1989 and 2009 —and today, fully loaded combines can weigh upward of 80,000 pounds. That is as much as a small herd of elephants and approaching the weight of the heaviest animals to have ever roamed the earth, sauropods, which are believed to have tipped the scales at around 80 tons. Tractors have also been super-sized over the years;  a top-of-the-line tractor today weighs nearly ten times more than it did in 1960 , stands taller than an African elephant, and outweighs some sauropo...

Farmers today have more options than ever when it comes time to select ag tires. One of the most common ways to differentiate the multitude of farm tires on the market is to divide them by their construction—bias ply or radial. Both bias and radial tires have their advantages, but radials stand apart as there are no real drawbacks to their use in farming applications. Keep reading to learn more about the features and benefits of both types of tires.  Bias-Ply Tires Bias-ply tires are nearly as old as pneumatic (air-filled) tires themselves—they’ve been a common sight on farms for almost a century—and still present a viable option for many machines. Bias-ply tires are made by lapping multiple plies of rubber-coated textile diagonally over each other—also called “on the bias”—to create a single working unit. The construction of bias tires allows the sidewall and tread to work together as a single unit.  Bias-Ply Tire Pros Bias construction creates a rugged, durable tire with sti...

   Understanding Tractor Tire Tread Terminology Tractors are used for a variety of tasks and work in all types of terrain—from farming and landscaping to snow removal and maintaining small acreages. Helping tractors maximize their efficiency and productivity are tires featuring different types of tread, each uniquely engineered to deliver optimal performance in particular applications and conditions. Why Choose an Application-Specific Tire Tread? There are numerous reasons to choose an application-specific tire. For example, they can improve the performance of your T by providing it with the attributes you value most, such as traction, ride quality, fuel efficiency, and impact on the ground. Another great reason to choose application-specific tires is that matching the tire tread to the terrain in which it will operate is a simple way to increase tire life. R-1/R-1W (Ag) Tires R-1/R-1W tires are also known as agricultural or ag tires. As their name implies, they’re commonly fo...