Optimising footprints of tractors, sprayers, trailers. Soil protection with Yokohama Off-Highway Tires (YOHT) Very High Flexion (VF) technology
Conserving agricultural soils as finite resource for the production of food, feed and fibre for a growing world population is of utmost importance. When soils are compacted by large and heavy machinery, this poses a major thread to sustainable land use in general and soil fertility in particular. In order to avoid negative effects on root growth, nutrient uptake and water management and associated losses in crop growth and yields, soil compaction must be avoided to the greatest possible extend — without, however, compromising efficiency and productivity of farmers around the globe. That is why engineers at YOHT have been continuously working on radial tractor tires, on Improved Flexion (IF) and Very High Flexion (VF) tractor tires, on radial flotation tires for trailers and — as a true world’s first — the combination of flotation and VF technology in the Alliance 389 VF tire for trailers, thus boosting soil protection and efficient operations to unprecedented levels. Evidence of how these technologies work in the field was presented during practical demonstrations at the ILVO/Inagro event at the Bayer ForwardFarm Hof ten Bosch in Huldenberg, Belgium, on 15th September. Mounted on a trailer and combined with an air pressure control system, tires such as the Alliance 389 VF-IMP made soil protection visible and measurable.
Holistic approach to soil protection
The positive effects of tractor tires with VF technology that were developed and introduced by YOHT’s Alliance brand in recent years are thwarted when tractors equipped with VF tires are followed by trailers with standard tires, featuring an inflation pressure of 2 to 4 bar in the field. If, however, also trailers are equipped with VF tires, capable of inflation pressures down to 0.8 bar in the field, this results in clear benefits in terms of lower impacts on the soil. In addition to the markedly lower inflation pressure, further positive effects are ensured by the increased footprint of the tires. The weight of the trailer and its load are supported on a contact area that is about 25 per cent bigger than with standard tires.
Alliance A389 VF-Imp in brief
The Alliance A389 VF-IMP features a special tread design for extraordinary grip, excellent flotation and effective self-cleaning as well as a 25% larger footprint for significantly lower soil compaction. In addition, this tire is characterised by a very strong carcass to carry loads at 30% lower inflation pressure — which can go down to 0.8 bar in the field — steel belts for reduced rolling resistance and minimum downtime, and special compounds for better overall performance and low wear. The non-directional tread design with unique ‘S-shaped’ centre blocks ensures optimum traction on all soil types, effective steering in both directions, and easy mounting. «As could be seen in the course of the practical demonstrations at Hof ten Bosch, flotation and VF technology of Alliance offer a convincing overall package — and this even more so with an air pressure control system, allowing for the adaptation of the inflation pressure for in-field work and on-road transport. These tires were designed to avoid soil compaction and to allow for efficient operations — and they truly deliver. Measurements in the field with a folding yardstick and a penetrometer clearly showed the positive effects of our combination of flotation and VF technology», concluded Gerrit Vinkers, Customer Quality Improvement and Application Specialist at YOHT.
Pioneer and world leader in flotation
YOHT’s Alliance brand has an excellent reputation for innovative and environmentally friendly tire technology. As expert in tractor tires since 1952, Alliance was one of the first manufacturers to pioneer IF and VF technology in tractor tires in 2014. With the Agri Star II and its Stratified Layer Technology, the brand once again introduced a new and unique generation of tires. As true pioneer and world leader in flotation, Alliance also was the first to introduce a radial flotation tire for agricultural trailers in 2000. Based on years of experience, the world’s first VFIMP trailer flotation tire — the Alliance A389 VF — followed in 2017. This tire simply offers the best solution for soil protection with agricultural trailers that is available on the market. In order to further speed up agricultural transports and ensure maximum soil protection at the same time, Alliance developed and launched the Alliance A398 MPT — the world’s first high-speed flotation tire for agro trucks. This ultra-modern solution for efficient transportation was introduced in 2019.
With the Alliance 590, a new heavy duty radial flotation tire for agriculture and construction is to be launched shortly. In sum, and with Alliance’s upgraded range of VF tires for tractors, sprayers, trailers and various implements, YOHT covers the biggest variety of sizes and applications on the market. The impressive tire portfolio is complemented by an equally impressive, industry leading warranty policy: All agricultural tires come with a warranty of seven years, and all steel-belted radials even with a 10 years warranty, thus offering premium performance at exceptional value.
About Yokohama Off-Highway Tires: Yokohama Off-Highway Tires (YOHT) specializes in the design, development, manufacturing and marketing of Agriculture, Forestry, Construction, Industrial, Earthmoving, Mining and Port and other commercial tires. YOHT owns the world-renowned brands Alliance, Galaxy and Primex and is present in over 120 countries. With a diverse product portfolio that includes more than 4000 SKUs, YOHT is well-known for its ability to offer customers, both aftermarket and OEM, with superior quality application-specific and purpose-built tires.
