What are some tractor tire maintenance tips you should follow?
- Make sure to perform regular inspections
- Know when to replace tires
- Keep tires inflated
- Use the right amount of ballast
- Don’t overload the tractor
- Make time to prepare the tires for storage
Tires are one of the most important parts of a tractor, so it’s essential for you to take care of them. Some people are only concerned about their tires when repairs and replacements are needed. But by maintaining your tires, you can maximize their lifespan. If you want to learn about tractor tire maintenance tips, keep on reading to learn more!
Make Sure To Perform Regular Inspections
One of the most important aspects of tire maintenance is inspections. Regular checking of the tires can help you catch minor damage, so you can do something about it before it worsens. Perform a visual examination daily before operating the tractor.
During your inspection, look for cracks, cuts, and other forms of damage. While tractor tires are designed to withstand rough conditions, you can’t neglect small damages because they can deepen and worsen — causing more problems. These will also put your safety at risk.
Know When To Replace Tires
While tractor tires can last long if well-maintained, it’s also important to know when to replace them, so you can ensure the safe operation of your tractor and also make the most out of your machinery. One way to do this is to check the tread depth. The tire tread has a big impact on your tractor operation.
When the tire tread reaches below 20% below its original depth, it could cause the tractor to have difficulty with traction on slippery ground. This can lead to inaccurate work, can make work more time-consuming, and also decreases tractor fuel efficiency. In this case, it’s best to replace the tires.
Try to replace the tires with the same brand and dimensions. This way, it will easily fit in the tractor, and you will also enjoy the previous performance you’re used to.
Keep Tires Inflated
One of the important aspects of tire maintenance is to keep the tires inflated to the proper pressure. This leads to less wear and tear, better traction, reduced soil compaction, better fuel efficiency, and also a longer lifespan for the tires.
To ensure that tires are inflated, use a high-quality tire gauge. Find one that is accurate, consistent, and is also easy to read. Try to check the inflation pressure frequently. Follow the recommended guidelines in the manual when it comes to proper inflation.
Use The Right Amount Of Ballast
Ballasting tractor tires involve increasing the tractor mass reversibly. This is done to increase the tractor’s grip and reduce slipping. It also makes the tractor more stable.
There are two ways to ballast a tractor. Metal mass ballast involves putting metal weights on the tractor or the wheels. Water ballast involves filling the tractor tires with water. It is important to use the right amount of ballast because overballasting causes excessive rolling resistance.
Don’t Overload The Tractor
One of the tricks to maintaining tires is to never overload your tractor. Each tire has a load capacity, which means that carrying a load beyond it is a way to cause premature damage and increase the tread wear rate.
Straining the tires too much can lead to irreversible damage. If you overload your tractor, the excess weight will squash the tires. This is worse when the tractor is on hard ground. The distortion caused by the squashing can increase the risks of internal breakage in the casing.
Make Time To Prepare Tires For Storage
If you are not planning to use the tractor for a long time, prepare the tires for storage. First, clean the tires thoroughly to remove dirt and grime. This can also help you spot signs of damage. Then, put the tires in airtight storage to prevent the lubricating oil from evaporating.
Store the tractor tires in a dry and cool environment, away from sunlight, fuel, oil, and chemicals. Make sure to store the tires upright.
Key Takeaway
Dealing with broken tractor tires is stressful, especially when you’re in the middle of your farm work. In this case, you have no choice but to endure the downtime while you get a replacement tire for your tractor.
If you want to prevent this problem, it’s important to take care of your tires by inspecting them regularly, keeping them inflated to the right air pressure, using the right amount of ballast, never overloading the tractor, and preparing the tires for storage. If needed, have the tires replaced before the end of their lifespan.
Follow these tractor tire maintenance tips, so you can prolong the lifespan of your tires, maximizing their use on your farm! If you’re interested in purchasing tractors or other farm equipment in the Philippines, you can contact us here at Ford Tractor. We can provide you with high-quality tractors, and also offer after-sales services and spare parts if needed.
