There are several trends in modern agricultural tyre development that Mitas closely follows and influences. The requirements of agricultural machinery manufacturers are important as they develop increasingly complex and heavier machinery to improve fieldwork efficiency further. As a result, tyre designers often need more support for higher tyre load capacity and lower soil pressure.
These requirements mean the biggest trend in recent years has been for larger agricultural tyres with extremely wide profiles and high load capacities. These tyres often feature a special construction to improve their key characteristics. Another significant trend is an increase in the maximum permitted speed ratings, reflecting the characteristics of the latest agricultural machinery.
Looking back, agricultural tyres have grown significantly in section width for many years. Data obtained by Mitas experts show that in 1957, the average section width of a representative sample of agricultural traction tyres fluctuated around 300mm; widths of 450 mm were exceptional. By 2017, tyres commonly had an average section width of almost 900 mm.
The Mitas brand portfolio even included a tyre with a section width of 1,220 mm – 1250/50R32 – designed for high-power tractors and combined harvesters and available in several versions with different load capacities. Alongside the width of agricultural traction tyres, the overall diameter has been growing, too. In 1957, the average did not even reach 1,200 mm, and diameters up to 1,600 mm were exceptional; in 2017, the average diameter of the largest tyres approached 2,200 mm.
The Mitas diameter “champion” is the 710/75R42 from the SFT (Super Flexion tyres) range, with an outer diameter of 2,171 mm. Comparable diameters are also reached by the VF (Very High Flexion) and CHO (Cyclic Harvesting Operation) tyres designed for combine harvesters. “We don’t expect significant further increases in the external proportions of agricultural tyres in the future, as agricultural machinery must still be certified for operation on normal roads,” says Pavel Kott, Product
Manager of Mitas agricultural tyres. The loading capacity of agricultural traction tyres increased from an average of 1,000 kg in 1957 to almost 9,000 kg in 2017.
In conclusion, Mitas has closely followed and influenced the development of modern agricultural tyres to meet the increasing demands of complex and heavy machinery used in fieldwork. The trends in tyre development have led to the production of larger, wider and more efficient tyres with higher load capacities and improved key characteristics. While there have been significant increases in section width and overall diameter of agricultural tyres over the years, it is unlikely that further increases will be seen due to certification requirements for operation on normal roads. With the loading capacity of agricultural traction tyres increasing from an average of 1,000 kg to almost 9,000 kg, Mitas remains at the forefront of agricultural tyre innovation.
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