Studies show that one way to improve yields is to minimize soil compaction by using tires designed to operate at lower air pressures compared to standard radial tires.

In fact, a three-year study by Harper Adams University in the United Kingdom shows that Michelin's Ultraflex Technology IF (Increased Flexion) and VF (Very High Flexion) tires delivers a yield increase of up to 4 percent compared to standard radial tires. To meet market demand, Michelin is introducing three new tires for North American farmers with Ultraflex technology.

The three new tire models are Michelin SprayBib VF 480/80R46 177D, a sprayer tire; Michelin SprayBibTM VF 380/90R54 176D, a tire for high-clearance sprayers and row crop-tractors; and Michelin CereXBibTM IF 1000/55R32 CFO 188A8, which is the largest harvester tire in Michelin’s portfolio.  This tire is designed for large harvesters and grain carts, which are among the heaviest machines and have surpassed the weight capacity of most radial tires.

“As farm equipment has grown larger and heavier in recent years, farmers now cover more acres per day, but soil compaction has become a greater challenge,” said Mike Pantaleo, customer engineering support for Michelin Agriculture tires. “Michelin Ultraflex tires address this issue by operating at lower pressures than standard radial tires, therefore producing a larger footprint. This larger footprint distributes the weight of the machine over the largest area possible to reduce compaction.”

Pantaleo explains that Michelin Ultraflex VF tires can be operated at up to 40 percent less air pressure than standard radial tires which results in a larger footprint that reduces soil compaction and can improve yield.