indiana Prairie Farmer Logo

These ag tires may look like they are flat, but they aren't flat. They look that way on purpose.

Tom Bechman 1, Editor, Indiana Prairie Farm

September 16, 2015

2 Min Read

Take a close look at the picture of the tractor moving across a demonstration area below.

The driver is riding along comfortably on this tractor. And yes, he knows his tires look flat, but they're not.

Related: A tire pressure gauge will pay for itself on the farm

What he also knows is that when he crosses obstacles, such as posts, placed on the demonstration track on purpose, he will barely notice the bump in the road. His posture will stay upright. When another driver follows him shortly on a tractor with regular tires, even at low tire pressures, he will jerk rather vigorously over each post that lies in the tractor's path. 

tire_concept_change_farm_equipment_tires_know_1_635779091158484000.JPG

The tire that looks flat but isn't is a concept tire under development by Mitas that combines the best of tracks and tires into one package. It was first introduced at foreign ag shows, since Mitas is based in Europe.

It was also introduced in the U.S. at the 2014 Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa. However, the company has completed further testing and refined the design since that time.

Still not available commercially, it's advanced to the point that Mitas demonstrated its durability and smoothness of ride during the 2015 Farm Progress Show.

To make sure visitors watching the demonstration could tell how much smoother the Pneutrac tire performed, Mitas set up a giant video scan and broadcast close-ups of the driver in the cab on each tractor as he crossed over posts on the track. The difference in smoothness of ride was obvious.

Related: Hoosier farmers' invention makes row cleaners better

Note that both front and rear wheels feature this new design. Once on the market, it could be a game changer. The footprint made by these tires is different, and it will have an impact on lessening soil compaction, developers say.

Contact Mitas Tires North America, Inc., Charlotte, NC, call customer service at 704-542-3422 or visit mitasag.com.

About the Author(s)

Tom Bechman 1

Editor, Indiana Prairie Farm

Tom Bechman is an important cog in the Farm Progress machinery. In addition to serving as editor of Indiana Prairie Farmer, Tom is nationally known for his coverage of Midwest agronomy, conservation, no-till farming, farm management, farm safety, high-tech farming and personal property tax relief. His byline appears monthly in many of the 18 state and regional farm magazines published by Farm Progress.

"I consider it my responsibility and opportunity as a farm magazine editor to supply useful information that will help today's farm families survive and thrive," the veteran editor says.

Tom graduated from Whiteland (Ind.) High School, earned his B.S. in animal science and agricultural education from Purdue University in 1975 and an M.S. in dairy nutrition two years later. He first joined the magazine as a field editor in 1981 after four years as a vocational agriculture teacher.

Tom enjoys interacting with farm families, university specialists and industry leaders, gathering and sifting through loads of information available in agriculture today. "Whenever I find a new idea or a new thought that could either improve someone's life or their income, I consider it a personal challenge to discover how to present it in the most useful form, " he says.

Subscribe to receive top agriculture news
Be informed daily with these free e-newsletters

You May Also Like