Michelin Launches Ag Tyre Spec Service at Lamma

Michelin has announced a new bespoke tyre specification service for farm vehicles, which will launch tomorrow at Lamma 2011. The service will run free of charge at all of the trade shows the manufacturer will attend this year, which will include the Irish Machinery Show, Grasslands & Muck, Cereals, Royal Welsh Show and Royal Highland Show. Michelin technical specialists will carry out a detailed technical appraisal, taking into account the precise machine model, individual tyre sizes, operating weights, desired applications and surface type. This information will then be used to determine the most suitable Michelin or Kleber fitments, together with recommended operating pressures.

“Getting your tyre specification spot-on can reap significant benefits,” says Peter Debenham, technical manager for Michelin’s Agricultural division.  “Tyre choice can help you to achieve a better yield and maximise your return investment. Farmers routinely associate tyre selection with traction and soil protection, but fine-tuning tyre specifications can lead to improved fuel consumption, increased service life and enable a greater capacity to keep working in the wettest soil conditions.”

Visitors to Michelin’s stand at Lamma 2011 can also claim £100 in fuel vouchers with the purchase of any two Michelin XeoBib, AxioBib, MultiBib, MachXBib, OmniBib or MegaXBib tyres. Claim forms are available at Stand B96, Avenue U and must be returned to Michelin by post with a copy of the original tyre purchase receipt. The tyres must be purchased in a single transaction between 1 February and 30 April 2011.

Ultraflex Comparison

Visitors to Michelin’s stand will see a curious tyre combination fitted to the New Holland T7000 series tractor, as it will run with MultiBib 65-series tyres on one side and XeoBib tyres on the other. The latter tyre features Michelin’s patented Ultraflex technology, allowing visitors an opportunity to compare the differences between Ultraflex and conventional technology tyres on the same machine.

The XeoBib can operate at a maximum pressure of 1 bar (15 psi) in the field and on the road, eliminating the need for constant pressure adjustments – a useful feature for the larger farms of recent times, since the same machinery will need to be deployed at locations more disparate than in the past.  Like all conventional technology tyres, pressures for the MultiBib fitment would be higher and variable according to load, speed of travel and type of work to be done.

Michelin’s Ultraflex technology allows a constant pressure for both road and field, even at speeds up to 65 mph, thanks to the ability to perform with a greater casing deflection. The resulting growth in the XeoBib’s tyre footprint helps to reduce rutting and benefits farm productivity with improvements in fuel economy, coupled with more time savings as a result of enhanced traction.

Rob Beddis, commercial director of Michelin’s Agricultural division in the UK and Republic of Ireland, explains: “Ultraflex technology tyres deliver all-round benefits to the farmer, the land and the environment by combining better traction, soil protection, improved fuel economy in the field and all-round increased efficiency. Even on the road, despite the significantly lower operating pressure compared with conventional technology tyres, farmers can enjoy the reassurance of safe braking, precise steering and impressive ride comfort.”

In addition to showcasing the two different technologies on the T7040 tractor, Michelin is using the occasion of Lamma 2011 to display the largest line-up of agricultural tyres in its four year history of attending the show – with a major focus on Ultraflex technology for larger farming and contracting operations.

More information on Michelin and Kleber brand agricultural tyres is available in the January 2011 edition of Tyres & Accessories magazine, and by clicking the links below.

Related News:

• Michelin “Doubles Up” for Lamma 2011
• Michelin CerexBib Designed for Heavy Loads from Modern Harvesters
• Michelin Demonstrates Benefits of XeoBib’s “Ultraflex Technology” at Contractor Panel