Goodyear announces Optitrac H+ harvester tyre
Goodyear has announced a new farm tyre in its Optitrac range specifically developed for harvester machines: the Optitrac H+. The H+ range will include tyres designed to operate at higher deflection levels, signified by the addition of the letters IF as a prefix to the size and CFO as a suffix. Goodyear says these tyres have been designed in line with a four-year 2009 ETRTO experimental standard which allows a “load bonus of up to 55 per cent for cyclic field operations without the need to increase the inflation pressure”. This new range was shown on Goodyear’s stand at the 2011 SIMA show held in Paris with the introduction of the first two sizes: IF800/70R32 CFO and IF800/75R32 CFO. It was developed by the Goodyear Innovation Centre – Luxembourg (GIC*L) and has been tested and approved by harvester manufacturers in Europe.
Commenting on the new addition, Antonio Cury, Goodyear’s European sales and marketing director said: “Our extensive testing has proven that the entire harvesting operation can be carried out using one constant inflation pressure for both road and field work. This lower inflation pressure and higher load capacity of the Optitrac H+ tyre provides an increased footprint area which increases traction and reduces penetration into the soil, this reduces soil compaction and rolling resistance and improves fuel consumption.
“Goodyear has identified the requirement to deliver to the market a tyre which is specifically designed for use on harvesting machines. The tyres are designed to provide the performance benefits that these high load machines demand both in transport and in harvesting applications. The heavier load carrying capacity of these tyres provides farmers and contractors with opportunities to increase their efficiency when carrying out harvesting operations, helping to reduce their costs”
The new range will have the same design features as the other families in the Optitrac range, which Goodyear reports has sold over one million tyres since its market introduction. It has an asymmetric lug shape that combines with its depth to provide better traction and self cleaning. The continuous helical lug curvature and computer-optimised footprint pressure distribution provide efficient power and torque transmission and improve ride comfort. In combination with this, the tread rubber composition delivers high wear resistance. In addition the Optitrac H+ will feature the aero tie in bead construction for greater sidewall strength and incorporates an extended sidewall flex zone that enhances durability and tyre life.
Goodyear will be exhibiting their range of Farm & Industrial tyres at Cereals 2011 in June.
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