low ground pressure, but also last a long time.” Ongoing grounds maintenance contracts are usually fulfilled using compact tractors or ride-on mowers, but major renovation work, such as verti-draining and topdressing, requires the high horsepower and light tread of the Alliance-shod Kubota and New Holland tractors.
Agricultural tyres are also used for heavy construction work, and here Agripower specifies Michelins, as Grant explains: “We still need a light tread and minimal footprint. Michelins are more expensive than other brands, but last longer in conditions where they are required to carry heavy weights and work on stony soils.”
Feeling flat?
Andy Hipkin suggests that punctures are less of a problem these days, notably since a lot of tyres are tubeless designs which resist punctures. “However, the best way to avoid punctures is to make sure that the tyre is suitable for its application. Customers who try to cut corners and use the wrong tyre tend to spend more on puncture repairs.” Polyeurethane tyres are another option, and come in particularly handy for machines that are exposed to rougher conditions, such as commercial mowers or trailed implements.
Official UK distributor for the Amerityre brand, Puncture Proof Tyres, James Bowett, outlines the advantages of this type of tyre. “These are not filled tyres, but made of 100% polyeurethane, so offer a lighter tread on turf, eliminating the downtime
associated with mending punctures and checking inflation pressures. As the height of cut on this type of mower is usually set on the wheels, using a solid tyre also keeps the finish consistent across the working width.” Fitting does require a special tool, which can be purchased for larger workshops, or tyres can be fitted by the company’s network of dealers. A range of tread patterns and tyre sizes is available and James comments that the choice is expanding all the time. Prices are said to compare well with a pneumatic tyre and are less than the equivalent filled tyre. A further advantage, according to James, is that they are ‘green’. “Polyurethane can be landfilled, or reground and re-used in other products, avoiding the disposal issues associated with rubber tyres,” he explains. Punctures can be an issue for construction contractors running on flinty soils, particularly if they are using low ground pressure tyres on a machine which will also be deployed for the
maintenance of the new turf. However, Dave Raynes of Totrax points out that most of the modern flotation tyres used on larger tractors have ply ratings of 12/15, which can help avoid punctures. “But where they are an issue, tyres can be filled with OKO sealant, which is forced into the hole in the event of a puncture, blocking it up and preventing deflation. Alternatively, the entire chamber of vulnerable tyres can be filled and the tyre cured, but this does add weight, so is not suitable for all machines. We are looking at lighter solutions for sealing tyres in the future” says Dave Raynes.
No more punctures …ever!
No hassle. No wasted time. No repairs.
Fit Puncture Proof Tyres and you'll never have another puncture again - guaranteed.
For all the proof you need and to buy online visit our website.
www.tiredofpunctures.com or call 0844 800 6493
Puncture-Proof-Tyres.co.uk, Unit 1, Barons Court Gardens, Newhouse Lane, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire B61 9ET
THE CUTTING EDGE
The Classen range of heavy duty turf cutters are built to last and perform. Choose from the mechanical drive or the super smooth hydrostatic range.
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Tel: 0845 026 0064
www.jsmd.co.uk
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