Six tips for choosing the ideal tractor tires (or any ag tires)

This is the very first question you need to answer. To extend your tractor's performance, we strongly recommend that you choose the widest possible diameter for the rear axle. By choosing the widest, you exclude any tractor tires that exceed the maximum diameter defined by your tractor manufacturer.

The maximum authorized diameter is relative to your tractor. Since original equipment tires are not necessarily of the maximum diameter, we recommend that you consult your tractor's technical data sheet or your dealer to find out the widest diameter tire your tractor can use.

Keep in mind, there are dimensional equivalents for the maximum authorized diameter.

For example, for a tractor that can be fitted at the rear with a maximum diameter of ~77 inches (1.95 meters), you can fit 650/65 R42, 710/60 R42 or 710/70 R38 tires (to name just a few possible sizes). These sizes vary in terms of tread width and sidewall height, but all correspond to the ~77 inch diameter.

Download the technical documentation below for more information on this topic.

Another example: you may need a very versatile tire that can perform well when plowing. A tractor tire that can fit in your furrow when you're pulling your plow and should be neither too wide nor too narrow. For a diameter of ~77 inches (1.95 m), you could choose a 24 in. (620 mm) or 25.5 in (650 mm) wide tire.

If you don't plow and have no limitations in terms of road clearance because your plots are all around your farm, then you could opt for a wider tractor tire, for example 31 or 35 inches (800 or 900 mm), for that diameter.

Choosing your tire width depends on your needs, but also on what that implies. Which brings us to the next criterion.

There isn't the same volume of air in a tire measuring 270/95 R54 as in a tire measuring 900/60 R32. And if you don't have the same volume of air, you won't have the same load capacity. So, depending on the ag implements you use and the size and weight of your tractor, you need to determine what load capacity you need. The same applies to speed.

For example, 1033 liters are needed to fill a Michelin CEREXBIB2 tire VF900/60R32 CFO+ to 75%, while 240 liters are needed to fill a Michelin AGRIBIB ROW CROP tire 320/90R54 151A8/151B TL to 75%.

Depending on your use, opting for a particular technology could make a big difference to your yield. Note that "technology" is not the same as "standard": MICHELIN Ultraflex technology was developed specifically by Michelin engineers to meet VF (Very Improved Flexion) or IF (Improved Flexion) standards.

If you’re working at a low tire pressure to limit soil compaction or get better traction in difficult conditions, we recommend tractor tires with Michelin UltraFlex technology. If working at low pressure to limit soil compaction or to be able to work in difficult conditions with good traction is important to you, we recommend tractor tires with Michelin Ultraflex Technology. Otherwise, you can opt for a standard tractor tire.

This is an important question because some tires of the same size are available in either standard or Michelin Ultraflex technology versions, so you need to determine whether the technology is needed or not before choosing the tire.

The choice depends on how you use your tractor.

• Do you mainly use your tractor in the field? Then one of our other tractor tire ranges will be your best option.

At this stage, having followed our five tips above, you should have narrowed down the tire possibilities to just a few options. There's only one criterion left to help you determine the ideal tire for your needs.

Your tractor has four-wheel drive. The question of load weight limit is important because the front and rear tractor tire sizes are different. Therefore, good synchronization between the front and rear wheels is essential to ensure that your tractor operates at optimum efficiency.

To achieve good synchronization, the load rating generally needs to be between 0% and 5%. As there are sometimes exceptions, the best thing to do is to contact your dealer.

Beyond these limits, the optimal load will be inadequate and involve one or more of these inconveniences:

• increased fuel consumption,
• accelerated wear of front and rear tires,
• deterioration in transmission components,
• deterioration in the tractor's behavior during certain operations (i.e., plowing).

The optimal load rating limit for your tractor is calculated based on the manufacturer’s definition of axle ratio, which depends on the size of the front and rear tires being used.

For this reason, if you decide to change the diameter of your tractor tires (see our first criterion above), the load ratio must be recalculated and may also require you to change the front tires.

If you don't know the acceptable load rating for your tractor or don't know how to calculate it, consult your dealer who will be able to help you.

Now that you know the different questions to answer, all you need to do is find the tires for your tractor below: