Firestone tyres for new John Deere 6M Series tractors
John Deere has selected Firestone tyres for its new range of 6M Series tractors to be launched late 2012.
Firestone’s latest generation Performer and Maxi Traction tyres will be fitted across the Series which features tractor models ranging from 105 to 170 horsepower. The newest “IF technology” low pressure Firestone products are also available to John Deere.
Firestone will supply John Deere with the latest Performer 65, 70 and 85 series radials with upgraded load and speed capabilities, enabling farmers to minimize soil compaction, reduce work time and travel on roads at higher speeds. With the outstanding traction and self-cleaning of Firestone’s Dual Angle Lug technology, Performer tyres minimize soil compaction and increase efficiency in the field.
For higher horsepower models in the John Deere 6M series, Firestone will supply Maxi Traction radial tyres. In addition to excellent traction and self-cleaning with minimum soil disturbance under heavy loads, these tyres provide a more comfortable, smoother drive and long wear life.
“The original equipment fitments have grown out of a strong and long lasting partnership between John Deere and Bridgestone. Both companies share a commitment to providing farmers in Europe with high-quality products that improve farming efficiency. John Deere provides the finest engine technologies and hi tech/user friendly transmissions and all this power needs to be transmitted to the soil in the most efficient way, and one of the key elements is the choice of the right tyre size.” says Stefan Denayer, Senior Manager, Agricultural Tyre Original Equipment, Bridgestone Europe.
To demonstrate the importance of using the correct tyre size and pressure, last month Firestone conducted a test in collaboration with John Deere, to accurately measure working time and fuel consumption, both on the road and in the field.
During the field test (in clay soil) it was demonstrated that the 650/65R42 rear size gave a very clear time saving of 67 minutes per 100Ha covered versus the same operation using 710/70R38. This particular test application fully utilised the benefits of 650/65R42, showing that a bigger tyre was not needed and that customers can lose both time and fuel by using the wrong tyre sizes for their required application!
The first message using results of this test is to ask customers about their most severe application and adjust the tyre choice accordingly to maximise the total efficiency of the new tractor, avoiding wasting time and fuel
To help simplify choosing the correct tyre pressure for the load, Firestone created a Tyre Pressure App (for both Android and I-O-S), which shows which tyre pressure to use for the required load & speed. The App, available in different languages versions, can be downloaded free of charge.
The second message was, once the correct tyre pressure is identified by using the Firestone tyre pressure app, tractor dealers need to be sure that tyre pressures are adjusted before the tractors are delivered to the customer.
Finally Denayer explained that IF technology enables the tyre to carry up to 20% more load than a standard tyre enabling farmers to use heavier equipment or reduce the number of transport cycles. However, a major benefit of IF is that it also allows a lower tyre pressure for carrying the same load as the standard tyre. The IF-version of the Maxi Traction does not require the purchase of new rims. The Maxi Traction IF tyres can be fitted on the recommended standard Maxi Traction rims. It is also possible to fit the Maxi Traction IF on wider IF rims, if required. This solution helps to optimize cost, thus supporting operational efficiency.
The bigger footprint reduces contact pressure on the soil, leading to lower soil compaction and sustainable higher crop yields. Firestone IF tyres can be mounted on standard rims which not all of our competitors allow.
John Deere was reminded that choosing the right tyre size, using the correct pressure and taking advantage of the newest tyre technologies are three very effective ways to increase the total efficiency of farmers operations using their John Deere new 6Mserie tractor.
Both Performer and Maxi Traction radials are designed and tested at Firestone’s European Research & Development centre in Italy and manufactured at its specialist agricultural tyre production plant in Spain.