OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
Mega-Trailer
Page 25
11.3 Tyres
Good tyre economics is a question of regular checks and driving with the correct tyre pressure. If you follow the
advice given below, your will gain the most benefit from your investment.
1.
Check the tyre pressure every 2 weeks at least. If the machine hasn’t been used for a longer period of
time, check the tyre pressure before driving off. Always make sure that the tyre pressure is correct and
adapted to the load and type of work, which the vehicle in question generally carries out.
2.
Never overstrain the tyres.
3.
Make sure the caps are on the valves and have been tightened.
4.
It is best to check the tyres during operation for “folds” or other abnormal deformation. Remove any
stones, gravel, nails and other foreign objects caught up in the tyres before they work themselves further
in. Deep tears should be repaired as soon as possible.
5.
If the tyres are not to be used for a longer period of time, remove load to prevent deformation. ‘Loose’
tyres should be kept in a dark place, out of the way of oil and other chemicals. Do not put tyres near
electric motors otherwise the ozone generated by this equipment will dry out the rubber.
Effects of different Tyre Pressures in use on Farm and Meadow Land
The power required to draw a wheel over a field is called ‘rolling resistance’. This increases considerably if the
tyres burrow or sink into the ground. Low tyre pressures increase the contact surface of the tyres in comparison to
high pressures. By using wide tyres with low tyre pressure the tyres stay on the surface better and the rolling re-
sistance decreases. Drawing the vehicle or equipment then requires less power, fuel consumption falls and time is
saved. In addition less wheel imprints are left, thus avoiding destructive soil compaction. A larger contact surface
enables more effective power transfer. Unnecessary damage to ground structure is avoided and fuel consumption
reduced. The load is carried by the air in the tyres. This is why it is very important to choose the right size of tyres
and the right tyre pressure for each vehicle and job. A tyre with low pressure is softer and therefore causes less
damage to the ground surface. The softness also makes driving more comfortable. The wear on tyres varies accor-
ding to the tyre pressure and the type of surface driven on. A simple rule is: soft tyres for soft surfaces and hard
tyres for hard surfaces. A quick look at a tyre will soon tell you how the tyre has been used. If the tyre is worn
mainly on the shoulder, then it was most probably used at too low a pressure – the side walls of the tyre then carry
too much of the weight of the load. If the tyres are worn mainly in the middle of the driving surface, they most
probably have been used with tyre pressures that are too high.
Effects of different tyre pressures on roads
If the vehicle is mainly used on tarred roads, and yard surfaces, the tyres can be run at the max. admissible
pressure. Tyre wear is then at its lowest.
