Continental has launched its largest tractor tire to date, the VF TractorMaster in size VF900/60R42. With a diameter of 2,147 millimeters, the tire is larger than a door frame and weighs 450 kilograms with a load index of 189 (10,300 kilograms). Continental has developed the tire size specifically to be able to carry the weight of agricultural machinery with over 300 horsepower.
Bigger, faster, heavier: new tire size addresses industry trend
Rising costs and the pressure to transport increasingly larger loads in a shorter time mean that the demand for powerful agricultural machinery is growing.
Benjamin Hübner, Product Line Manager for Agricultural Tires at Continental, says: “This development not only demands top performance from machines, but also from their tires. That is why we develop and test our agricultural tires in close consultation with our customers.” Underlying the trend toward large machines is the primary goal of working even more efficiently and cost-effectively. In 2022, Continental therefore launched five new tire sizes of its VF TractorMaster (650/60 R 34; 650/65 R 42; 710/75 R42; 650/65 R 34; 710/60 R 34).
Suitable for field and road
Thanks to VF technology, the tire can be driven with 40 percent more load at the same tire pressure as a standard tire or 40 percent less tire pressure at the same load. In addition, tires with VF technology operate more fuel-efficiently than conventional tractor tires. Hübner: “The VF TractorMaster combines efficiency and soil preservation. The VF technology allows for a smooth transition from field to road without having to adjust the tire pressure. At the same time, the impact of heavy machinery on the soil is minimized by a wider tread surface when working in the field.”
Continental is striving to continuously expand its agricultural tire business as part of its Vision 2030 strategy. The expansion of the portfolio and the realignment of the Agricultural Tires business field, headed by Ivonne Bierwirth, underscore the company’s growth strategy.
