Tyres

Radial Ply

Imported tractors are normally fitted with Radial Ply tyres. These tyres are all marked with a Load Index and Speed Symbol on the sidewall. A copy of the Speed Symbol table is below.

However, these merely indicate the tyres maximum carrying capacity and speed at the maximum speed. When it comes to recommended tyre pressures, it would be advisable to either use the tyre pressures as recommended by the tractor manufacturer, or alternatively call in a tyre expert to recommend tyre pressures. This is particularly important when looking at 4 wheel drive or Front Wheel Assist tractors.

Speed SymbolSpeed km/h
A15
A210
A315
A420
A525
A630
A735
A840
B50
C60
D65
E70
F80
G90
LIkgLIkgLIkgLIkg
96 710119 1360142 26501655150
97 730120 1400143 27251665300
98 750121 1450144 28001675450
99 775122 1500145 29001685600
100 800123 1550146 30001695800
101 825124 1600147 30751706000
102 850125 1650148 31501716150
103 875126 1700149 32501726300
104 900127 1750150 33501736500
105 925128 1800151 34501746700
106 950129 1850152 35501756900
107 975130 1900153 3650  
108 1000131 1950154 3750  
109 1030132 2000155 3875  
110 1060133 2060156 4000  
111 1090134 2120157 4125  
112 1120135 2180158 4250  
113 1150136 2240159 4375  
114 1180137 2300160 4500  
115 1215138 2360161 4625  
116 1250139 2430162 4759  
117 1285140 2500163 4875  
118 1320141 2575164 5000  
 
 

Other useful notes

Find the very useful technical (and other) information at www.satmc.co.za.

Farmers can use old tyres in a number of ways, says Eastern Cape farmer Roelof Bezuidenhout. These include the following:

  • Feed troughs.
  • Building walls and fences. This protects animal hides in cases where animals are pushed against fences or run into them. Arranged along the ground at the bottom of a fence, old tyres can keep out burrowing animals (and jackals or other predators which may want to follow).
  • Strengthening contour lines and stabilising soil and vegetation.
  • Tied together and dragged behind a vehicle, old tyres function as an implement for levelling fields or gravel roads.
Source: Farmer’s Weekly 30 May 2014. See also the article by Joseph, F. & van der Westhuizen, M. listed under the last heading.
                            ***

Although advanced materials may be used that protect against tyre damage, rubber is particularly prone to absorbing oil, grease, fuel and other solvents, and is further degraded by exposure to heat and light. Therefore, tyres should be kept in a cool, clean and dark area, and away from other machinery such as motors, generators and welders as the ozone emitted by such equipment causes cracks in the rubber and, ultimately, failure of the tyre carcass. Similarly, wash any chemicals off the tyres after using the tractor in spraying operations.

For storing tyres mounted on rims, but not on machinery, reduce the pressure to ten psi and store vertically on the tread. Tyres off rims can be stacked evenly on their sidewalls, but never so high as to distort the bottom tyre.

On a machine or implement in storage for extended periods, block up the vehicle to lift the tyres off the ground. If this is not possible, increase the standard tyre pressure by 25% to reduce deflection and move the vehicle periodically.

Source: adapted from an article by Goodyear which appeared in Pula-Imvula (a magazine put out by Grain SA), January 2009.

Role players

Business Listings

The following business listings are provided for informational purposes only. Agribook does not endorse or guarantee any of the listed businesses, their products, or services.

Websites and publications

  • Southern Africa Treads Liana Shaw (Editor) Visit https://satreads.com
  • TYRE & RUBBER Recycling www.tyreandrubberrecycling.com
  • Each company involved – see above – has a website and manuals, which are usually beefed up versions of what is on their website.
  • Other publications (usually car ones) carry tyre-related articles every now and then.
  • The Industry Waste Tyre Management Plan (IndWTMP) aims to address several challenges faced by the waste tyre sector, including limited local processing capacity, storage depot limitations, and logistical constraints. It was developed in accordance with Section 29 of the National Environmental Management: Waste Act 2008 (NEM: WA). See www.dffe.gov.za/mediareleases/creecy_industrywastetyremanagementplan
  • Find the Parliamentary Monitoring Group‘s minutes of the Portfolio Committee on Environment, Forestry and Fisheries meeting (28 April 2026) at https://pmg.org.za/committee-meeting/42836. Programme 7 (Chemicals and Waste Management) is relevant to this chapter.
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