Types of Pivot Tires
Flat-free pivot tires are becoming more and more popular in the irrigation industry. They don’t go flat, they last longer than pneumatics, and they are cost-effective in the long run. The three main types of airless pivot tires include steel, plastic, and solid rubber. What are the pros and cons of each?
Steel Pivot Tires
Steel pivot tires will never go flat. One of the biggest problems with pneumatic pivot tires is that they go flat. Flat tires in the field cause all sorts of problems. Damage to the tower, bog down the entire irrigation system, and it will be difficult to remove from the field. The benefit of using a steel pivot tire or any flat-free option on the market is that you don’t have to deal with flats.
Along with being flat-free, steel flat-free pivot tires are low maintenance and last in the harsh conditions of irrigation farming . The problem with steel options is that they have no flexibility
A tire that doesn’t flex will cause stress on the driving component. Flexibility in a tire also helps with traction. Being able to wrap around an object is better for traction as an inflexible tire will slip. Steel tires are also heavier than other options which cause stress on the driving components.
Plastic Pivot Tires
Plastic pivot tires are another option on the market. These tires are cheap while also being flat-free and low maintenance. The issue is they aren’t puncture-proof, and like steel options, they are inflexible.
Though the tires don’t go flat, they aren't puncture-proof. The plastic tire fills with water and mud bogging down the system with the added weight. These tires become extremely heavy and are difficult to get out of the field. This, along with the fact that they have the same inflexibility problem as steel tires, makes them a less desirable overall option .
Rubber Airless Pivot Tires
The nest option is a solid rubber airless tire option. These tires are made of solid rubber and have apertures for flexibility. These tires are flat-free and puncture-free, so they won’t add weight to the overall system.
Most solid rubber pivot tires have apertures in the rubber to provide some flexibility but not enough. It is also important to make sure the aperture design will collapse completely so the material doesn’t get stuck inside the aperture. Therefore, tire maintenance is limited and the operator can focus on more important tasks.
The EWRS-PIVOT Series Flat-Free Pivot Tire
The EWRS-PIVOT XT Series flat-free pivot tire is a rubber airless pivot tire with an innovative design to fix problems in the field . The features better traction, floatation, and serviceability in one impressive offering.
The EWRS-PIVOT Series has specially engineered core geometry that compresses completely. The core geometry refers to the apertures in the rubber that allow the rubber to flex as it travels. The core geometry compresses completely creating a self-cleaning system. The compression provides better traction as well as minimizes wear on the driving components of the tower .
The tread on the EWRS-PIVOT Series is bidirectional with a concave profile. The directional tread has a digging effect as it travels. This contributes to deep ruts in the field which cause all sorts of issues. Being bidirectional allows the tire to have incredible traction without affecting floatation.
The EWRS-PIVOT Series is built to a true-to-spec 14.9 x 24 pivot tire. The wide concaved profile holds material underneath the tire. Increasing the ground contact area. These two features prevent deep ruts from forming in the first place.
Like all of Evolution Wheels tires, the EWRS-PIVOT Series airless pivot tire is segmented for serviceability . Composed of rubber segments that can easily be removed and attached with only a wrench. if a segment is damaged in the field, the operator can go in and change the segment instead of the entire tire. eliminating downtime due to flat or damaged tires in the field.