Tyres

Introduction

Contents

Radial Ply
Useful notes
Role players

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

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

 

Associations

  • New Tyre Manufacturers Employers’ Association Tel: 041 378 1942
  • Retail Motor Association (RMI) Tyre Dealer and Fitment Association (TDAFA) Tel: 011 886 6300 www.rmi.org.za/tdafa Represents Tyre Dealers and Fitment Centres
  • South African Tyre Manufacturers Conference (SATMC) www.satmc.co.za This association represents the new tyre industry on matters relating to WTO negotiations, tyre safety, and the environment. [website not working, 7 August 2018]
  • The Waste Management Bureau (a Department of Environmental Affairs project) is replacing the Recycling and Economic Development Initiative of South Africa (REDISA). See www.environment.gov.za/wastebureau.

 

Tyre standards and research

  • South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) Standards Information Centre Tel: 012 428 7911 www.sabs.co.za Find the list of published standards (November 2016) for tyres here.
  • Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Built Environment, Dr Morris de Beer mbeer [at] csir.co.za www.csir.co.za

 

Tyre changing and repair equipment

 

Local Manufacturers

 

Major Importers

 

Tyre Dealers

 

Recycling and retreads

 

Websites and publications

  • Southern Africa Treads Liana Shaw (Editor) Tel: 011 658 0011 www.satreads.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.
  • Find the Environmental Affairs parliamentary committee discussions (19 February 2019 and 17 April 2018) on Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) presentations on progress with the diversion of waste tyres from landfill sites.

 

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