Introduction
Contents
Contents
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 Symbol | Speed km/h |
A1 | 5 |
A2 | 10 |
A3 | 15 |
A4 | 20 |
A5 | 25 |
A6 | 30 |
A7 | 35 |
A8 | 40 |
B | 50 |
C | 60 |
D | 65 |
E | 70 |
F | 80 |
G | 90 |
LI | kg | LI | kg | LI | kg | LI | kg |
96 | 710 | 119 | 1360 | 142 | 2650 | 165 | 5150 |
97 | 730 | 120 | 1400 | 143 | 2725 | 166 | 5300 |
98 | 750 | 121 | 1450 | 144 | 2800 | 167 | 5450 |
99 | 775 | 122 | 1500 | 145 | 2900 | 168 | 5600 |
100 | 800 | 123 | 1550 | 146 | 3000 | 169 | 5800 |
101 | 825 | 124 | 1600 | 147 | 3075 | 170 | 6000 |
102 | 850 | 125 | 1650 | 148 | 3150 | 171 | 6150 |
103 | 875 | 126 | 1700 | 149 | 3250 | 172 | 6300 |
104 | 900 | 127 | 1750 | 150 | 3350 | 173 | 6500 |
105 | 925 | 128 | 1800 | 151 | 3450 | 174 | 6700 |
106 | 950 | 129 | 1850 | 152 | 3550 | 175 | 6900 |
107 | 975 | 130 | 1900 | 153 | 3650 | ||
108 | 1000 | 131 | 1950 | 154 | 3750 | ||
109 | 1030 | 132 | 2000 | 155 | 3875 | ||
110 | 1060 | 133 | 2060 | 156 | 4000 | ||
111 | 1090 | 134 | 2120 | 157 | 4125 | ||
112 | 1120 | 135 | 2180 | 158 | 4250 | ||
113 | 1150 | 136 | 2240 | 159 | 4375 | ||
114 | 1180 | 137 | 2300 | 160 | 4500 | ||
115 | 1215 | 138 | 2360 | 161 | 4625 | ||
116 | 1250 | 139 | 2430 | 162 | 4759 | ||
117 | 1285 | 140 | 2500 | 163 | 4875 | ||
118 | 1320 | 141 | 2575 | 164 | 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.
- Recycling and Economic Development Initiative of South Africa (REDISA) https://redisa.org.za
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
- Air-seal Products www.air-sealproducts.com
- Automotive Equipment International (AEI) www.aei.co.za Wheel care equipment and tyre repair consumables. AEI has branches countrywide.
- No More Punctures Tel: 081 281 1113 www.nomorepunctures.co.za
- Ritlee Industrial & Agricultural Equipment www.ritlee.co.za Tyre recycling equipment
Local Manufacturers
- Bridgestone South Africa www.bridgestone.co.za Find the “Agricultural tyres” under the “Products” option on the website.
- Continental Tyre SA www.continental-tyres.co.za
- Dunlop Tyres International (Pty) Ltd www.dunloptyres.co.za
- Firestone www.firestone.co.za
- Good Year www.goodyear.eu/za_en/
- Maxxis Tyres SA www.maxxis.co.za/en
Major Importers
- Apollo Tyres Africa http://traditional.apollotyres.com/en-sa/
- Michelin South Africa www.michelin.co.za
- O’Green Metaforge www.metaforge.co.za
- Pirelli www.pirelli.com
- Tubestone www.tubestone.co.za
- Yokohama Southern Africa www.yokohama.co.za
Tyre Dealers
- Bandag www.bandag.co.za
- Bridgestone Commercial www.bridgestonecommercial.co.za
- Conti Partner http://contipartner.com
- DC Tyres www.dctyres.co.za
- Dunlop Accredited Dealers www.dunlopzone.co.za
- Hi-Q www.hiq.co.za
- Kwik-Fit http://kwikfit.co.za
- SA Tyre Distributors www.satyre.co.za
- Speedy Tyre and Exhaust www.speedy.co.za
- Supa Quick Auto Centres www.supaquick.co.za
- Tiger Wheel & Tyre www.twt.co.za
- Trentyre www.trentyre.co.za
- TyreMart www.tyremart.co.za
Recycling and retreads
- Mather Group https://mathegroup.com
- See Waste Bureau South Africa under “Associations”
- Survival Ultimate Tyre Solution www.tyresaver.co
- SA Tyre Recyclers Tel: 021 577 1704
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 the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) [now Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries] presentations on progress with the diversion of waste tyres from landfill sites.
Some articles
- Cloete S. 2020, November 24. “The many benefits of good tyre traction”. Farmer’s Weekly. Available at www.farmersweekly.co.za/agri-technology/machinery-equipment/the-many-benefits-of-good-tyre-traction/
- Venter I. 2019, November 14. “Second-hand tyre survey shows 61% are not fit for use”. Engineering News. Available at www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/second-hand-tyre-survey-shows-61-are-not-fit-for-use-2019-11-14
- Phillips L. 2019, July 27. “Technology improves efficiency of agri tyres”. Farmer’s Weekly. Available at www.farmersweekly.co.za/agri-technology/machinery-equipment/technology-improves-efficiency-of-agri-tyres/
- Frankson L. 2019, March 14. “REDISA commits to reviving operations”. Available at https://infrastructurenews.co.za/2019/03/14/redisa-commits-to-reviving-operations
- Venter, J. 2019, February 6. “Choosing the best tyres for your bakkie”. Farmer’s Weekly. Available at www.farmersweekly.co.za/agri-technology/motoring/choosing-best-tyres-bakkie/
- Joseph, F. & van der Westhuizen, M. 2019, January 13. “How old tyres can stop soil erosion in its tracks”. Farmer’s Weekly. Available at www.farmersweekly.co.za/crops/field-crops/old-tyres-can-stop-soil-erosion-tracks/



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