An all-new 28-inch PneuTrac was shown by Mitas at Sima 2015 mounted on the front axle of a Case IH Maxxum tractor. The rear axle was fitted with the 38-inch rim PneuTrac.
Mitas developed the 480/65R28 PneuTrac as the third size of this revolutionary tyre concept. PneuTrac 280/70R18 and 600/65R38 tyres are undergoing intensive dynamic tests.
“By mounting PneuTrac on the tractor, we’re also unfolding the future of this concept,” Mitas’ marketing and sales director, Andrew Mabin, said. “The test results of the 18-inch PneuTrac are now similar to those of the standard tyre. We’re doing our best to make the concept commercially available at the soonest possible time, but it’s still early to announce the exact date.”
PneuTrac brings together the best of both worlds in traditional pneumatic tyres and rubber tracks. Mitas is intensively testing the PneuTrac concept on an 18-inch and 38-inch rim tyre, and has started static tests on the new 28-inch rim PneuTrac. Thanks to the new 28-inch size and the exisitng 38-inch rim, Mitas is able to fit front and rear axles of a tractor solely with PneuTrac. This enables Mitas to start field tests in the near future and prove the advantages of this concept.
“PneuTrac has great potential,” Mitas’ agriculture tyre product manager, Pavel Kott, said. “The new size of Mitas PneuTrac is another significant step in the development of this concept.”
In November 2014, Mitas PneuTrac received the Eima Technical Innovation award. The jury recognised the PneuTrac as the best innovation in the component or accessory category based on the detailed technical description and practical demonstration of this unique concept.
Developing with its partner, Galileo Wheel Ltd, the Mitas PneuTrac provides better traction efficiency with lower slippage, resulting in lower operational costs, higher crop yields and less damage to soil compared with standard tyres. PneuTrac provides very stable driving at low inflation pressures, ensuring comfort and safety with no need to adjust inflation pressure.
The footprint of Mitas PneuTrac is 53 per cent larger than that of a standard tyre, and it provides higher tractive force. This ensures gentle ground handling with much lower and improved distribution of pressure on the ground with less soil compaction. The lateral stability of Mitas PneuTrac is of a very high level compared with standard tyres: 167 per cent higher, to be precise. PneuTrac is mountable on standard rims.
For more information visit: www.mitas-tyres.com.
