The 6 criteria for choosing your tractor tyres or any agricultural tyres

This is the very first question you need to answer. To extend your tractor's performance, we strongly recommend that you choose the largest possible diameter for the rear axle. You can therefore exclude tractor tyres with a diameter exceeding the maximum size permitted by the manufacturer of your vehicle.

The maximum authorised diameter is relative to your tractor. And since original equipment tyres are not necessarily of the maximum diameter, we recommend that you consult your tractor's technical data sheet or your vehicle dealer if you are unsure or require clarification.

Note that for the maximum authorised diameter, there are dimensional equivalents.

For example, for a tractor that can be fitted at the rear with a maximum diameter of 1.95 m, you can fit 650/65 R42, 710/60 R42 or 710/70 R38 tyres (to name just a few possible sizes). These sizes vary in terms of tread width and sidewall height, but all correspond to the 1.95 m diameter.

For more information on this subject, you can download our technical documentation and consult the Equivalence chart (page 6 of our 2022 tech data book).

Another example: you may need a very versatile tyre that can perform well when ploughing. A tractor tyre that can fit in your furrow when you're pulling your plough, and should be neither too wide nor too narrow. For a diameter of 1.95 m, you could therefore choose a 620 mm or 650 mm wide tyre.

If you don't plough and have no limitations in terms of road travel because your fields are all around your farm, then you could opt for a wider tractor tyre, for example 800 or 900 mm, for that diameter.

Choosing your tyre width depends on your needs, but also on what that implies. Which brings us to the next criteria.

There isn't the same volume of air in a tyre measuring 270/95 R54 as in a tyre measuring 900/60 R32. And if you don't have the same volume of air, you won't have the same load capacity. So, depending on the implements you use and the size and weight of your tractor, you need to determine what load capacity you need. The same applies to speed.

For example, 1033 litres are needed to fill a MICHELIN CEREXBIB2 tyre VF900/60R32 CFO+ to 75%, while 240 litres are needed to fill a MICHELIN AGRIBIB ROW CROP tyre 320/90R54 151A8/151B TL to 75%.

Depending on your use, opting for a particular technology could make a big difference to your yield. (Note that "technology" is not the same as "standard": MICHELIN Ultraflex technology was developed specifically by Michelin engineers to meet VF (Very High Flexion) or IF (Improved Flexion) standards.)

If working at low pressure to limit soil compaction or to be able to work in difficult conditions with good traction it is important to you, we recommend tractor tyres with Michelin Ultraflex Technology.

Otherwise, you can opt for a standard tractor tyre. This is an important question, as some tyres of the same size are available in standard or MICHELIN Ultraflex technology versions.

The choice depends on how you use your tractor.

• Do you mainly use your tractor in the field? Then one of our other tractor tyre ranges will be suitable for this use.

At this stage, having followed our criteria, you should have narrowed down the possibilities to the solutions best suited to your needs. There's only one criteria left to determine in order to make the right choice.

Your tractor has four-wheel drive. The question of front wheel lead is important because the front and rear tractor tyre sizes are different. Good synchronisation between the front and rear wheels is therefore essential to ensure that your tractor operates at optimum efficiency. To achieve good synchronisation, the front wheel lead ratio generally needs to be between 0% and 5%. As there are sometimes exceptions, the best thing to do is to contact your dealer.

Beyond these limits, the front wheel lead will either be too small or too large and could cause one or more of these issues:

• increased fuel consumption,
• accelerated wear of front and rear tyres,
• deterioration in transmission components,
• deterioration in the tractor's behaviour during certain operations (e.g. ploughing).

The front wheel lead is calculated on the basis of the mechanical ratio defined by the manufacturer for your tractor. Which depends on the size of the front and rear tyres.

This is why, if you decide to change the diameter of your tractor tyres (see our 1rst criterion above), the front wheel lead must be recalculated and may also involve changing the front tyres.

If you don't know the front wheel lead accepted by your tractor or don't know how to calculate it, consult your dealer, who will be able to help you on this point.

Now that you have the answers to the criteria, all you have to do is find the tyres for your tractor below: