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TPMS: Chrysler Pacifica – 2022

CHRIS NEIDERT, training and development manager, ag, Trelleborg Wheel Systems: Getting as much horsepower as possible transferred from the engine to the ground is the end target. Ballasting can help accomplish this by either adjusting existing weights or placing additional ballast either on the front or rear of the tractor. The goal isn’t to have zero wheel slip, but to shoot for a preferred slip of between 8% and 15% for tractors.

Having too high of a slippage rate means spending more time than necessary in the field and wasting money on fuel as the tires are forced to spin more. Having too little slip means risk of overload on the tires, higher soil compaction, power loss, increased fuel consumption and lower productivity. Getting the proper ballast and tire inflation pressures can optimize traction, reduce compaction, increase the life of the tires and increase productivity.

Regardless of the tractor horsepower that your customer is using, the goal is to capitalize on the machine’s engine power. Getting the tractor to be heavy enough to apply that power from the engine to the ground is paramount.

BLAINE COX , national product manager — agriculture, golf and turf, Yokohama Off-Highway Tires America Inc.: Because they are the point of contact between the machine and the ground — and the point of friction when unnecessary motion takes place, tires have a significant impact on fuel efficiency. That means good decisions on tires can have great impacts on fuel costs.

The most important decision is inflation pressure. When manufacturers design a tire, we determine how much its sidewalls will flex in order to create a contact patch with an optimal size and shape. Too much inflation pressure means less contact patch, more slip and less engine power turned into forward speed. That all adds up to more fuel consumption.

In practical terms, we can be talking about a lot of fuel. In fact, scientists at the University of California Davis found that correctly inflating tractor radials — in their example, 13 psi front/11 psi rear, rather than overinflated at 24 psi — reduced fuel consumption by 20%.

If your customer is experiencing too much slip because your equipment is too light, ballast his tractor to optimize it. If the slip is the result of worn-out tread failing to provide enough traction, consider replacing the customer’s tires. Whatever the reason for it, slip is just another word for turning your wheels and burning fuel without getting work out of the process.

Selecting the right tire can pay off in lower fuel bills. Because IF and VF tires have added flex in their sidewalls, longer and wider contact patches and can operate at lower inflation pressure, they improve fuel economy over standard radials.

When you are looking to upgrade your client’s tires, look for tread patterns that maximize traction and minimize rolling resistance. We’ve come a long way from the lug designs that were in fashion for more than 100 years. You’ve got great choices for the soil types, roading needs and chores your customer needs to accomplish.

Finally, when diesel prices are as high as they have been this season, a CTIS — which allows you to adjust inflation pressure on the go, right from the cab — can pay itself off more quickly than ever. And not only does CTIS improve fuel economy, it also helps your customers get longer wear and better performance out of their tires.

When you start thinking about fuel consumption, take a minute to glance away from your gas cap and take a look at your tires.