Change of tyres and lower air pressure cuts fuel usage 40%

Reducing the air pressure in their Ultraflex Technology tyres cut the fuel cost for drilling 100 hectares by £400 (555) in a new UK trial conducted recently by Michelin.

Their XeoBib tyres were fitted to a Massey Ferguson 6616 with a Kuhn power harrow drill combination.

With front tyre pressures set at 20 psi and rear pressures set to 30 psi — the pressures required for a conventional agri-tyre — it cost £978 in fuel to drill the field, leaving an average rut depth of 133mm.