First to invest in our CompactMaster AG tyres

Abdon Farm stretches to 350 acres and the Price family grows 100 acres of combinable crops with some fodder beet and grass leys to make silage for their 250 beef cattle. “We also have 500 breeding ewes so there is a wide variety of farm work for the JCB and our other machinery,” he says. “We tend to buy older kit and do our own maintenance, so we are used to changing tyres to update and improve our machinery,” he adds. 

"These Continental tyres came in cheaper than some of the other premium brands but have the same quality look and feel.”

Tom Price

The JCB is a 2003 model and has covered 15,000 hours. Mr Price purchased it in 2013 and suggests it has been a good investment. “I do a lot of loading work, so a good telehandler is important here. I wanted to improve the ride and grip, so I was willing to invest in premium quality tyres. These Continental tyres came in cheaper than some of the other premium brands but have the same quality look and feel. The tyres have a good tread depth on the shoulders and feel strong even at the slightly lower pressures I am running them at for field work,” he says. 

Our agricultural tyre specialist in the UK says, “This tyre represents years of research and development by our agricultural team in Lousado, Portugal. The new twisted steel belt construction has a unique Turtle Shield layer beneath the rubber to protect the tyre shoulder area from damage. The wider tread and lug widths have been specifically designed to offer better traction on a variety of surfaces and improve the self-cleaning properties of the tyre,” he adds.

The new tyre is capable of operating at speeds of up to 50 kilometres per hour. “This level of tolerance is an indication of the strength and flexibility of the tyre. The twisted steel belt provides a robust yet flexible tyre that can run at higher pressures on the road to enhance fuel efficiency, and lower pressures in the yard or field when carrying heavy loads,” he says.

Mr Price has already noticed the benefit of the lug design, which aids the cleaning properties of the tyre. “There is wider spacing between the lugs which helps with self-cleaning and traction. This will be a big help when the weather turns, because we can have prolonged wet spells which makes grip tricky at times,” he says. Compared to a standard agricultural tyre pattern, the new lug design of the CompactMaster AG tyre provides five percent more surface area. “This lug design further enhances grip and will also contribute to the tyre wearing more evenly, which can improve the hours and mileage the tyre will deliver,” adds our specialist.

Telehanders, like Mr Price’s JCB, also have to make stationary turns on hard surfaces which increases the lateral pressure that is put through the tyre. The twisted steel belt construction of the CompactMaster AG tyre makes it stiffer which provides greater stability. “The JCB feels steadier especially when lifting and turning with a weight over the front. All in all, I am really impressed. The tyres are well designed, and I expect them to last well too,” concludes Mr Price.