Over the last couple of years, the attention of tyre manufactures has been focused on enabling lower tyre pressures, and variable pressures, in a bid to reduce ground compaction.
However, building in such flexibility tends to result in a softer tyre that might be more easily damaged away from the reasonably benign environment of regularly tilled land.
BKT has recently taken the opposite tack and developed two tyre types that are more robust in their resistance to mechanical damage, punctures and chipping of the tread.
The two tyres are the Forestmax, which is of radial construction, and the Forestland, which is a cross-ply type.
A tyre for forest and field
Both tyres are said to fulfil the needs of rural areas that are characterised by a high degree of land diversity, in this case planted forestry which tends to be on land not considered suitable for regular tillage
The company claims that thanks to the new design, it is not only a reliable, but also a safe option, thanks to the extra rigidity built into the shoulders, providing a greater degree of stability.
Robustness and improved cut-and-chip resistance, are the key features of these two tyres.
The Forestmax features a specially developed tread compound and a steel-belted structure that is said to significantly reduce the risk of punctures on woodland.
On rough and uneven terrain, it is claimed that the tyre displays good traction and stability characteristics, thanks to its strong open shoulder.
Traction for tillage
The Forestland tyre, on the other hand, has a particularly strong and resistant carcass that is able to cope with the challenging conditions due to a special polyester casing and its strong sidewall, ensuring a long product life.
BKT suggest that the combination of tread resistance and shoulder design grants the Forestmax good self-cleaning properties, and it may be used for some tillage operations.
Meanwhile, the open shoulder design of the Forestland provides excellent traction on soft soils, while the stiff, reinforced tread lugs ensure good grip on any terrain along with high self-cleaning properties.