Are Radial Tractor Tires Cost Effective?
When Pirelli Co. developed the first radial tractor tire in 1957, the company claimed it would develop 20 percent greater traction with less slippage at equal load than an equivalent bias-ply tire. (Forrest, et al. 1962) Subsequent research has confirmed that radial tires have the advantage in tractive efficiency. H. Erdal Ozkan, state extension specialist at Ohio State University, has reviewed all available research results related to field performance of tractors equipped with radial and bias ply tires.
