Irrigation Tires/Wheels for Center Pivot & Linear Irrigation System

Drive-Train is a very important system for pivot and linear machine. The pneumatic flat tire life time is 3-5 years due to different environment. Usually farmers need to change the broken tires. RainTek can provide both tube tires and tubeless tires with different dimensions to meet different requirements.

Actually, following good pivot maintenance practices is the first and most cost-effective step in extending the tires lifetime and reducing tracking problems.

(1) Check the owner’s manual and adjust the tire pressure accordingly. When the pressure is too high, the tires will make deeper tracks and if it’s too low, the tire may come off the rim.

(2) During the first pass of the year, run the pivot around dry on a day when the soil is fairly moist but does not stick to the tires or squeeze out. These conditions are optimum for packing the soil in the wheel track. During the second pass, apply 0.25 – 0.5 inches of water. This will help compact the soil and reduce the depth of the pivot track during the season. 

(3) Overwatering and keeping the field too wet often leads to deep tracking problems, so it’s important to maintain a good irrigation schedule. Apply the largest practical irrigation depth, without runoff, and allow the field surface to dry more before the next pass. 

In areas where conditions create significant problems, there are additional options, including:

(1) Adding a three-foot extension in the pivot pipe at the pivot point every other year, which allows the wheels to move out of the old tracks for a year. This gives the soil an opportunity to firm up before moving back the following year.

(2) Adjusting the sprinkler configuration around each tower to direct water away from pivot tracks or applying water after the pivot has passed.

(3) Increasing tire footprint by switching to larger tires, such as radials to minimize the pounds per square inch the wheel puts on the soil.