A new 28 in. PneuTrac was displayed at the Mitas stand during the Farm Progress Show 2015 fair in Decatur, IL, mounted on the front axle of Case IH Maxxum tractor. The rear axle was fitted with a 38-inch rim PneuTrac. Mitas developed the 480/65 R28 PneuTrac as a third size of its revolutionary tire concept. In June, Mitas started intensive field tests of this new size. Mitas is conducting field tests in Europe with a John Deere 6150R tractor mounted with 480/65 R28 PneuTrac on the front axle and 600/65 R38 PneuTrac on the rear.
“By mounting PneuTrac on the tractor we are also unfolding the future of this concept,” says Andrew Mabin, Mitas Marketing and Sales Manager. “We are doing our best to make the concept commercially available in the shortest possible date but it is still early to announce exact date.”
PneuTrac brings together the best of both worlds in traditional pneumatic tires and rubber tracks. Thanks to the new 28 in. size and with the use 38 in. rim, Mitas is able to fit front and rear axles of a tractor solely with PneuTrac. It enabled Mitas to start with field tests which are now taking place in Europe to prove the advantages of this concept.
The tests have so far demonstrated the clear advantages of PneuTrac over conventional tire designs. The most important PneuTrac benefits are a larger footprint, greater tractive force and also higher lateral stability at a lower inflation pressure when compared with the standard tire.
In November 2014, Mitas PneuTrac received the EIMA Technical Innovation award. The jury awarded Mitas PneuTrac as the best innovation in the Component or Accessory category based on the detailed technical description and practical demonstration of this unique concept. Mitas is developing its PneuTrac concept with its partner, Galileo Wheel Ltd.
