World’s biggest tractor

Goodyear Farm Tires’ Low Sidewall technology has proved the answer to the conundrum to find suitable tyres for the world’s biggest tractor.

Goodyear’s Low Sidewall (LSW) 1400/30R46s have been fitted to the 1100hp Big Bud 16V-747. The fitting of eight new rims and tyres took place at the Heartland Museum in Clarion, Iowa, where the giant tractor has been hosted for the past seven years. It’s thought to be the first time the tyres have been changed since the tractor was built in 1977.

The entire width of Big Bud, which was paraded down a high street after the tyre change, stands at 25 feet. Scott Sloan, agricultural product manager of Goodyear Farm Tires, said: “I’ve done a lot of projects in 20 years at Goodyear Farm Tires, but this has certainly been the biggest and most challenging. But one we are all very proud of. There was an extremely iconic tractor with extremely large tyres on it already, but we also wanted to keep the persona of the tractor.

“The LSW 1400/30R46s are the largest agricultural tyres in the world, so it seemed appropriate to use them on the largest agricultural tractor in the world. As soon as we got Big Bud out of the shed and started putting on the new tyres, we knew we were on to a winner.”

LSW assemblies have proven a huge success for farmers across the world, with a larger rim diameter and smaller tyre sidewall ensuring less pressure is spread over a much wider footprint, helping to eliminate road lope and power hop.

Lindsay Hart, European tyre sales director for Titan International, said: “The specific product used on Big Bud isn’t available in the UK or Europe at present. However, it’s exciting to see the LSW tyres utilised on such an iconic tractor. Goodyear Farm Tires has been a major part of the agricultural landscape for over a century, and this is another landmark moment in that journey.”

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