Nokian Tyres – more contracting power
Nokian Ground King tire family gets broader
Nokian Ground King was the major tractor tire release by Nokian Tyres in 2019. Its unique Hybrilug™ technology effectively combines the best features of lug and block patterns, enabling excellent mobility on soft fields as well as comfortable road transports. During 2020, the Nokian Ground King tire will have eight new sizes, making it compatible with even broader range of equipment.
At Nokian Tyres, innovative engineering and new ideas are deep-rooted in the culture. If a problem needs solving, it is solved. With the new, powerful and versatile tractors, there has been a bigger and bigger need for a truly universal tractor tire that could open up whole new job opportunities for the contractors. Nokian Ground King is that tire, as it goes smoothly on the road while offering excellent performance on the field as well.
“All you need to do is look at Nokian Ground King tire and its distinctive Hybrilug pattern to see that it’s entirely new concept”, says Tero Saari, Product Manager at Nokian Tyres. “But of course, there is more than meets the eye, as the tire carcass is also very advanced.”
Proven by daily work…
Nokian Ground King tire has been available for some time, and the feedback from the field has been very positive. Mr. Pierre-Edouard Jaunet runs a dairy farm in Normandy, France, and is impressed with the tire. “The comfort on the field is really better than anything I have experienced before”, Mr. Jaunet praises. “On the road this is very precise tire, and on the field the grip is the best.”
…and university studies
Truly comparable data about tire properties can only be achieved by professional testing. The experts in agricultural studies at German Kiel University put Nokian Ground King tire through extensive tests against a typical high-quality lug-patterned tire. The measurements indicated that its Hybrilug pattern really works. The tire noise on the road was noticeably lower than the reference tire, there was less wheel slip, less soil compression and the tire wear was just half of that of the reference tire. What’s more, the fuel consumption was 11% lower than with the lug-patterned reference tire. Also the ergonomics and handling properties on the road were reported to have much improvement.
For tractors big and small
At the moment, Nokian Ground King is available in 6 different sizes. By the end of 2020, there will be 8 more, extending the range in both ends.
“The trend is towards bigger and more powerful tractors”, says Tero Saari. “The latest new sizes, 710/70R42 and 600/70R30, will give more choice for those, and later on, there will be sizes for smaller utility tractors as well.”
Sizes and availability
The current sizes:
540/65R28
540/65R30
600/70R30
650/65R38
650/65R42
710/70R42
Sizes available in the latter half of 2020:
420/70R28
480/70R28
600/65R34
600/70R34
650/65R34
520/70R38
580/70R38
710/75R42
Further information:
Manu Salmi, SVP, Managing Director, Nokian Heavy Tyres Ltd
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