With its latest tyre design – the VX-R Tractor – Bridgestone has focused on traction lug design to ensure overall tread width is what users expect from the tyre size marking.

When manufacturers size a tyre as being 540, 650 or 710 wide, for example, they are quoting the nominal width in millimetres measured across the side walls.

But the tread area in contact with the soil or tarmac often falls short of that measurement, depending upon the internal design and structure of the carcass.

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For the VX-R Tractor, Bridgestone guarantees that the tread width will be at least the same as the nominal width stated, providing maximum traction and weight distribution across the footprint within the overall capabilities of the tyre.

The new traction tyre is said to be made of a hard-wearing rubber compound also used for the VF-specification VT-Tractor and VX-Tractor “conventional” design; together with the maximum-width tread, that should promote slow wear rates and a decent service life.

In addition, the tyre incorporates Bridgestone’s so-called Enliten technology to reduce the weight and amount of material that goes into each tyre.

No details of comparable weights have been released, but its application in Bridgestone passenger car tyres is said to reduce their mass by some 10%.

The VX-R Tractor will be rolled out in 23 sizes through the rest of this year, with a further 23 being introduced in 2024, in 65, 70, and 85-series configurations for 24in to 38in rims.