James Murrell, manager - Murrell Contracting
Being a used farm equipment dealer as well as a farmer and contractor, James Murrell sees a wide variety of secondhand tractors sporting a range of different tyre makes pass through his yard at South Burlingham, just east of Norwich close to the Norfolk Broads. At the same time, running two used machines as his own farming and contracting workhorses gives him a good idea of how each stands up to the test of time and hard work, and means he has a vested interest in the best tyre option for tractors focused on the key arable tasks in which he primarily specialises.
“I currently run a pair of Fendts as the main tractors for farm and contract work,” explains James, who farms 40ha (100ac) of combinable crops in addition to offering a full range of farm services to others.
“We prefer to use a full conventional ploughing/cultivation establishment system for all crops, including oilseed rape, and a John Deere 8345R was previously our main machine. That’s now been superseded by a 300hp 2007 Fendt 930, supported by a 2011 Fendt 724. I’d not had a great deal of experience with Trelleborg tyres until the 930 arrived a while ago. It was fitted with two-thirds worn Trelleborgs, and I was considering replacements of another make, but having seen that a lot of new Fendts were being supplied fitted with Trelleborg tyres, I felt that was a good sign.
“Our local Trelleborg Professional Centre, also suggested that I wouldn’t want to skimp on tyres if I wanted to get the best out of premium tractors like the Fendts, and convinced me that Trelleborgs were a match for anything else available on the market. On that basis I decided to invest in a set of IF 710/70 R42 TM1000 tyres for the rear of the 930, and 600/65 R34 TM800s for the front. We aren’t on especially stony ground, so I was keen to go for the best quality tyres, given that stone damage should be a negligible issue.”
The new tyres put in an impressive performance in the field with implements including a 3.2m six-leg Farm Force Ultratilth cultivator and a Kverneland LB six-furrow Vari- Width plough opened up to cut 21 inch furrows. This meant that, when coupled with good on-road characteristics and, significantly, a competitive price when compared with other premium makes on the market, James was sufficiently impressed to consider Trelleborg again when the 930 was joined by a newer understudy, the 724. Also in need of a set of new tyres shortly after its arrival as a secondhand machine, enquiries were made about also fitting the 240hp tractor with TM1000s.