Tire pressure in your farm vehicle tires is important for safety, performance, and equipment longevity. But what constitutes “suitable,” and how do you ensure your air pressure is correct? Our step-by-step guide will walk you through the process of checking and adding air to farm vehicle tires.

Seasonal and Situational Variations

Tire pressure can vary seasonally, dropping in cold weather and rising in warm weather. Pressure can also drop over time. If the PSI (pound-force per square inch) drops too low, it can have a negative impact on safety and performance.

But of course, not every tire requires the same amount of PSI air pressure. And the same tire can be inflated to different pressure levels depending on the job it’s tackling. There are many factors to consider.

Tools You’ll Need

Fortunately, adding air to tires is a quick and easy job. You’ll need a couple of pieces of equipment (a tire gauge and a tire inflator/air compressor), but that’s a small price to pay for keeping tire pressure in the correct range.

1. Safely park your vehicle/implement

Whether you’re adding air to tractor tires or the tires of a hay baler, be sure the vehicle/implement is safely and securely parked—you don’t want it rolling forward or backward while you’re working. And you’ll want to park in a convenient location for running a tire inflator or air compressor.

2. Determine what the pressure should be

Suitable tire pressure can vary depending on the tasks you’ll be tackling. For example, very high flexion (VF) radial tires can support loads 40% heavier than regular radials when inflated to a particular PSI, or they can carry standard loads at a PSI level 40% lower.

Consult the operating manual for your vehicle or implement for guidelines on suitable tire pressure. You may notice a max PSI rating marked on the tires themselves, but in many cases, the recommended PSI is lower.

3. Remove the cap from the tire valve

Each tire has a valve that allows air to be added or removed. It’s a protrusion from the wheel with a screw-on cap. Often it’s found on the outward-facing side of the wheel, but sometimes you’ll find it on the inward side. Unscrew the cap to access the valve.

4. Check the tire pressure

Using a tire gauge (a tool specifically designed to measure air pressure in tires), check the pressure by pushing the stem of the tire gauge onto the valve. It’s best to gauge pressure while the tire is cold; if it’s warm from use, the air inside may have expanded and raised the pressure.

The tire gauge allows you to determine how much air should be added to bring the pressure into the recommended range.

5. Add air using a tire inflator or air compressor

Using a tire inflator or air compressor (click here for an explanation of the differences), add air to the tire by pushing the end of the air hose onto the tire valve. Be careful to avoid adding too much air—small tires in particular, inflate quickly if you’re using a high-powered device.

6. Frequently check tire pressure

As you add air, frequently stop and use the tire gauge to measure your progress. If you add too much air, push the pin in the center of the tire valve to let some air back out.

7. Reattach the tire valve cap

Once you’ve reached the right pressure, reattach the valve cap. Congratulations! You’ve successfully added air to a farm vehicle tire.

Summary

Maintaining the correct tire pressure in your farm vehicle tires is crucial for safety, performance and equipment longevity. Pressure fluctuates with temperature changes and over time, so it’s important to check and adjust it regularly. What qualifies as “suitable” pressure depends on the type of tire, the load being carried, and the job being done. This article offers a practical, step-by-step guide to checking and inflating your tires using a gauge and an air compressor, helping ensure your pressure is always in the optimal range for your farm work.

This article was written for Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.