Effects of central tire inflation systems on ride quality of agricultural vehicles

Instrumentation to collect ISO2631 ride data was installed on a CaseIH 8950 tractor equipped with a central tire inflation system (CTIS). Data were collected at two speeds on three courses representing degraded secondary roads, moderately rough fields, and the toughest of farming conditions. Reductions in tire pressures available with central tire inflation resulted in greater tire deflections and, consequently, a smoother ride. The CTIS improved the ride of the vehicle by 99% over properly inflated tires on average, and by 177% when not in resonance.