RAY SMITH is a farmer and contractor from Lakenheath, Suffolk, who has just replaced the tyres on his New Holland 8560. No great news there, then, except for the fact that the set was over 11 years old.

He estimates that he does about 1000 hours a year on this tractor, of which about 40% is roadwork.

Most of the land that the tractor works is a mixed medium soil with little flint or stone – and that is surely the saving grace for Mr Smith”s Firestone rubber.

The tyres have been used on three different tractors and have outlasted an NH 8340 as well as the tractor they were initially used on – a Ford 8210.

So 11,000 hours on one set of tyres over 11 years. Reckon you can beat that? If you have got an old-age set of tyres we want to hear from you.

Either e-mail fwmachinery@rbi.co.uk or post your replies to Tyre Tales, farmers weekly Machinery, Quadrant House, Sutton SM2 5AS