Increase Your Farm’s Productivity

Family-owned and operated, AgriBrink entered the CTIS market in 2012. AgriBrink systems are farmer-engineered and assembled in the United States. The company is headquartered in Ames, Iowa.

PTG Reifendruckregelsysteme GmbH, based in Neuss, Germany. (We just call them ‘PTG’ around here.) Engineer Martin Tigges founded PTG in 1991 and has worked on CTIS since he designed his first system in 1985 for a Massey Ferguson tractor. PTG has sold CTIS in the European market for 30 years. In 2017 Michelin acquired PTG. The PTG central tire inflation systems that are sold in the U.S. are manufactured in Germany.

Yes. However, we recommend that you upgrade to IF- or VF-rated radials if your machine isn’t equipped with them already. This way, you can drop your tire pressures as low as possible in the field for maximum flotation and traction. NTS Tire Supply will buy your current tires as trades (if they have decent tread left).

Technically, yes. (And it doesn’t matter if your machine is green, red, blue, or another color.) However, most systems are installed on center-fill planters, tractors, sprayers, and large tankers and spreaders. Why? This is where you will see the greatest benefits from being able to optimize your tire pressures for the road and field.

At this time, neither PTG nor AgriBrink offer inflation systems for trucks.

Your best answer is to call and speak with a CTIS specialist. There are many factors that will influence the cost of the system you need. For example, you may be able to use an existing air compressor (as on a sprayer or planter) to power a system. Or, you may need to invest in a large compressor to achieve your desired inflation time. Control type (analog, digital, or ISOBUS) and the number of axles you need equipped with CTIS also determine the system price.

We encourage anyone interested in CTIS to think about the ROI of a system instead of the initial costs. Ask a CTIS specialist to review the many ways in which a system will pay you back: higher yields, higher fuel economy, longer lasting tires, faster working speeds, and more. Often, a central tire inflation system is less expensive than a track system.

CTIS is generally much less expensive than tracks. And for reducing soil compaction, properly inflated radial tires can beat the performance of tracks. A new track tractor is tens of thousands (if not $100K) more expensive than a wheeled version. Plus, with a tracked machine you’ll have the constant headaches of undercarriage maintenance. On a wheeled machine, you do have to worry about your tire pressures. But with an inflation system, adjusting your pressures for different loads and speeds throughout the day is as simple as pressing a couple of  buttons.
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Read More: Tires, Not Tracks, Win the Compaction Battle.

PTG systems operate through 2 types of air lines: supply lines and control lines. The supply lines provide air to each tire. The control lines operate valves at the wheel. The system is not pressurized—there is no air in the lines—when the system is not adjusting tire pressures. So if a line breaks, your tires stay inflated and you can keep working. (However, you won’t be able to adjust the pressure of the affected tire.)

In comparison, AgriBrink works off a single-line design. This means that the air lines to the tires are always pressurized. If an air line would break, you would have to manually close a valve at the affected wheel in order to prevent a flat. However, AgriBrink uses DOT air lines, which are robust and unlikely to suffer a failure.

Both AgriBrink and PTG systems are designed to function in all field conditions. Air lines are protected by metal brackets and securely fastened to prevent damage. With PTG’s system, you could disconnect the air lines and clip them to the fenders if you were worried about tearing a line while powering through a real sticky situation. Once you’re free from the mud, you would simply push the lines back in the valves and continue on as normal.

On a PTG system, the wheel valve is closed except when inflating or deflating your tires, which means your tire will not lose air if an air line would break. AgriBrink systems have a minimum pressure valve at the wheel to prevent the tire’s pressure from dropping below 12 psi in the event of a line break. However, the valve is not used on tire setups that can be safely deflated below 12 psi. In this case, you’d need to manually close a valve at the affected wheel.

We generally spec systems to inflate the tires from field to road pressure in 3 to 5 minutes, and deflating can happen in as little as 30 seconds. Inflating and deflating can be done while driving.

Maybe. It’s best to chat with a CTIS specialist as we’ll need more information about your current setup to know for sure. For example, on center-fill planters, some hydraulic factory compressors could power an inflation system.

Yes. A tractor-mounted system is able to power multiple zones (PTG) or channels (AgriBrink). So, one system could power the tractor’s front axle, rear axle, and an implement.

Yes. A tractor-mounted system is able to power multiple zones (PTG) or channels (AgriBrink). So, one system could power the tractor’s front axle, rear axle, and an implement.

Yes! Feel free to chat with a CTIS specialist to learn what’s involved. If you do begin your own installation and run into a question, we’re always happy to help. And if you'd rather go the simpler route, NTS Tire Supply offers professional installation at your farm.