Nokian Tyres has introduced Forest King TRS 3, a new generation of drive tyres developed for harvesters and forwarders operating in cut-to-length (CTL) forestry.

The new range comprises 15 sizes and replaces the previous Forest King TRS generation. Nokian Tyres has redesigned the tread and reinforced several areas of the tyre to address traction, wear and damage resistance in demanding forest conditions.

The company says Forest King TRS 3 was tested for several years in practical forestry operations together with machine operators and other users.

New Tread Design Targets Traction and Durability

Forestry machinery places unusual demands on tyres.

Harvesters and forwarders operate under heavy loads while repeatedly crossing rocks, stumps, branches and uneven terrain. Tyres must maintain traction while resisting cuts, punctures and other external damage.

For Forest King TRS 3, Nokian Tyres has introduced a new tread pattern, greater tread depth and wider tread bars compared with the previous generation.

The amount of rubber in the tread has also been increased to improve resistance to wear and external damage.

The tyre retains a steel-reinforced cross-ply construction designed for demanding forestry applications.

Nokian Tyres has also modified the shoulder area, with particular attention to operation with bogie tracks and traction chains.

Several Years of Forestry Testing Behind New Generation

Nokian Tyres says development of Forest King TRS 3 included several years of testing under actual forestry working conditions.

The testing was conducted together with operators and other end users, allowing the manufacturer to evaluate the tyre on working machines rather than relying solely on controlled test environments.

“The tyre has been tested for several years in forestry working conditions together with users,” said Teemu Vainionpää, product manager at Nokian Tyres.

According to the manufacturer, feedback and test results contributed to development of the tyre’s construction, traction characteristics and compatibility with tracks and chains.

Existing Rims, Tracks and Chains Remain Compatible

An important feature for forestry machine owners is compatibility with equipment already used with the previous Forest King TRS generation.

Nokian Tyres says existing rims, inner tubes, bogie tracks and traction chains can continue to be used with Forest King TRS 3.

This could reduce additional equipment requirements for operators replacing the previous tyre generation.

The manufacturer is also offering the tyres as complete wheel packages consisting of the tyre, rim and inner tube.

Two New Sizes Expand Machine Applications

The 15-size range includes two new dimensions designed to extend the tyre family’s applications.

The 780/55-30.5 version is intended for larger and heavier forestry machinery, where load-carrying requirements are greater.

At the other end of the range, the narrower 650/60-26.5 size primarily targets harvesters where machine width or particular operating conditions make a slimmer tyre desirable.

The broader size range allows the same tyre family to cover different harvester and forwarder configurations used in CTL operations.

Tyres Play a Role in Limiting Forest Ground Damage

Forest King TRS 3 has been developed specifically around the requirements of cut-to-length harvesting.

In CTL operations, trees are felled, delimbed and cut to specified lengths at the harvesting site before a forwarder transports the logs to the roadside.

The system is widely used in Nordic forestry.

Because heavy machinery must repeatedly travel across forest terrain, tyre performance affects more than machine traction.

On softer ground, tyre dimensions, load distribution and the use of tracks can influence rut formation and soil disturbance. At the same time, operators need sufficient traction to maintain productive harvesting operations under changing terrain and weather conditions.

Forest King TRS 3 therefore represents an incremental development of a specialized forestry component where traction, durability, machine compatibility and ground interaction all need to be considered together.

By maintaining compatibility with existing rims, tracks and chains while introducing deeper tread and additional sizes, Nokian Tyres is positioning the new generation as a direct successor for CTL forestry machinery already using the Forest King TRS range.

Source: Nokian Tyres and Koneviesti.

Last Updated on 31/08/2026 by Jota Machinery