Senter 360 enjoys taking on a challenge and one of the most common challenges for farmers using pivots is wheel tracks. At NAMPO 2025 Theuns Dreyer, Managing Director of Senter 360, said they received many queries about combatting wheel tracks in fields.

Wheel tracks can become an issue for farmers who have centre-pivot irrigation because it can create practical issues, get stuck and even damage the pivot structure.

  • The repeated rotation of a pivot irrigation system running on irrigated soil can forms deep ruts or tracks.
  • These ruts can cause water to accumulate in the ruts, softening the soil further and acceleration the process.
  • These deep tracks can also make movement difficult for farm machinery like tractors, harvesters and balers.

Senter 360 knows how to put an end to wheel tracks

According to Theuns, combating wheel tracks comes down to several factors.

“The combination of the sprinkler package on the machine, the weight of the machine, the wheels, soil composition and the drive train all impact the wheel tracks of the pivot in your field. Senter 360 took these details into account to put a package together that works for you,” says Theuns.

He explains that a good quality sprinkler with movable spray plate that distributes water over a wider area in a controlled droplet size, also having good water distribution over the full wetted area of the sprinkler resulting in higher infiltration into the soil with less puddling and less runoff, is essential. This is the most important factor.

Senter 360 has a tyre that is constructed for these conditions. With this design the tyre only contributes to a third of the track depth caused by standard tractor tyres in the same conditions.

For more critical conditions they also have a four-wheel drive system. This system effectively half the weight of the tower because of doubling the tyre surface in contact with the soil.

Using a four-wheel drive system in extreme conditions also minimize strain on the drivetrain resulting in dramatically longer trouble free life of gearboxes and motors.

Monitor your pivot

Senter 360 also has a monitoring system for their centre pivot systems.

“These days everything is run from your phone. It not only saves management time and costs but is safer and more hands-on,” says Theuns.

This system allows you to know exactly when your pivot is running, where it is positioned and you can even plan and program water scheduling ahead of time.

“To be “on the air” you only have to buy the “Communicator” kit and plug it into the standard control panel,” Theuns explains.

Their service does not stop there

Senter 360 not only provides remarkable products but excellent service as well. While their control panels are well protected, they use plug in modules ensuring that in the unlikely event of damage it is easier to replace without costing an arm and a leg.

Theuns says they have support people in every nook and cranny of South-Africa, right up to the Northern parts of Africa.

“We provide regular technical training to local electricians. By qualifying them, and empowering them to do the work on the pivots, things get done much faster. These are the guys the farmers use,” Theuns says.

Senter 360 also have a dedicated cell phone number on their website where you can be assured you will get service no matter the time or day.

For more exciting information, visit their website at www.senter360.co.za.