Forklift Tires
There are two kinds of tires that can be used on forklifts: standard and press on. Normally, press on tires are used on electric forklifts and those kinds of forklifts used indoors like for instance warehouses. The press on tires can also be utilized in light industrial operation too.
Surfaces which are rough or uneven require tougher tires and more traction. Hence, standard tires are usually utilized. However, they are mostly utilized on forklifts that operate in outdoor environment.
As there are a lot of different types of forklifts, there are also many different types of forklift tires. The types of tires that are most commonly used are polyurethane, pneumatic and solid. The type of tires are dictated by what and where the forklift is used for. It is really crucial to acquire the right tires for the job and ensuring the correct choice would have a big effect on both performance and safety.
For outdoor forklifts which have to function in an all-terrain environment like on a construction site, the best choice would be pneumatic tires. These are made of tough rubber and then filled with air, like a truck or tractor tire. Pneumatic tires create an air cushion between the forklift and the terrain. This particular design considerably lessens the wear and tear on the machinery and creates a very comfortable ride for the operator. The thick, deep treads on the tires provide the necessary traction required for use on surfaces which are rough and uneven.
For light industrial applications, both indoors and outdoors, solid tires are best. They are made out of tough, constructed solid rubber. This helps them to stay safer from blowouts, popping like pneumatic tires or damage due to puncture wounds. As these tires are not filled with air, they could not provide the cushion effect. This fact makes them unsuitable for use on rough terrain. Several solid tires are made with holes in the sidewalls to provide a somewhat softer ride. The only problem is that this type of construction makes the load carrying capacity of the forklift less.
The polyurethane forklift tires would typically outlast both of the rubber tire designs but are intended for indoor warehouse applications only. The load capacity of polyurethane is a lot higher compared to a rubber tire. These tires work great with well with electric forklifts because of the additional weight of the machine's batteries. Due to the lower rolling resistance of the tires, another benefit of this particular type of tire is the extended battery life.