Forklift Tires
There are two types of tires which could be utilized on forklifts: press on and standard. Normally, press on tires are utilized on electric forklifts and those types of forklifts operating in indoor applications like for instance warehouses. The press on tires can be used also in light industrial application as well.
Surfaces which are rough or uneven require tougher tires and more traction. Therefore, standard tires are usually utilized. Nonetheless, they are mostly used on forklifts that operate in outdoor environment.
Because there are lots of different types of forklifts, there are also a lot of different types of forklift tires. The most frequently used tires are polyurethane, pneumatic and solid. The kind of tires are dictated by what and where the forklift is used for. It is essential to acquire the right kind of tires for the job and ensuring the proper choice will have a big effect on both safety and performance.
It is better to utilize pneumatic tires on outdoor forklifts that operate in an all-terrain atmosphere such as on construction sites. 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 terrain and the forklift itself. This design considerably lessens the wear and tear on the equipment and creates a very comfortable ride for the operator. The deep, thick treads on the tires provide the necessary traction needed for use on surfaces which are uneven and rough.
For light industrial applications, both indoors and outdoors, solid tires are suitable. They are fabricated out of tough, constructed solid rubber. This helps them to stay safer from blowouts, popping like pneumatic tires or damage because of puncture wounds. Because 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 fairly softer ride. The only problem is that this kind of construction makes the load carrying capacity of the forklift less.
Although they are designed for indoor warehouse applications only, polyurethane forklift tires will normally outlast both rubber tire designs. The load capacity of polyurethane is much higher than that of a rubber tire. These tires work great with well with electric forklifts due to the added weight of the batteries of the equipment. Because of the less rolling resistance of the tires, one more advantage of this type of tire is the longer battery life.