Forklift Tires
There are two types of tires that can be utilized on forklifts: standard and press on. Normally, press on tires are used on electric forklifts and those types of forklifts used indoors like for example warehouses. The press on tires may also be utilized in light industrial application too.
Standard tires are mainly utilized on forklifts which operate in outdoor environment or where uneven or rough surfaces require more traction and tougher tires.
Because there are a lot of various kinds of forklifts, there are also lots of different kinds of forklift tires. The types of tires which are most frequently used are solid, polyurethane and pneumatic. The type of tires are dictated by where and what the forklift is utilized for. It is crucial to get the right tires for the task and ensuring the proper choice will have a huge impact on both safety and performance.
For outdoor forklifts that have to function in an all-terrain atmosphere like on a construction site, the best alternative would be pneumatic tires. These are constructed out of tough rubber and then filled with air, similar to a truck or tractor tire. Pneumatic tires create an air cushion between the forklift and the terrain. This design considerably lessens the wear and tear on the equipment and creates a very comfortable ride for the operator. The tire's deep, thick treads provide the necessary traction required for use on surfaces which are uneven and rough.
For light industrial applications, both indoors and outdoors, solid tires are suitable. They are made out of tough, constructed solid rubber. This helps them to stay safer from blowouts, popping like pneumatic tires or damage because of puncture wounds. As these tires are not filled with air, they are unable to 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 rather softer ride. The only problem is that this type of construction makes the load carrying capacity of the forklift less.
Although they are intended for indoor warehouse applications only, polyurethane forklift tires will normally outlast both rubber tire designs. The load capacity of polyurethane is a lot higher than that of a rubber tire. These tires work great with well with electric forklifts due to the additional weight of the batteries of the equipment. Because of the less rolling resistance of the tires, another benefit of this type of tire is the extended battery life.