Forklift Tires
There are two types of tires which can be utilized on forklifts: press on and standard. Typically, press on tires are utilized on electric forklifts and those kinds of forklifts used indoors such as warehouses. The press on tires could also be utilized in light industrial application as well.
Standard tires are generally used on forklifts that operate in outdoor settings or where rough or uneven surfaces need tougher tires and more traction.
There are many different types of forklift tires just as there are many different kinds of forklifts. The most commonly utilized tires are pneumatic, solid and polyurethane. The kind of tires are dictated by what and where the forklift is used for. It is very vital to get the correct type of tires for the job and ensuring the correct choice would have a big impact on both safety and performance.
For outdoor forklifts that have to operate in an all-terrain atmosphere such as on a construction site, the best choice would be pneumatic tires. These are made of durable rubber and then filled with air, similar to a tractor or truck tire. Pneumatic tires create an air cushion between the terrain and the forklift itself. This particular design significantly 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 required for use on rough and uneven surfaces.
For light industrial use, both indoors and outdoors, solid tires are best. They are made out of constructed solid, tough rubber. This helps them to stay safer from blowouts, popping like pneumatic tires or damage due to puncture wounds. Because these tires are not filled with air, they are unable to provide the cushion effect. This fact makes them not suitable for use on rough terrain. Several solid tires are constructed with holes in the sidewalls to provide a fairly 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 normally outlast both of the rubber tire designs but are intended for indoor warehouse applications only. 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 machine. Due to the less rolling resistance of the tires, another advantage of this particular type of tire is the longer battery life.