Forklift Tires
There are two kinds of tires that could be used on forklifts: press on and standard. Typically, press on tires are used on electric forklifts and those models operating in indoor applications like warehouses. The press on tires could be used also in light industrial operation as well.
Standard tires are generally used on forklifts which operate in outdoor settings or where uneven or rough surfaces need more traction and tougher tires.
There are a lot of different types of forklift tires just as there are many different kinds of forklifts. The most commonly used tires are pneumatic, solid and polyurethane. The type of tires are dictated by what and where the forklift is utilized for. It is vital to acquire the right kind of tires for the task and making certain that the proper pick will have a huge impact on both safety and performance.
For outdoor forklifts that have to operate in an all-terrain atmosphere like on a construction site, the best choice would be pneumatic tires. These are constructed out of durable 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 significantly lessens the wear and tear on the machine and creates a really comfortable ride for the operator. The tire's thick, deep treads give the necessary traction needed for use on surfaces that are rough and uneven.
For light industrial use, both indoors and outdoors, solid tires are best. They are fabricated out of tough, constructed solid 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 forklift's load carrying capacity less.
The polyurethane forklift tires will normally outlast both of the rubber tire designs but are designed for indoor warehouse applications only. 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 equipment's batteries. Due to the tire's less rolling resistance, another advantage of this particular type of tire is the longer battery life.