Fork Lift Repair – Knowing When to Replace your Forklift Tires

Industrial wheels and tires are a vital part of keeping any important machine in working order and forklifts are no different. Tire maintenance is often even more imperative in these cases since these industrial machines are pricy and play an integral part of keeping businesses running efficiently. One of the most overlooked and at times confusing aspects of tire maintenance is when it’s time to replace the tires on your forklift. With merchandise costs and the safety of your drivers dependent on properly working tires, it is important to be able to identify when those tires need to be replaced.
It has been estimated that the average forklift drive tire carries over 9600 pounds, while the steer tires carry about 1300 pounds. Since forklifts have no suspension system (a little known fact), the forklift tires are absorbing 100% of this weight. Meanwhile, wear and tear from standard use, including multiple stops and accelerations, turns, loading and unloading, debris and more, can make even the best tires susceptible to failure. We noticed a significant absence of information on this crucial and sometimes confusing aspect of forklift tire maintenance and decided to fill in the gap.

TYPES OF FORKLIFT TIRES
While there are many brands of forklift tires, virtually all fall into one of two basic categories: Cushion and Pneumatic. Although there are some similar warning signs between the two types, it is still useful to understand the differences that exist.

CUSHION FORKLIFT TIRES
Cushion tire forklifts tend to sit close to the ground and be smaller than their counterparts. These types of forklifts are typically meant for indoor and limited outdoor use. Cushion forklift tires have a small turning radius, and are often less expensive than pneumatic tires.

Simple Wear: One of the most important things to check on your forklift is the amount of wear on the tire. Some cushion tires now have a wear line above the tire size; once the top of the tire meets that line, it is time to look for a new tire.
A more standard way is to follow the 2-inch rule. The first number on the sidewall of the cushion tire represents the height of the tire. Once the diameter of the tire is two (2) inches less than the height of the tire, you are adding 15-18% of additional stress to your vehicle. Although the 2-inch rule can vary depending on your make and model, two inches is a fairly standard benchmark.

Chunking/cracks: Litter, debris, and forklift misuse, can all cause pieces of rubber to fall off, leaving the tire to look like a potholed street.

Tearing/splits: Contact with sharp edges can slice off large portions of a tire, often leading to imbalance. This is one of the most dangerous of tire problems.

Flat spots: Caused by misalignment, sharp stops with heavy loads, and tire spinning. While flat spots are not always the easiest to notice at first, you can help yourself by looking for a spot of the tire that seems balder than the rest.

PNEUMATIC FORKLIFT TIRES
Pneumatic tire forklifts are primarily used for outdoor work, and as such, pneumatic tires are similar to most other outdoor vehicles in that they have air in them. Longer and wider than cushion tires, pneumatic forklift tires come in two basic subtypes- air and solid. Air pneumatic tires are often just referred to as pneumatic, while solid pneumatic are called, simply enough, solid pneumatic. The latter tires are more expensive and more durable since they are made of solid rubber.

Simple Wear: The 2-inch rule is still a useful benchmark, but is not as clear-cut of a replacement standard. Compared to cushion tires, pneumatic tire have both a wider size variance and a specific design for tougher conditions.

Balding/tread wear: A better rule of thumb is to keep an eye on the tire tread. While tires wear at different rates, keep an eye out for smooth centers and lug or tread showing on the outside.

Cuts: Visible cord and/or frayed cord plies are definite signs that replacement is needed. Cuts can lead to sudden air loss, load shifts, and improper balance, and like tearing/splits on a cushion tires, is one of the more dangerous tire problems you can face.

Under Inflation/Over Inflation: Make sure to check the pressure of your pneumatic tires routinely. Virtually all pneumatic tires have a pressure settings guide on the side of the tire, if not, check with your tire manufacture.
In the case that you’re not sure it’s best to get professional advice before making any hasty and expensive decisions. We’re proficient in a wide variety of industrial tires and wheels so if you have any questions we encourage you to contact us toll free at 866-313-2180 and we’re happy to help you make the right decision.