Guide to the Best Forklift Tire for Your Job

One of the most important parts of forklifts is the tires. They essentially keep the forklift running smoothly without interruption on factory floors and outdoor terrain. There are a variety of different kinds and each kind of forklift tire has a specialized use. Although some people might use some of them interchangeably, you’ll find that if you use the correct forklift tire intended for a particular task, your machine will perform better, last longer and ultimately save you money in the long run. Before choosing the best tire, the biggest determining factor will be it’s purpose.

Pneumatic Forklift Tires
Pneumatic forklift tires are probably the most popular and generally used tire for forklifts. They can be used with a variety of forklifts because of the heavy duty conditions they’re designed to endure and their additional cushioning makes them ideal for a variety of environments. They come filled with air and come as bias or radial and often extend the life of your machinery. Generally, rough and uneven terrain is the main purpose for pneumatic forklift tires.

Solid Pneumatic Shaped Forklift Tires Used for Outdoor and Yard Work
Solid pneumatic forklift tires are built strong, with natural rubber and two stages of construction for the outdoor terrain. These forklift tires feature well-made tread designs and compounds that prove to be energy efficient. This helps to improve the productivity of the solid tires, while significantly reducing maintenance and replacement expenses. Many of the pneumatic shaped solids offered have maximum capabilities, especially for the rugged outdoor work.

Solid Cushion Press On Forklift Tires Can Endure More
Solid press on forklift tires are solid and smooth tires. They’re made from polyurethane or rubber and the tread is pressed onto a ring of steel which ultimately forms the tire and makes them more resistant to injury. These tires are used for various load capacities. They also are helpful when the forklift operator is having a hard time steering. They can work well on concrete floors as well as rough terrain.

Solid Polyurethane Press On Tires Best Used Inside
Solid polyurethane forklift tires are ideal for electric lifts since they conserve battery life and cause less drag. This allows for increased productivity and since they carry more weight than cushion press on tires, they’re great for heavy indoor lifting. This tire is best used on smooth surfaces indoors.

White/Gray Non Marking Rubber Tires for Food Distribution
White/gray non-marking forklift tires help prevent tire marks on inside floors. This is especially important in the food distribution industry since they have to comply with OSHA safety regulations. Non Marking Tires for inside-use come in a wide array of colors, however they are manufactured to not get any colorant on the floors for inside. These non-marking tires can clearly pick up dirt off of a coated surface and lay the dirt back down without any marks being made. If the forklift driver is using regular rubber tires, then the floors could get marked because of the standard rubber compound that is used. The primary culprit of this is the carbon black used in a lot of tires.

Which Forklift Tire is Right for Me?
Pneumatic forklift tires come in a variety of sizes, treading, depth, sidewall protection and weight but it really depends what job the forklift is performing. If you’re inside you want to stick with polyurethane press on tires. Many fork lifts use solid press on forklift tires for indoors but if you’ll be using your cushion press on tires for forklifts outdoors just make sure you purchase them with tread. Since many indoor forklifts usually handle a tremendous amount of weight, an air filled pneumatic tire could possible blow out or tip over due to an off balance condition. But larger forklifts, such as the ones that are used in lumberyards, often use solid pneumatic shaped forklift tires that aren’t filled with air. Knowing which forklift tire is right for your job project is an important piece of your success. We’ve seen too many companies wait until the last minute to order their tires and as a result experience a lot of inconvenient downtimes. We highly recommend ordering the right tires ahead of time to reduce downtime and avoid a potentially difficult and expensive situation.