Forklifts are an essential part of warehouse and business operations in this day and age. They help businesses to handle and move material efficiently, with minimal human involvement. The efficiency of forklifts is heavily impacted by your choice of tires. This efficiency in turn has a direct impact on your company’s productivity and customer satisfaction, which makes it critical that you choose the right set of tires for your forklift. There are numerous factors that one needs to consider when deciding what the best tire for your forklift is. They include:
- Manufacturer Specifications
- Surface and Driving conditions
- Type and weight of material being handled
There are several varieties of forklift tires, each with distinct characteristics meant to perform specific functions. Read on to understand which type of tires is best for your forklift.
What are the different kinds of forklift tires?
The three main varieties of forklift tires are pneumatic, solid and press-on.
Pneumatic Tires- A pneumatic forklift tire consists of layers of rubberised fabric called plies. These plies extend diagonally in alternating directions across the tire, building up the tire structure. Bundles of high carbon steel wires form beads and serve to secure the tire on the rim. An abrasion-resistant rubber tread and sidewalls protect the casing, ensuring that rough surfaces do not cause the tire to degrade too rapidly. Finally, an inner rubber tube allows for inflation of the tire to the specified pressure. Pneumatic tires are best for forklifts that are being used at high speeds over (relatively) long distances, such as at a port.
Solid Tires- Solid Tires were developed as a flat-free alternative to the pneumatic tire. The two-layer resilient tire is built from an inner heel layer composed of a hard rubber compound and an outer tread layer made of an abrasion-resistant rubber compound that prolongs tire life. The three-layer resilient variety features a third middle layer. Here, a special, softer rubber compound layer is added to maximize shock absorption to mimic the cushioning of a pneumatic tire, as well as to reduce internal tire temperatures. Solid tires minimise downtime due to flat tires, and have considerably more tread rubber and require little to no maintenance, making them well suited to driving on rougher surfaces like one might find at a scrapyard or a construction site.
Press-On Tires- In the case of Press-On Tires, the tire is typically made from a single rubber compound that’s bonded to a steel band. They are pressed on to the machine’s hub using a hydraulic press. Up to 200 tons or more can be required to install a Press-On tire. They are available in either a smooth tread pattern which is suitable for operating on dry, smooth floors or a traction tread pattern for wet environments or uneven/loose surface conditions. Press-on equipped machines are popular due to their ability to handle higher loads with greater stability compared to a similar sized resilient or pneumatic tire. Press-on tires can only be used on forklifts that are designed to be fitted with them, and come in several different rubber compounds that provide individual models with different features. This means that you can find a rubber compound that is suited for smooth surfaces or rough surfaces, depending on your requirement, within the category of press-on tires.
When to Replace your Forklift Tires
In order to replace your forklift tires before they become unusable and potentially cause damage by not behaving as they are supposed to, it is important to constantly check the wear and tear of your tires.
Each kind of tire that we have discussed above has its own unique markers that let you know if the tire is in need of replacing. A pneumatic tire, for example, can be used until the tread layer has been worn away. Using it once the tread pattern has been worn away can constitute a serious safety hazard.
Solid tires, on the other hand, have a 60J line along the sidewall, as wear and tear of the tire leads to it reducing in size. Once the tire reaches the 60J line, it needs to be replaced as too much of the rubber has eroded away as a result of usage.
Recommendations for press-on tires vary based on the exact compound being used by the manufacturer, but a commonly accepted rule of thumb is to replace a smooth Press-on tire when the overall rubber height reaches 2/3rds of the original rubber height.
Camso– Premier Manufacturer of Forklift Tires
If you are looking to buy Forklift Tires in Dubai, the first brand you should look at is Camso (formerly Camoplast Solideal), a subsidiary of MICHELIN that focuses only on the Off-the-Road tire segment. Camso’s super-specialisation is reflected in the end product that they deliver, with all their research and development investments across five R&D centres being focused on this one segment. They invest heavily in ensuring quality control, going so far as to produce their own rubber in an effort to produce the very best tires, and are able to deliver them at economical prices as a result of this end-to-end production line.
In case you are still confused about which tire to go for, Camso even has a tool that can help you understand which tire is best suited for your forklift based on your forklift’s lifting capacity, usage time and travel distance! Experts at any Saeedi Pro Service Station can also assist and provide the best solution for you.
Saeedi Pro and Camso
Saeedi Pro is the retail arm of the Al Saeedi Group, the authorized distributor for CAMSO in the UAE. CAMSO Tires are available at select Saeedi Pro outlets located in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. If you’re looking for forklift tires or are unsure of which forklift tires to buy, request a quote here and our team will get in touch with you as soon as possible!
