When it comes to forklifts, businesses generally think about the weight that a forklift can handle, the size of objects, battery weight distribution and the type of forklift, but often one key element that gets overlooked is the tires under the forklift chassis. This is important as you look into forklifts for sale.
Forklift tires have several incarnations, and generally fall into one of three categories: solid, pneumatic, and polyurethane.
As the name might suggest, solid tires are unlike most road vehicle tires in that they are not filled with air, and they are usually crafted out of rubber. They might have treads, but these treads are not as deep as can be obtained with pneumatic tires. These types of tires are not only less comfortable for the driver, the hard jolts from any bumps can cause machine damage. These types of tires are not susceptible to blowouts or leaks as with pneumatic tires, but they can be damaged.
Pneumatic forklift tires are air filled and are similar to vehicle truck tires. The surface construction is thicker rubber, and of course offer a relatively smoother ride than solid tires. A forklift can use the tires in a warehouse environment but are definitely better where deeper tread is a necessity. And, as where the solid tires inability to cushion shocks to the machine, air filled pneumatic tires are much better at extending forklift life.
The last type of forklift tire, polyurethane, which are usually what are found on indoor forklifts. Rarely effective in outdoor use environments, when used indoors they offer significantly better traction than the other twp types of forklift tires. Replacement is fairly easy, but occasionally these tires can be damaged which result in a noticeable jostling and hammering as the forklift moves. Indoor forklifts, particularly the electronic battery powered lifts, almost always use some form of polyurethane forklift tires. Depending on the types of forklift attachments you may need, some may require your forklift to have larger wheels as well.
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