Moving heavy materials around your warehouse can be dangerous. You want to ensure that loads are moved quickly and efficiently, with minimal exposure for your employees. Material handling products, like a forklift, can help you accomplish this goal.
The tires on a forklift can have a direct impact on the overall safety and performance of the machine. Invest in the right tires to help extend the life of your forklift in the future. How do you know what kind of new tires to buy? Consider these three factors.
Load Size
The first factor you must take into consideration when putting new tires on your forklift is the average size of the loads that your forklift moves on a regular basis. The heavier the load is, the more durable the tires on the forklift will need to be to maintain stability.
Forklifts that routinely handle heavy loads should be fitted with pneumatic tires. These tires are filled with a liquid polyurethane. This fill material increases the load capacity of your forklift by preventing the compression that might occur with other types of tires.
Environment
Another factor that can help determine the best tires for your forklift is the environment in which the machine will be operating each day. Some forklifts are purchased for indoor use only. Some are used outdoors. Your forklift might be required to operate both indoors and outdoors.
The environmental conditions a forklift operates in can take a toll on the tires installed on the machine. Indoor forklifts can be equipped with a press-on polyurethane tire. A forklift that will spend any amount of time outdoors should be equipped with solid rubber tires to minimize malfunctions and increase performance capabilities.
Working Time
The amount of time that your forklift is spent in use each day can be a factor in determining the right tires for the machine. A forklift that sees significant working time will need tires that are durable enough to withstand this constant use. Solid rubber tires will not pop or deflate, making them a great option for forklifts that are used heavily throughout the day.
A forklift that is not used on a daily basis can be equipped with a more affordable foam-fill or polyurethane tire product instead.
The safety and performance of your forklift depends, in part, on the type of tires that you install on the machine. Carefully consider your load size, working environment, and run times before investing in tires for your forklift in the future.