Your forklift’s tires are some of its most vital components. Responsible for helping these pieces of equipment maintain traction and maneuverability on the job, they’re what ultimately allow you to safely transport parcels. So, it’s only natural that we’d want to do everything possible to keep them in quality performing condition. Read on to learn how to extend the life of forklift tires successfully and save money on regular replacements.
Choose the Right Tire for Your Application
If you want to ensure your forklift tires last, your efforts need to start from the very beginning. After all, there are hundreds of different tire brands and designs to pick from, and each have their own designated application. Therefore, it’s vital that you not only purchase your newest forklift tires from a reputable manufacturer, but also that you give some thought to how you’ll use them. As a general rule, cushion tires are great for electric forklifts used inside of facilities, while deep-treaded pneumatic tires work well on rougher outdoor terrain.
Inspect Your Forklift Tires Often
Remembering to inspect these components regularly is also an effective way to extend the life of forklift tires. Inspections allow you to pinpoint problems early on in their development and perform preventative maintenance to put a stop to them. Though forklift operators should inspect their machines anyway before each day’s work, incorporating additional checks of your tires can be very beneficial. As such, be on the lookout for excessive wear and tread cracking when performing these checks.
Embrace Defensive Driving Practices
Overly aggressive or unsafe driving practices are some of the leading causes of excessive wear and tear on forklift tires. Because of this, nipping these bad habits in the bud can go a long way in maintaining the condition of the tires. A few safer systems to adopt include driving at a manageable speed, easing onto the breaks when stopping, and taking turns slowly. All these methods put a reduced amount of stress on the tire treads and, therefore, cut down on their wear.
Don’t Overload Your Forklift Equipment
Make sure that you avoid overloading your forklift equipment during your workday. While you may feel tempted to have your forklift carry more during each trip to save time, the extra weight puts more stress on your tires. For this reason, every forklift has a maximum capacity limit to abide by. Sticking to this restriction can save you a lot of hassle when replacing your tires and can even prevent a slew of other mechanical problems.
