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FAQ

Yes, if tires still go on tightly to the wheel. Most damage occurs when pressing the solid tire off of the damaged wheel so an inspection of the base of the tire will determine if it can be pressed again saving money.

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No we do not recommend, because as the tire is pressed on the first time the metal band seals so going back on with a used cushion press-on will cause the tire to spin on the wheel itself which can lead to having to replace the wheel and tire losing more money than just replacing the tire.

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You can have the tires diamond-siped (cut) or have different designs siped into the tire, which will allow water to be pushed out through the sides and while giving you traction.

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Rubber tires will work on electric sit-down units without problems, but we do not recommend using rubber tires on stand-up units as the weight of the battery, as well as the forklift and cargo, put too much strain on the rubber tires causing failure.

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Most reasons for solid forklift tires spinning are tire failure, however, one way to help stop some of the spinning is to make sure that the solid pneumatic tires you are buying have wire beads in the base to eliminate spinning. Wire beads are built into the tire base and when pressing, they expand as they go onto the wheel After the pressing, they snap into place and tighten the bond between wheel and tire, but if the tires have been spinning for a long time, it may be necessary to replace both the tire and the wheel to prevent more damage.

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The tire size is located on the sidewall similar to personal tires, but if worn down too far or size rubbed off sidewall then the vin plate almost always has the tire size’s on it. If not contact us with the information you can get from it for further assistance in finding the right tire.

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Polyurethane tires outlast rubber tires about two to one, and is designed for warehouse use only. Taking them on the driveway will result in rapid or premature tire failure. The carrying capacity of a poly tire is more than the rubber tire, most electric lifts require poly because of the additional weight of the batteries used to power the lift and will also help the batteries to last longer as they have lower rolling resistance, but they are made of a harder compound making the ride harsh.

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Non-marking tires are made to eliminate marks on the floors during use: grocery and food processing plants are required to use them and they are suggested in any well polished floor storage. A Major disadvantage to non-marking tires is that the carbon black is removed resulting in a shorter lifespan of the tires, and in certain climates build up static electricity. Non-marking tires are also available in solid, pneumatic, and cushion.

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The front of the forklift (drive) does all the pulling and the back (steer) axle is nothing more than a free wheeling tire, the the steer matters very little which you decide to use. Smooth tires give better traction on dry surfaces and can give you more rubber for the dollar spent, but if you have moisture problems, the traction tire is the better fit for drive tires.

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Grooved tires work well on larger capacity forklifts where loads and operating conditions are extreme, allowing heat to transfer off the tire faster.

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These names are associated with the solid tire meaning that the tire has a lock ring built onto the base of the tire so you don't see it. If the unit comes in with the sit style tires and there are none available when the tires need to be replaced, you can simply buy appropriate lock rings and replace with the standard tire.

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Metal ramps that have metal teeth, large holes, or uneven surfaces will result in damage to the tire either going up the ramp are down it. Best to use a smooth tire than a traction tread which will grab more and rip lugs off. This will not be covered by any warranty as this is not a defective tire.

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Heat build-up is the most common reason for rubber press-on tire failure and is caused by a variety of environmental factors (alone or in combination). Through friction and other factors, all tires naturally build-up heat during operation. Overheating occurs when the tire has reached a point where the rubber compounds begin to breakdown and/or the bond between the rubber and the steel baseband is damaged. A tire’s physical properties are only rated for operations under normal conditions and temperatures. An overheated tire simply cannot do the same job as a tire that is operating within acceptable parameters and temperature ranges.

Prior to the introduction of the infrared digital thermometer, we checked the heat buildup of a forklift tire by simply stopping a forklift mid-shift and carefully putting your hand close to/or on the hub(s). Anything more than mildly warm to the touch (over 150 degrees Fahrenheit) indicated an application where heat build-up may be a problem. For every application (including those with a heat build-up problem), it is always useful to establish a benchmark for tire performance (in hours) to make better recommendations and help minimize the customer’s overall cost per hour, and to help determine whether or not a tire problem exists. There is a variety of premium, problem-solving tire compounds available that could minimize your customer’s overall cost per hour.

Application-Based Causes

  • Speed
  • Multi-shift operation
  • Obstacles/debris on the floor (i.e., dock plates, steel, skids, fasteners, banding, etc.)
  • Floors: rough, uneven or in poor condition (tracks or rails, expansion joints, holes, etc.)
  • Continuous operation (short or no rest times)
  • Length of running distance
  • Tight cornering or turning
  • Heavy loads – on drive tires
  • Light or empty loads – on steer tires
  • Forklift attachments
  • Operator abuse – using emergency brakes when not needed
  • Ambient temperature
  • Chemical contamination (exposure to oils or solvents)
  • Manufacturing Defects
  • Contamination of base-band separation
  • Pre-cure chunking
  • Bad batch of pre-mixed rubber (excess moisture, etc.) in retread or recycled tires
  • Reverting
  • Tire pressed on crooked during installation
  • Wheel/hub or bearing problems
  • Kingpin (steer axle) problems
  • Tires not replaced in pairs
  • Improper brake adjustment

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The tire comes with a manufacture warranty for quality and workmanship as well as our own warranties if the conditions stated are met.

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Most problems that occur within the first 45 days of purchase is likely an actual manufacturing defect with the tire. Problems that occur in longer periods of time are normally due to equipment misuse including rapid starts and stops of the forklift, shoving material instead of picking it up, overloading weight limit, long runs with the wrong compound of tires, and throwing the transmission into forward and reverse before stopping the lift, as well as other overlooked misuse.

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These are Known as radial cracks, which occur because of overloading of the forklift and the sidewall begins to break down. This is not a defect in the tire and is not covered by warrenties.

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In order to maintain the capacity, shock absorption and safety margin designed into cushion press-on tires, we recommend that the tires be replaced when 30% of the available tread rubber is gone. On our website there is also a recommended pull point chart for cushion press-on tires.

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No, the shock and vibrations to the machine plus the wear and tear will not be offset by trying to save money on tire replacement.

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A cushion tire forklift uses a press-on tire that is made with a metal band and a rubber attached to it. A solid pneumatic forklift has tires that are shaped like air tires.

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