When it comes to maintaining the forklift, it could really be easy to neglect the simple yet essential tire. If you select the wrong tire, you could end up accidentally with a huge increase in fleet operating costs, or increased safety risks, which is worse yet. If on the other hand, you pick right type of tire you could enjoy substantial cost-savings, improved safety and an overall more efficient operation. A properly selected tire can actually decrease the downtime for replacement and potentially last 40 percent longer.
The forklift tire is a somewhat complex component of the equipment. It is therefore, easy to choose the wrong kind accidentally. There are a lot of different brands of tires and kinds, with different treads and compounds. This means you must be completely prepared with the right data when you are purchasing tires so that you could select some safe and tough alternatives to help extend the life of your forklift.
The specific type of tire selected for a forklift depends on the type of surface you will be utilizing the machine on. Like for example, smoother surfaces and indoor applications usually use tires that are made from rubber and that are a smaller size. On the contrary, outdoor operations need pneumatic tires. Pneumatic tires have a rubber tread and are filled with compressed air. These features give them a great grip on uneven and rough surfaces.
Forklift Tire Safety
Each year, there are about 200 individuals killed in accidents related for lift truck use. Ensuring forklift safety, like for instance proper inspection practices, could all contribute in to preventing these horrible and dangerous accidents from happening.
Pre-Work Check
Prior to every shift, the lift truck's tires have to be checked. Ideally, they should have the right air pressure, as set forth by the maker. This is very important because if the tire pressure is too low, the equipment could inadvertently tip over when a load is being lifted.
Types
The tires utilized on indoor forklifts will be made out of solid rubber.
Other Considerations
Occupational Health and Safety Administration or OSHA places a requirement on the frequent use of lift trucks. These lift trucks must be checked at the end of every shift. The driver must check the equipment for any mechanical problems and the tires need to be checked for excessive wear, cuts or apparent tire damage. Any problems that are detected must be dealt with as soon as possible to maintain safety.