Lift trucks: Extend tire life
A lift truck's cost of ownership can be reduced with the proper selection and care of wheels and tires.
By Tom Andel, Editor-In-Chief -- Modern Materials Handling, 1/1/2009
Proper lift truck maintenance has so many considerations that the most basic can often be overlooked. To ensure the least damaging and jarring moves, however, everything rides on your tires. We asked experts from three leading lift truck wheel and tire providers to offer their advice on selection and care. Here's what they suggest:
Reggie Collette, sales/marketing manager, Thombert:
1.Keep a clean house. Cleanliness has a major impact on wheel and tire life, particularly with small-diameter wheels that can drag and skid on floor debris.
2.Don't assume all wheels and tires are equal. There are many different polyurethane compounds available, all of which have different performance characteristics.
3.Don't horse it. Aggressive machine operation increases wear and tear. Training operators on proper truck use can greatly reduce common polyurethane wheel and tire issues related to braking and aggressive maneuvering.
4.Take care of the whole vehicle. Equipment that is not properly maintained can reduce the life of wheels and tires. Bearings that are not properly greased, caster wheels that are not adjusted properly and bent wheel boxes are just a few examples of how to decrease truck efficiency and accelerate wear.
5.Understand total cost. This includes bearings and installation labor in addition to the price of the wheel or tire. A more expensive wheel or tire may run more hours and be less expensive over time.
Jorge Roa, OE Michelin Earthmover and Industrial Products:
6.Consider radial tires for varied surfaces. These provide shock absorption for better operator comfort and less machine and cargo damage. Radial tires can provide a more efficient contact patch resulting in increased traction, flotation, damage resistance and maneuverability.
7.Don't mix technologies on the same truck and especially not on the same axle.
8.Check inflation pressure periodically. This prevents poor vehicle handling, rapid and irregular tread wear, and tire and machine performance outside of design parameters.
9.Check valve stem regularly. Look for cracks and make sure the valve cap is secure to prevent debris from entering valve core.
| Failure mode | Corrective action |
| This table matches a typical source of failure to the most appropriate remedy. (courtesy of Hank LeMeur, president, Superior Tire & Rubber Corp.) | |
 Internal melt down |
Harder tire with high rebound |
 Chunking |
Tougher compound with high tear resistance |
 Bond failure |
Manufacturer's defect |
 Premature wear |
Adjust drive torque, adjust casters, check alignment |
For more information, contact Reggie Collette at , Jorge Roa at , and Hank LeMeur, at .
| Application | Tire properties |
| This table matches typical application challenges to the desirable tire properties. (courtesy of Hank LeMeur, president, Superior Tire & Rubber Corp.) | |
| Long runs | Harder tire with high rebound |
| Rough floors | Softer tire with high cut strength |
| High debris | Tougher compound with high tear resistance |
| Wet floors | Softer tire with tread or sipes |
View All On-Demand Webcasts
