Selecting Between Cushion & Pneumatic Tires
Forklift tires contribute a lot to your machine's safety and handling features, as well as impacting maintenance costs. The type of forklift determines to a large extent the kind of tire as most forklifts are constructed with a specific frame that accepts only a specific kind of tire. It helps to understand the properties of both cushion and pneumatic tires prior to selecting a tire.
Instructions
1 Check your forklift owner manual for specifications about tires. Most likely your forklift runs either on cushion tires or pneumatic tires. This will limit your choice to the kind of tire for which the forklift frame is constructed.
2 Check the type of forklift. Electric pallet jack trucks and electric forklift trucks are usually made to use cushion tires that do not need a lot of friction. Pneumatic tires are usually for forklifts which are powered by liquid propane gas or diesel.
3 Make sure you know what type of ground you will be using the forklift on. Soft cushion tires are constructed for even grounds whereas pneumatic tires are best for rough terrain. Cushion tires, if used on uneven surface, can cause the forklift to get stuck as they are set lower. Pneumatic tires perform well on crushed concrete, gravel and packed stones but not on potholed surfaces and very rough grounds.
4 Check space limitations. Forklifts utilized mostly indoors need to be able to pivot in tight areas. Cushion tires really work better than pneumatic tires in those types of situations.
|
|
