Your forklift plays a significant role in the day-to-day operation of your business. That’s why it’s important that each part of a forklift is maintained in order to reduce downtime and provide operators with a safe and effective machine. One of the most important parts, and often times the most overlooked when it comes to routine maintenance, are the tires.

The tires are the foundation of your forklift. They have to be strong enough to take all of the weight of your forklift and the load it’s carrying. Using a forklift with worn tires can not only cause significant damage to your forklift’s wheel, axle or forks but can also create a dangerous working environment for your operator. 

Here are some helpful tips to help you recognize the warning signs that your tires are ready to be replaced.

1. Check for Wear

Depending on the type of tire you have, it’s important to recognize when your tires are worn and need replacing.Press-on tires usually have the tire size printed on the outside wall of the tire. When the tire wears down to the top of the numbers, it’s time to replace. For an air filled pneumatic tire, keep an eye on the tread pattern. It’s time to change your tire if it’s worn away or gone bald. Solid pneumatic tires usually have wear marks on the sidewalls. It’s unsafe to allow the tires to be worn below this line.

2. Chunking

Just like it sounds, if pieces, or chunks of your forklift tires are falling off, that’s a very good indication that you need to replace them. Chunking can be caused by debris and litter on the floor, or by driving over rough surfaces. Tires that are missing chunks of rubber can cause the forklift to vibrate or become unstable.

3. Tearing

This is similar to chunking, if the rubber on your tires is tearing off in spots, they need to be replaced as soon as possible. Tearing often occurs when a forklift is run over sharp edges on the floor, rough terrain or other hazardous debris. 

Changing your tires can mean the difference between a safe, productive work environment and lost loads, damaged forklifts, and injured operators. To help get the best performance from your machine and to increase the longevity of your forklift tires, be sure to replace them with a tire that is durable and made of quality materials. 

As the leading provider of quality replacement parts and accessories for the material handling and industrial equipment industries, TVH has an impressive selection of premium tires for all types, makes and models of equipment. If your tires are ready to be replaced, call your sales representative to lean more.