Selecting Between Pneumatic and Cushion Tires
Significantly contributing to the handling and safety of the equipment are forklift tires. They also impact the maintenance expenses. The kind of forklift determines to a large extent the kind of tire since the majority of forklifts are made with a specific frame that accepts just a particular kind of tire. It helps to know the properties of both pneumatic and cushion tires before selecting a tire.
Instructions
1 For tire specifications, you should check your forklift owner handbook. Most likely your forklift runs either on pneumatic tires or cushion tires. This would limit your options to the type of tire for which the forklift frame is made.
2 Check the kind of forklift. Electric forklift trucks and electric pallet jack trucks generally are made to use cushion tires that do not require a lot of friction. Pneumatic tires are generally used for forklifts which function on diesel or liquid propane gas.
3 Make certain you know what kind of terrain you will be using the forklift on. Soft cushion tires are made for even terrain whereas pneumatic tires are suitable for rough grounds. Cushion tires, if used on surfaces which are uneven, can cause the forklift to get stuck because they are set lower. Pneumatic tires perform well on gravel, packed stones and crushed concrete but not on very rough terrain and potholed surfaces.
4 Inspect space limitations. Forklifts used mainly for indoor applications should be able to pivot in tight areas. Cushion tires really work better than pneumatic tires in those kinds of conditions.
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