The Costly Effect of Excessive Tire Wear on Lift Trucks

GOOD TIRES MEAN BETTER PERFORMANCE

Using high-quality, appropriate tires for your life truck is critical. The risks associated with using subpar or inadequate tires include:

·      Truck issues such as tip-overs and lost loads from blowouts

·      Stability issues

·      Increased fork-heel wear

All these undesirable incidents and problems become more likely when tires are too worn or damaged. Accidents are costly, and ensuring your lift truck’s tires are up to the challenge is key to avoiding unnecessary and expensive losses of product and potential injuries to personnel.

TREAD CHECK!

In addition to your daily pre-trip inspections, regularly monitor the tread on your lift truck tires. Decreased tread is often the most obvious sign that your tires need to be replaced. Catching this early can prevent more significant issues and help maintain the overall safety of your operations.

AVOID HAZARDOUS ELEMENTS

Avoid exposing your tires to excess heat, oil, grease or gasoline, and avoid making quick-stops or slides that can burn out treads more rapidly. Exposure to these elements can cause tires to wear out much faster, increasingly your long-term costs in repairs and maintenance.

Excessive heat → Rubber softens and weakens

Harsh substances → Chemical breakdowns

Quick Stops/Slides → Excessive friction that wears down tread and creates flat spots

GOOD TIRES SAVE YOUR BATTERY ON ELECTRIC FORKLIFTS

The benefits of having adequate tires on your equipment are significant, saving both time and money. According to this MH&L article by Mary Aichlmayr, “It is important to note that “on electric material handling vehicles in particular, rolling resistance— the energy a tire consumes as it rolls—is critical. The lower the rolling resistance of a tire, the less energy it needs to roll and the less drag on the battery. A tire with low rolling resistance will conserve battery life on an electric lift truck, resulting in fewer charges and increased productivity.”

To sum it up, having tires that roll more effectively with less resistance helps to save you battery life and increase productivity on your electric material handling equipment.

USE CORRECT, QUALITY TIRES FOR YOUR EQUIPMENT

Selecting the right tires for your lift truck is not just about finding a fit; it’s about choosing the best option tailed to your operational needs. High-quality tires can drastically improve performance and safety. Not only do they increase safety, but they reduce costs by minimizing wear and tear, leading to fewer repairs and replacements.

When purchasing forklift tires, consider these factors:

·   Operating environment

·   Power source

·   Speed and load requirements

MATCH THE TIRE TO THE JOB

Figuring out what the job requires of your lift truck is the most important thing to account for when replacing your equipment’s tires. When you are consulting with your local Morrison branch, be sure to thoroughly explain the amount and type of work you expect the tire to be able to perform so that our technicians can match you with the most durable and effective tire for your specific operation.

LOWER MAINTENANCE COSTS

The benefits of replacing and utilizing the best tires for your lift truck are tangible things such as reduced fuel consumption, reduced shock on your machine and machine operators, increased traction, and ultimately, lower maintenance costs.

REMEMBER TIRE SALE SEPTEMBER!

For 50 years, Morrison customers have been taking advantage of our Annual September Tire Sale to get their lift truck fleets outfitted with the highest quality tires at factory backed, discounted prices. Mark your calendar and take advantage of savings you can plan on every year.