The Costly Effect of Excessive Tire Wear on Lift Trucks
Just as you want to wear the most comfortable and effective shoes on your feet to depending on the job you are doing, good, proper tires on your lift truck are critical when considering the longevity of your equipment.
GOOD TIRES MEAN BETTER PERFORMANCE
Just as you want to wear the most comfortable and effective shoes on your feet to depending on the job you are doing, good, proper tires on your lift truck are critical when considering the longevity of your equipment.
The risks associated with using subpar or inadequate tires are plentiful and include:
- Truck issues such as tip-overs and lost loads from blow-outs
- Stability issues
- Increased fork-heel wear.
All of these undesirable accidents and problems become possibilities when continuing to utilize tires that are too worn or too damaged. Accidents are expensive and making sure your lift truck’s tires are up to the challenge is critical in avoiding unnecessary and expensive loss of product and/or injury to personnel.
TREAD CHECK!
In conjunction with your daily pre-trip inspections, monitor the tread on your lift truck tires on a regular basis. Decreased tread could be the first and most obvious sign that tires will need to be replaced before they cause bigger problems.
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. Exposing your tires to these types of elements could cause them to become worn out at a much more rapid pace, costing you more money in the long run in repairs and maintenance.
GOOD TIRES SAVE YOUR BATTERY ON ELECTRIC FORKLIFTS
The benefits in having adequate tires on your equipment are tangible and can save you money and time. 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
When purchasing forklift tires, consider these four 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 over 45 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.
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