Is It Time to Replace Your Forklift Tires?

Forklifts do not have a traditional suspension system, and yet they are expected to carry up to 11,000 pounds on their front tires. This is a lot of wear and tear over the years, and tires will take the brunt of it. Checking tires should be a priority during your forklift maintenance procedures in Lafayette, LA. Here are five signs it is time for new forklift tires:

• Worn wear line: Forklift tires contain a wear line, which is also called the 50 percent wear line. It is a white line around the outer rim that helps you determine whether your tires are worn beyond safe functioning. Once your tires wear to the line, your forklift is no longer safe to operate, and you need new tires.
• Chunking: Simply put, this is when pieces of your tires fall off during operation. This should be alarming enough that operators immediately report it and request repairs. However, if a busy week makes these reports slow, look out for tire pieces in your warehouse and determine who was working in the area. From there, carefully inspect forklifts for worn wear lines and other maintenance issues. You may need to replace tires and make other repairs.
• Tearing: When a wear line is being pushed and replacement is not scheduled, the tire may tear along the wear line. Like chunking, this is usually alarming and quickly noticed, but if not, you risk a tire blow out in the warehouse and possible injuries. Tears may form away from the wear line or appear as cracks. Since this can result in a blowout or injury, take tears and cracks seriously and purchase new tires.
• Flat tires: Tires are that frequently flat or have flat spots may not work for the long term with just a little air. When they are consistently flat and do not even hold a round shape when there is air in them, you need to replace them soon. This is a safety issue with forklifts as much as it is for cars, so check air pressure frequently and report any major differences. The best practice is to check air pressure before and after a shift. That way, if there is something wrong, a forklift can be moved out of rotation until the tire issue is fixed.
• Uneven wear: Tires should be regularly inspected for uneven wear. It is a sign of other things that may be wrong with your forklift. Improper use can bend rims or even cause alignment issues that make moving loads dangerous. Uneven wear also results when workers fail to maintain proper air pressure. When you see uneven wear, and address the underlying cause, that is a good time to replace tires and start anew with better operating equipment.

George’s Lift Truck Service, LLC is available for forklift maintenance. If you require new forklift tires in Lafayette, LA or could benefit from other repairs, contact us today to arrange for service. We also repair scissor lifts, man lifts, backhoes and pallet jacks.

Categorised in: Forklift Tires

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