Everything you need to know about Lift Truck Tires

Choosing and maintaining the correct forklift tires is essential for safe, efficient, and cost-effective operations. Regular inspections, proper selection, and timely replacement are key to maximizing tire life and forklift performance.

And while we don't offer quite all of these options, it might be useful to know about them.

• Pneumatic Tires:
  Filled with air (like car tires), they provide excellent shock absorption and traction, making them ideal for rough or uneven outdoor surfaces such as construction sites and lumberyards. However, they are susceptible to punctures and require regular air pressure checks.
  
• Solid Pneumatic Tires:
  Made of solid rubber, these are puncture-proof and more durable than air-filled pneumatics. They are suited for environments with debris or sharp objects and have a longer lifespan.
• Cushion Tires:
  Made of solid rubber and fitted to a metal band, cushion tires are compact and best for smooth, indoor surfaces like warehouses and manufacturing facilities. They offer a smaller turning radius, making them ideal for tight spaces.
• Polyurethane Tires:
  Lightweight and durable, these are used mainly on electric forklifts in indoor environments. They provide good traction, are non-marking, and resist chemicals and cuts.
• Non-Marking Tires:
  Designed to prevent floor scuffing, these are essential in clean or appearance-sensitive environments such as retail, food, and pharmaceutical facilities.
• Specialty Tires:
  Options include fiberglass-impregnated tires for heat resistance, static-resistant tires for explosive environments, and cold-prepped tires for icy conditions.

We recommend:

Poly tires electric trucks, especially when ridden or capable of lifting above 4 feet, due to the superior stability vs. rubber tires. Polyurethane also has less rolling resistance than rubber which increases efficiency.

Polyurethane tires are harder, can carry greater loads and will outlast a rubber tire by as much as 4 times. However, they also have less cushioning ability.
Polyurethane tires offer improved traction with different tread types without sacrificing load capacity. They are more durable and are less likely to suffer from chunking, tearing or delaminating. Polyurethane tires are less prone to cutting or tearing.

Polyurethane can be slippery when wet but tread styles, such as the Diamond Groove or XGroove are available for wet and cold floor conditions while maintaining high load capacities.

Rubber tires can offer a softer ride and are generally used outdoors on the larger propane and internal combustion lift trucks. Rubber tires dissipate heat well and are recommended for use at higher speeds. They offer a broader footprint providing better traction, particularly in wet conditions, but have lower load capacities. Rubber tires are typically made with carbon black and because of this will mark indoor floors.

Tread Patterns

Smooth – Smooth surface tires are best on clean floors and standard warehouse environments.  There are several types of smooth tires.  SC = smooth crown. SF = smooth flat.  These can also have tapered sidewalls TSW or straight sidewalls SSW

X-Groove, also known as Diamond Groove (XG) – These have an X or Diamond pattern cut in the tire surface, best for wet floors and freezer areas.  

Worried about the wear of your tires?

Check out this video on 
When to Replace and How to Measure Your Drive Tire

Free tire pressing service available 

with the purchase of a new tire or tire and wheel combo. Tire and hub assemblies are available in stock for many of the most popular electric pallet trucks. 

If you don't see what you are looking for here, just call us at 800-331-0839 or email us at csinfo@genericparts.com.

Crown WP Series & PE Series  *  Big Joe WPT60  *  BT Prime SMX45  *  Hyster W40XT & W40Z  *  Jung Heinrich EJE120 * Mitsubishi PW23 & PW30 * Raymond 102XM * Toyota 7HBW23  *  Yale MPB040E 

We have the Press-On Tires you need!