
7 Types of Skid Steer Loader Tires
Skid steer loaders are versatile machines that are ideal for several heavy-duty operations like excavation, landscaping, mining, roadwork, and other construction work. These skid loaders are also called wheel loaders as they use wheels instead of tracks. It is important to have the correct set of tires installed in your heavy equipment as it can impact their safety and performance. Moreover, you must inspect your machine’s tires on a regular basis for cracks or damages. Doing preventive maintenance of tires can help you increase the lifespan of your skid steer loader tires.
Types of Skid Steer Tires
Many machine operators struggle to select the appropriate type of tires for their skid steer loader while working on a construction job. Wrong tire selection can reduce work productivity and cause injury or accident. This article will cover 7 different types of skid steer tires along with their application.
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Standard Pneumatic Tires
Standard pneumatic tires are made up of high-quality rubber. They are cost-effective and comparatively have longer lifespans. They are also resistant to punctures and ruptures. Moreover, you can complete many light-duty and medium-duty construction applications by installing standard tires in your skid steer loader, sometimes called a compact wheel loader for sale.
These pneumatic tires come in two different sub-types; radial and bias-ply. Radial tires have steel cords in them. The steel cords of the tire run 90 degrees to the tire tread to offer a smoother ride with wider footprints and better tread life. On the other side, bias-ply tires are made of nylon material. The plies run between 30 to 45 degrees to the tread ensuring a better ride on rough terrains. Standard pneumatic tires work best for jobs like excavation, landscaping, stockpiling, road maintenance, agricultural works, material handling, and other similar heavy-duty operations.
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Premium Pneumatic Tires
Premium pneumatic tires have extra rubber layers on sidewalls. They have some additional features like better protection and more durability. Furthermore, these wear-resistant tires can overlap the rim edge to prevent the tires from cracks or damage.
These premium wheel loader tires can be a good replacement for standard tires for some medium-duty applications. You can use them for landscaping, material handling, excavation, general dirt work, and stockpiling.
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Severe Duty Tires
Severe-duty tires are the right choice for hard ground surfaces like concrete or asphalt. These tough tires can perform heavy-duty operations. Like premium pneumatic tires, they are also made of high-quality wear-resistant compounds that ensure top efficiency on rough terrains.
These puncture-resistant tires are ideal for abrasive surfaces. You can install them on your wheel loader and use them for soft soil mining, light excavation, road maintenance, underground works, material handling, and scrap yard operations.
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Mining Tires
Mining tires are also known as super severe-duty tires. The tire design of these tires is like severe-duty tires. These durable tires come with solid rims and reinforced bead-to-bead wires to offer the best performance for long-time intervals.
These skid steer tires are suitable for abrasive or harsh terrains. Moreover, you can use these super severe-duty tires for forestry, demolition, mining, underground jobs, stockpiling, and recycling operations.
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Floatation Tires
Floatation tires are ideal for operating on soft and muddy surfaces. These tires provide extra floatation during work as their name suggests. They come with compact tread patterns and large footprints. Also, these skid steer tires are available in many tire designs for performing various heavy-duty applications.
Floatation tires are ideal for wet and sandy working conditions. You can install them on your wheel loader to perform agricultural jobs, landscaping, excavation, and dirt work on muddy surfaces.
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Non-Pneumatic Tires
Non-pneumatic tires are made of top-quality rubber compounds and are also known as solid skid steer tires. These puncture-free tires are wear-resistant and much more durable than other tires. Also, they are heavier in weight thus improving the stability and performance of your heavy-duty equipment. But these tires can cost you more fuel so drive your wheel loader.
Non-pneumatic tires are best suited for heavy-duty applications. Solid steer tires work well on abrasive surfaces. They can help you perform industrial mining, quarries, cold planning, scrap yard jobs, and recycling operations.
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Non-Pneumatic Flexible Tires
Non-pneumatic flexible tires are like solid skid steer tires. These tires offer better comfort to the operator for driving heavy equipment. Also, they are more durable and offer more stability during operation.
Like non-pneumatic tires, these flexible tires are also suitable on abrasive surfaces. You can use them for several heavy-duty applications like forestry, steel mills, demolition, recycling work, and industrial mining.
Summary
There are many types of skid steer tires available in the market for carrying out construction operations. Pneumatic tires are suitable for light and medium-duty applications whereas severe-duty or non-pneumatic tires are appropriate for heavy-duty applications. The loaders operate on various ground surfaces to perform many tough jobs. Thus, it is essential to use the correct set of tires that best suits the work nature.