Used Cushion Tire Forklift Glendale - Most forklifts are classified by the kind of work they do and some are classified by their type of tires. There are two main kinds of tire classification for forklifts, pneumatic and cushion tire.
There are drawbacks and benefits to both pneumatic and cushion forklift tire options. The drawbacks and benefits of cushion tire models can be only compared when the drawbacks and benefits of the pneumatic tires are also discussed.
Forklift Tire Classifications
Cushion Tires
Cushion tires are made up of either smooth or treaded solid rubber and are designed around a metal ring or baseband. Cushion tires cost less to make and are easier to take care of. This type of tire is made to work on smooth surfaces such as indoor concrete floors and loading docks. These tires are designed to maneuver well within tight locations, due to their specific turning radius. Cushion tires enable the forklift to be situated closer to the ground, increasing the vertical clearance in comparison to other models that rely on pneumatic tires. However, cushion tires do not provide as much traction as pneumatic tires. This is especially true for outdoor areas and wet surfaces.
Cushion tires forklifts are commonly used for organizing inventory, moving items to and from different loading docks, unloading shipments and similar applications.
Pneumatic Tires
Pneumatic tires are mainly utilized on uneven surfaces and rougher terrain. These tires fall into two categories: standard air pneumatic or solid resilient pneumatic.
The main difference with these categories is that the standard air pneumatic tires consist of a layered rubber design filled with air and the solid resilient pneumatic type is made completely out of rubber.
For locations with uneven surfaces and unpaved ground, pneumatic tire forklifts are prime choices. Locations that have sharp debris or objects that could puncture a standard air pneumatic tires such as junkyards or lumber yards will benefit from solid resilient pneumatic forklift tires.
Benefits of Cushion Tire Forklifts
Forklifts fitted with cushion tires are a good option for operation on smooth surfaces, both indoor and outdoor. The forklift designed for use with cushion tires, is intended to be used mostly indoors, with some limited outdoor use. Warehousing applications and manufacturing facilities often rely on cushion tire forklifts. Work which requires forklift operations in tight areas, such as narrow aisles, are ideal for the use of a cushion tire forklift.
Some benefits of using a cushion tire forklift over a pneumatic tire forklift are:
1) Maneuverability
Maneuverability is one of the key pneumatic tire forklift benefits since these models do not require a larger frame to facilitate a bigger internal combustion engine.
2) Lower Clearance
Indoor forklift models that use cushion tires feature lower clearance compared to pneumatic tire models. This enables the machine to travel through doors and navigate obstacles such as sprinkler systems ad lights much easier.
3) Durability
Cushion tires for forklifts are durable, easy to maintain and have little to no risk of puncture.
4) Quiet
Because the majority of cushion tire forklifts are powered by battery or fuel cell, instead of an internal combustion engine, they are much less noisy than propane or diesel powered forklifts.
5) Environmentally Friendly
Again, because most cushion tire forklifts are powered by electricity, rather than an internal combustion engine, cushion tire forklifts produce no harmful emissions.
Forklift Tire Choice
Most forklift frames only allow for either a cushion tire or a pneumatic tire. The forklifts’ lifting capacity and frame are specific to the axles and tires in the design. Most forklift manufacturers design forklifts to operate safely with specific wheels and tires, namely cushion tires or pneumatic tires. Instead of trying to modify the forklift by picking the correct tire for a particular application, it is wiser to choose the forklift that will best suit the job at hand.
Workplace Applications
Suitable Work Applications for Cushion Tires
Cushion tire forklifts are popular for a variety of job sites. If the majority of the load lifting, transporting and placing will occur indoors or with only moderate outdoor usage on smooth surfaces, then cushion tires are likely the best option.
Sitting closer to the ground, cushion tire forklifts have a tinier frame compared to pneumatic tire forklifts. This gives them better clearance for fitting through doorways and avoiding overhead obstacles. It is important to note that cushion tire forklifts showcase less ground clearance and the machine may get caught up on exterior obstacles if the ground is uneven. One solution to this problem is to fit the cushion tire forklift with traction tires on the front of their forklifts. Traction style tires will give better traction on rough terrains like asphalt or packed gravel or wet surfaces. These tires are not recommended for travelling on grass or dirt. Traction tires are utilized on the opposite sides, the steer and drive axles.
The smaller turning radius on the cushion tire forklifts is one of their main advantages. Their ability to work in compact locations makes cushion tire forklifts excellent for warehousing and manufacturing operations. Warehouses that utilize a narrow aisle layout will especially benefit from the smaller turning radius of cushion tire forklifts. Pneumatic tire forklifts are more expensive and less available compared to cushion tire forklifts.
Suitable Work Applications for Pneumatic Tire Forklifts
Pneumatic tires forklifts have air in them and are better for outdoor use such as in yard work or on gravel. Pneumatic tires can also be used inside but do not provide the advantages of low clearance, maneuverability or small turning radius. Of course, they are often powered by internal combustion engine so do produce harmful emissions which are not recommended for normal indoor use. Measuring wider and longer in comparison to cushion tire forklifts, pneumatic tire models are mostly utilized outside.
Of the two types of pneumatic tires, the solid pneumatic tire is more expensive than the air pneumatic tire. This is because a solid pneumatic tire is not susceptible to punctures or gouges because they are made of solid rubber and do not have air in them. These solid pneumatic tires are best for scrap yards and lumber yards where the possibility of running over sharp metal scrap and debris, such as nails, in greatly increased. Air-filled pneumatic tires work well on gravel and asphalt exterior surfaces. The main issue with air pneumatic tires is their ability to become gouged or punctured. Because of this, it is necessary to make sure the work area is free of any sharp objects before using forklift fitted with air pneumatic tires at that site. Operator fatigue and discomfort can be traced to the bounciness of air-filled tires. Therefore, many air pneumatic tire forklift users prefer to foam fill their tires. The foam filling option creates a more even ride compared to the solid pneumatic tires or the bounciness of the air-filled pneumatic tires. Foam filling is also used to help prevent flat tires. Filling an air pneumatic tire with foam usually takes approximately 3 days to fill and cure.
Difference in Load Capacity
Both cushion tire and pneumatic tire forklifts offer similar load capacities. There may be lift limits on certain electric-powered cushion tire models. There are numerous forklifts available and a variety of pneumatic and cushion tire models can be found in a variety of load capacities. There are numerous load capacities ranging from less than 2000 pounds to more than 200,000 pounds.
Cushion Tire Forklift PDF
