Used Cushion Tire Forklift Florida - Forklift trucks are commonly classified by the kind of work they complete as well as the kind of tire they use. The two types of tire classification for forklifts are:
1. Cushion; and
2. Pneumatic.
There are drawbacks and benefits to both pneumatic and cushion forklift tire options. The benefits and potential drawbacks of the cushion tire models can only be compared when the pneumatic benefits and drawbacks are equally 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. Cushion tires have been designed to work on smooth surfaces such as interior loading docks and warehouse floors. 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 tire forklifts are used for a wide range of applications, including order picking, unloading shipments, organizing inventory, transporting to and from a loading dock and other similar applications.
Pneumatic Tires
Pneumatic tires, on the other hand, are primarily designed to operate in rougher terrain, with uneven surfaces. These tires have two categorizations:
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 majority of forklifts that rely on cushion tires are used mostly indoors with limited outdoor use. Warehousing applications and manufacturing facilities often rely on cushion tire forklifts. Cushion tire models excel in tight locations including narrow aisles and accessing high shelves.
Some benefits of using a cushion tire forklift over a pneumatic tire forklift are:
1) Maneuverability
Most cushion tire forklifts intended for indoor use are electric, which means they are usually smaller and more maneuverable because they do not required the extra room needed to accommodate the larger internal combustion engine.
2) Lower Clearance
Forklifts built for indoor use with cushion tires generally have a lower clearance than pneumatic tire equipment, allowing the forklift to more easily navigate doorways and other obstacles such as lights and sprinkler systems.
3) Durability
Cushion tires for forklifts are durable, easy to maintain and have little to no risk of puncture.
4) Quiet
Cushion tire forklifts do not use an internal combustion engine and instead rely on a battery or fuel cell, making them significantly quieter than their propane or diesel cousins.
5) Environmentally Friendly
Cushion tire forklifts are more environmentally friendly as they use electricity and produce no harmful emissions, compared to internal combustion engine models.
Forklift Tire Choice
The majority of forklift frames specify either a pneumatic tire or a cushion tire. Axles and tires are specific to a forklift frame and lifting capacity. Most forklift manufacturers design forklifts to operate safely with specific wheels and tires, namely cushion tires or pneumatic tires. Due to their special tire design, it is best to choose the forklift type that will suit the job in terms of forklift tire types.
Workplace Applications
Suitable Work Applications for Cushion Tires
There are many work applications suitable for using cushion tire forklift models. If most of the transporting, lifting loads and placement happens inside or with limited outdoor use on smooth surfaces, cushion tire forklifts are your best choice.
Forklifts fitted with cushion tires often have a smaller frame and sit much lower to the ground than forklifts fitted with pneumatic tires. This compact design facilitates easier clearance through doorways and overhead obstacle avoidance. However, cushion tire forklifts also have less clearance to the ground which can result in cushion tire forklifts getting easily hung up on outdoor obstacles where the surface is not cleared or even. One solution is to outfit traction tires on the front of the cushion tire forklift. Traction style tires will give better traction on rough terrains like asphalt or packed gravel or wet surfaces. Traction tires are not used on dirt or grass locations and need to be installed on opposite sides, the drive and steer axles.
One of the largest advantages of using a forklift with cushion tires is the smaller turning radius. Cushion tire forklifts are excellent for manufacturing facilities and warehouse operations that are compact with less space. Areas that are designed with narrow aisles such as warehouse facilities will enjoy the tighter turning radius offered with cushion tire forklift models. Cushion tire forklifts are also less expensive and are more readily available than pneumatic 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. Interior applications may use pneumatic tire forklift models although they will not provide the maneuverability, lower clearance or tighter 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. With a wider base and longer frame in comparison to cushion tire models, pneumatic tire forklifts are for use mainly outdoors.
Of the two types of pneumatic tires, the solid pneumatic tire is more expensive than the air pneumatic tire. The solid pneumatic tire has no air inside and is made from solid rubber. This design makes the tire stronger against punctures or gouges. 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. However, air pneumatic tires are susceptible to being punctured or gouged. 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. Air tires are also known to give a bouncy ride, contributing to operator discomfort and fatigue. Therefore, many air pneumatic tire forklift users prefer to foam fill their tires. Much less bouncy than air-filled pneumatic tires, the solid pneumatic forklift tires provide the operator with a smoother ride. Foam filling is commonly used for flat tire prevention. It takes roughly three days to fill and cure an air pneumatic tire with foam.
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. These machines come in different load capacities from under 2000 lbs. to over 200,000 lbs. depending on your application.
Cushion Tire Forklift PDF
