Maintaining the skid steers tires and vehicles is a very important way of maximizing your ROI. Tires are one of the major operating expenses for skid steers, thus maintaining them is of utmost importance for skid steer owners.
Skid Steer Tires Maintenance Tips
Here are some maintaining tips for skid steer tires-
Keep your tires clean
Keeping your tires clean makes it easier for you to spot bumps, bulges, and cracks on your tires, and blow-out-threatening debris that might get wedged in the tread. You may overlook potential tire problems when your skid steers’ tires are covered with mud or manure, or caked in concrete dust.
Inspect Tires Often
You should examine inflation pressure regularly. It is important to inspect your tires after each use and remove rocks, debris, and more from between the lugs. Look for deformities on your skid steer tires. It’s common for a skid steer to wear one set of tires faster than the other. Even one side of the tire may wear out faster than the other. Keeping regular tabs on tread wear allows you to rotate the tires, which helps to extend the service life of all tires.
Appropriate Operation
You should avoid an aggressive operation if you want to prevent skid steer wear. Proper practices are needed like, limit you spinning the tires by using the correct amount of throttle and keeping all four tires on the ground. This will make a long way toward improving skid steer tire life.
Diligent Driving
You should be vigilant in how your skid steer is driven, and also be aware where it’s driven. Many skid steers work in harsh environments, which are filled with tire-threatening obstacles. Awareness and avoidance is important to avoid these hazards and an easy way to prevent punctures, reduce downtime, and lower skid steer tire costs. Also, regular rotation is needed.
Consider Your Application
There are multiple choices out there for skid steer tires. Do not mix up the different tread depths, patterns, and constructions. A solid tire can provide the puncture-proof performance you need in a demolition site.
If a skid steer that is going to put on more than a mile of distance in a shift, it is likely that a solid tire can overheat; you would be better off with a radial with the flexible sidewalls that can dissipate heat and stand up to much movement. It is important to know where to apply for proper treads, whether it is a slick wet condition or abrasive pavement.
Pay Attention to Tire Pressure
Different tires need a different kind of attention. For example, pneumatic tires have air inside the tire and responsible for carrying the load. It is important to consider inflation pressure and speed and load recommendations.
Underinflation allows a tire to flex more, increasing stress on the tire. This will lead to reduced fuel efficiency, and building up excess heat, which will be speeding up wear. On the other hand, overinflated tires will wear unevenly and are more likely to puncture or blow out. It would be wise to check your tire pressure regularly and make sure your tires are filled to their ideal air pressure to cut down costs.
Cut Out Counterweights
The capacity of a skid steer handling heavy loads depends on the Bolt-on counterweights for the rollover. This may lead to faster wear if counterweights are left on a skid steer when they are no longer needed if extra force exerted on your tires.
Replace When Necessary
Understanding the factors that lead to tire wear, including the operator’s control and uncontrollable aspects such as ground conditions will eventually help you in long term. It is important to learn your tires to know if your tires are showing signs that the end is near.
Missing chunks, ripped-off tread, and cracking indicates to degradation of a tire. To make sure you know how long the tires will last depends on the severity of the job helps you know the traction required, and surface type. This is why it needs replacing from time to time. It is rather safe to replace your skid steer tire in time than letting its breakdown in the middle of a project.
Keep Tires Consistent
You need to identify the right tire for your usage and specific application. Mixing and matching skid steer tires will lead to disaster. Not only it will cause undue wear to the tires, but also stress the chain drive system and wear out the machine itself. Try looking for any signs of damage and recognize the cues that indicate whether you need to repair them.
Conclusion
It is important to look for debris in the tire as mentioned earlier, as much as it is important to check the thread for uneven wear. Some experts may even suggest that you buy a consistent brand for your skid steer tire, but the choice is yours.
There is high possibility that constant exposure to sunlight may cause tires to expand and crack. To store them in a cool, dry place will be a better option. By now you know how important it is to maintain you tires properly if you want more productivity out of your skid steer tires to save money.
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