Whether you use a skid steer for construction, landscaping, mining, or roadwork, having the right tire for the application is essential. This is because it is critical for the machine’s high performance. However, most operators often misunderstand tires, leading to decreased productivity and mishaps on a job site. Read on to learn about the different skid steer tires available in the market and their applications to choose the best ones for your equipment.
Standard Pneumatic Skid Steer Tires
These pneumatic tires are a cost-effective choice for light to medium-duty applications. They are made of high-grade rubber, ensuring puncture resistance and longevity. You can find standard pneumatic tires in many tread options and the following variations:
- Bias-Ply – made using nylon belts at a 30 – 45-degree angle to the tread and has more rigid sidewalls. They are usually relatively inexpensive.
- Radial – typically has steel cord material and runs at a 90-degree angle to the tread.
It helps to know that radial tires offer a smoother ride, wider footprint, better tread life, and high durability.
Applications of Standard Pneumatic Tires
They are best suited for agriculture, road maintenance, landscaping, light excavation, stockpiling, material handling, and general dirt work.
Premium Pneumatic Tires
Premium pneumatic tires come with an additional layer of rubber on the sidewall. They are a good option for most general applications as standard ones. However, these skid steer tires have many added features for more protection and durability. They are made using wear-resistant compounds. Some tires are manufactured to overlap the edge of the rim to protect the wheel from damage.
Applications
Like standard ones, premium tires are also ideal for general dirt work, light excavation, material handling, stockpiling, agriculture, landscaping, and road maintenance. In addition, you can also use them for rentals.
Floatation Skid Steer Tires
If you want additional floatation, you must choose these tires. They have tight tread patterns and large footprints and are ideal for working in wet, muddy, soft, or sandy conditions. To put it clearly, you can accomplish the work of a tracked machine with floatation tires on a skid steer. They come with many configurations and tread designs to suit the varied needs of an application.
Applications
Floatation skid steer tires are best for agriculture, landscaping, dirt work on muddy or soft grounds, rental, excavating, and ship trimming.
Severe Duty Tires
As the name indicates, these tires are designed for tough or heavy-duty jobs and are ideal for hard grounds such as asphalt or concrete and in heavy mud. They are manufactured using a high-quality wear-resistant compound to ensure efficiency in harsh terrains. Severe-duty skid steer tires are puncture-resistant with a larger lug-to-void ratio, deep tread, and superior self-cleaning ability.
Applications
Severe-duty tires are perfect for working on abrasive surfaces. You can use them for material handling, road maintenance, stockpiling, light excavation, industrial, soft soil mining, rental, scrap yards, and underground work.
Super Severe Skid Steer Tires
Also known as mining tires, they come with the same deep tread design and heavy-duty construction as severe-duty skid steer tires. However, they come with added features, such as bead-to-bead wire reinforcing and solid center rims to ensure durability.
Applications
Like severe-duty tires, they are ideal for working on challenging and abrasive surfaces and heavy mud. In addition, you can use them for demolition, forestry, quarries, industrial, mining, scrap yards, recycling work, stockpiling, and underground applications.
Non-Pneumatic Tires
Also popularly known as solid skid steer tires, they are made using superior-quality rubber compounds for wear resistance and increased durability. They eliminate the possibility of flats because of punctures or other damage. Typically, they add weight to the equipment, thus increasing overall stability and operating capacity. However, it can lead to greater fuel consumption, so you must be cautious. Although they do not provide comfort as pneumatic tires, the wear and service costs over time are more manageable, depending on your work. Moreover, solid tires are durable for specific heavy-duty applications.
Applications
You can use solid tires on abrasive surfaces, including asphalt and concrete, cold planing, industrial mining, quarries, scrap yards, recycling operations, steel mills, and stockpiling.
Non-Pneumatic Flexible Skid Steer Tires
Similar to solid tires, they help improve operator comfort. They have multiple apertures to deflect debris and provide some cushion when operating the machine. In addition, these tires offer durability, weight, and stability.
Applications
You can use them on abrasive surfaces and for forestry, demolition, industrial mining, quarries, steel mills, recycling operations, and scrap yards.
General Considerations When Using Skid Steer Tires
A minor issue with the tire can affect overall productivity and cause havoc with your schedule. Problems such as damaged rims and punctures go unnoticed until the tires need replacement.
To avoid these situations, you should keep the following in mind:
- It is wise to ensure you have access to replacement tires. This is why flexible solid tires are more popular than other types.
- Checking for punctures and cuts on tires and rim damage can help you identify potential issues early.
- Pre and post-operation inspection and regular maintenance can help enhance longevity.
It is recommended to purchase all tires from reputable suppliers. Doing so will assure you of quality and reduce repair costs and expensive downtime.
Contact Us to Get the Ideal Skid Steer Tires for Your Job
Tag Equipment offers the best selection of skid steer tires in Canada to meet varied needs. We offer premium-grade products for all makes and models at the best prices to ensure maximum satisfaction. In addition, we also provide tire chains and steel rims.
Our collection of tires for skid steers includes the following:
- Air-Filled or Pneumatic Tires – Primex Bossman Grip STL II L4+, Primex Bossgrip R-4, Galaxy Beef Baby II R-4, Galaxy Hulk L-4/L-5, Camso SKS 532, SKS 753, and SKS 775
- Flat-Proof or Solid Tires – Traxter R4, Traxter HD, Traxter SM, Camso SKS 782S, and Camso SKS 792S
If you want to buy skid steer tires for specific applications, talk to our experts by calling 416-716-5850. You can also fill out our online form to learn more about our products.