Check these tell-tale signs of a forklift tyre nearing the end of its life span.
Maintaining your forklift requires you to monitor its tyres constantly. A machine with worn-out tyres may malfunction, break down, or cause accidents during your operations, costing you a lot of money.
1. Check the tyre lettering
An easy way to guess the remaining life span of your tyre is by checking the lettering on its side walls. If your tyre doesn’t feature a safety line, you can check if there is more than an inch of space between the edge of the tyre and the lettering. If the tyre has worn down to an inch or less, it may be time to replace it.
2. Check the tyre’s safety line
Some tyre brands include a safety line which, like the example above, indicates when a tyre is meant to be replaced based on how close the tyre’s edge is to the line. If your tyre has a safety line, check if the edge is near or has completely worn down to the safety line before replacing it.
3. Check for chunking, cracking, or tearing
If your forklift’s tyres have visible chunking, cracking, or tears in certain spots, you should probably start replacing them.
4. Check for flat spots
Flat spots on a tyre indicate internal damage. A damaged tyre is dangerous to machine operators and may cause accidents. Replace your forklift’s tyres immediately if you notice a flat spot forming.
