Service Tips -- Flat-proof tires for aerial equipment
Foam-filled tires make them flat-proof, reducing repair costs and downtime.
by Ankit Maheshwari
 |
| The latest global standards require manufacturers to supply MEWPs fitted with flat-proof tires |
 |
| Solid tires from left to right: Non-marking for indoor lifts; solid tires for boom .lifts and non-directional solid tires for teleehandlers. |
Tires play a key role in the stability of any piece of aerial equipment as they are the only connect between the machine and the terrain.
They are critical for a machine’s stability during travel and elevation. It is therefore important to ensure that they are safe, reliable and performance-worthy.
Tires directly affect the equipment’s uptime and overall job site performance. Further, tire-related costs are among the top five operating costs for industrial equipment and their total cost of ownership has a significant impact on the operations of any rental company.
The latest global standards require manufacturers to supply MEWPs fitted with flat-proof tires. Currently, many MEWP tires are made puncture-proof by a process called foam filling. This involves injecting pneumatic tires with liquid polyurethane elastomers that cure into a synthetic rubber. While this renders the tires puncture-proof, they are still prone to damage due to the operating conditions in which these machines are used.
Tire replacement tips
Important considerations when replacing tires are:
- Application: how sensitive it is to downtime?
- Site conditions: do tires operate in areas that are more susceptible to damage?
- Location: how long does it take to get service and spares?
- Age of equipment: is it nearing end of life cycle?
Based on customer feedback for an alternative to foam-filled tires are Trident’s complete range of Traxter-branded low-profile solid tires specifically designed for aerial equipment such as telehandlers, rough terrain scissors and indoor and outdoor boom lifts.
Besides being 100 percent flat-proof, Traxter solid tires offer users several additional advantages over foam-filled pneumatics that result in very low lifetime ownership costs. These include:
- High damage resistance and a service life that is 3 to 4 times longer
- Low sidewall flex eliminates the bouncy ride associated with foam-filled tires
- High lug-to-void ratio for reduced vibration
- Supplied as ready-to-fit assemblies for fast turnaround
Range includes black and non-marking solid tires to replace popular foam-filled pneumatic tire sizes such as 9-14.5, 240/55D17.5, 315/50D20, 355/55D625, 385/65D19.5, 15-625, 385/65D22.5, 445/65D22.5, 445/50D710, 13.00-24, 370/75-28, 14.00-24, 400/75-28 and more.
Ankit Maheshwari is head of Trident International LTD.
This article originally appeared in the March-April 2022 issue of Pro Contractor Rentals magazine. ©2022 Urbain Communications LLC. All rights reserved.
PRO CONTRACTOR RENTALS MAGAZINE
Pro Contractor Rentals provides information of value to rental centers who focus time, resources and attention on meeting the demands of construction contractors and other equipment rental customers.
