29 Apr What Excessive Tire Wear Can Really Cost You

Ensuring your forklift tires are in proper working condition is vital to maintaining safety, efficiency, and performance in any material handling operation. A forklift’s tires act as shock absorbers. When your tires have excessive wear they are less effective in absorbing shock as they traverse your facility. Keeping up with forklift tire replacement not only prevents unnecessary wear on your equipment but it also reduces downtime and improves workplace safety

Excessively worn forklift tires can lead to a surprising number of issues—not just with the forklift itself, but also with the facility, products, and even employee safety. What can excessive tire wear really cost you?

1. The Forklift

· Suspension & Steering Components: Without proper cushioning, impacts are harsher, causing premature wear on these systems.

· Transmission & Drivetrain: Increased vibration and poor traction can stress the drivetrain, especially during turns or on ramps.

· Brakes: Worn tires reduce braking efficiency, making it harder to stop and putting more strain on the braking system.

· Batteries (Electric Forklifts): If you have an electric forklift, your battery can crack due to excessive vibration leading to costly repair or replacement.

2. The Load (Your Products)

· Instability: Worn tires can cause uneven lifting or tipping, especially under heavy loads.

· Shifting or Dropped Loads: Reduced traction or a bumpy ride increases the risk of product damage.

3. The Facility

· Floor Damage: Hard, worn-out tires (especially cushion tires) can scrape, chip, or crack warehouse floors.

· Racking & Infrastructure: Poor handling due to tire wear can lead to collisions with racking systems, walls, or dock equipment.

4. Employee Safety

· Increased Risk of Accidents: Reduced traction, uneven driving, and load instability all create more opportunities for accidents.

· Operator Fatigue & Injury: Less shock absorption makes for a rougher ride, increasing operator fatigue and the risk of repetitive stress injuries.

How often should forklift tires be replaced? 

While this varies on the basis of tire type, usage, and operation the average forklift tire should be inspected weekly and replaced every 2,000 hours in abusive applications and 10,000 in less abusive applications. Regularly inspecting, rotating, and replacing your forklift tires along with proper operation of your equipment is the best way to protect your employees and your investment from the costly effects of driving on worn tires.

Learn more about how the right tires can keep your fleet rolling!

What are signs of excessive forklift tire wear? 

As you survey your equipment, look for these indicators:

• Visible tread wear or bald spots
• Cracks or splitting in the rubber
• Flat spots from frequent pivoting
• Chunking or rubber peeling off
• Reduced ride comfort or increased vibration
• Decreased traction, especially when braking
• Uneven lifting or load instability
• Floor damage or marks under normal use

If you noticed at least one of those indicators you might want to have your forklift inspected. Our team of certified technicians would be happy to provide you with a professional evaluation to ensure the best practice for the longevity of your equipment and safety of your team. Whether it is time for a rotation, replacement, or just an expert opinion to optimize your material handling equipment.

At Toyota Material Handling Systems, we are committed to supplying the best for your equipment. We provide tires from the leading manufacturer, CAMSO, to guarantee reliability, durability, and performance. Our tire options equip your lifts to withstand the demands of heavy loads, rough surfaces, and demanding operating times.