Skid steer loaders are the jack of all trades for compact equipment machines. This versatility however can presents a tire selection challenge. (sometimes misspelled as skidsteer)

Tires are the most expensive consumable item on a skid steer loader, so it pays to due a little tire research before shopping. Choosing the correct tire for the application will maximize your machine's performance, and minimize your tire investment. But, don't assume one tire fits all applications. Many operators may find it best to have several tire options and select the best tire for the application.

For example, you wouldn't want to run pneumatic tires in a scrap yard full of flat-causing metal debris, nor would you run a solid skid steer tire in loose material.

Buy on-line or talk with a knowledgeable industrial tire & track specialist:

• Call Us: 877-895-1118
• Send text message
• sales@CascadiaTire.com

To ease the selection process, you should ask yourself a 3 questions before buying or replacing tires.

1. What Is Your Application?

Choosing the right tire for the your long-term application allows future cost savings. If your skid steer does the same functioning day after day, then this is straight forward and you only need to look for one or two key factors when comparing tire specifications. But what if your skid steer usage changes constantly? It is important for a operator to understand surface conditions, kinds of loads, what they are carrying and how is the equipment going to be used and who's going to be driving the machine.

2. How Can You Optimize Your Tire Investment?

To achieve the lowest operating cost solution and optimum tire choice, there's a host of considerations to evaluate. Premium tires are made to work in the toughest of off-the-road applications and are designed to address different operational needs. Improving performance in one area usually means a trade-off in another.

Top 10 Performance Factors

• Surface conditions -loose, hard pack, asphalt?
• Tread Choice -R4, R5, Non-directional (see below)
• Inflation pressures -low pressure wears faster
• Duty cycle -constant running & heat buildup
• Speed -can the tire cool down?
• Ambient temperature -heat destroys tires
• Road maintenance; Debris -flat-proof?
• Machine maintenance; Service cycles -plan for replacing tires
• Attachments & bucket size - weight heats tires
• Tire make & model -choose best tire for application & budget

3. How Can A Tire Reseller Help You In This Process?

In addition to understanding the equipment and the application, the most important decision for a skid steer operator is to choose the right tire reseller. Work with a reseller who knows construction tires (not just a car tire guy), knows your operation and understands your budget. Develop a good working relationship and engage in feedback on how the tires operated on the equipment and your application.