Underground mining requires operators to have specialty equipment and features for their machines. A skid steer clambers over hard uneven rock all day every day for the duration of its job, and the constant rough friction wears tires out prematurely; changing out tires regularly is time-consuming and definitely not cost effective. The most suitable skid steer tire under conditions this severe needs to be a hard surface skid steer tire that can stand up to the many challenges a skid steer tire faces in underground mining applications.
Pneumatic Skid Steer Tires vs Hard Surface Skid Steer Tires
A skid steer moving dirt and rock must maneuver between and over sharp and jagged rocks that can puncture pneumatic tires through the sidewalls and between the treads. You can avoid this issue altogether by choosing hard surface skid steer tires instead of pneumatic skid steer tires. For air compression and operator comfort equivalent to pneumatic tires, look to premium solid skid steer tires with specially engineered aperture holes in the sidewalls; these not only alleviate operator stress and impact, they minimize the stress on the skid steer drive train. The design also reduces bounce—a significant benefit while climbing over rocks and rough ground. The internal cross structure of this tire adds stability and the spacing of the aperture holes reduces stress cracking.
High-Strength Steel vs Mild Steel
Large-scale earth and rock removal in a mine creates a chaotic flurry of dirt and tumbled rock. Skid steer tire rims are susceptible to damage from side impact from falling rocks and also suffer corrosion from the acidic underground environment created by mining.
Acid rock drainage is a natural phenomenon arising from rock weathering. This is a process that releases minerals trapped in soil as rocks erode.
This process is exacerbated by mining, releasing sulfide minerals and other toxic metals and minerals in water runoff. Rims made with high-strength steel rather than standard mild steel, will solve both of these issues: they resist the corrosive effect of acidic drainage as well as withstand side impacts from falling rocks.
Natural Rubber/Carbon Black vs Synthetic
Even with a hard surface skid steer tire, the constant wear and tear from driving over rough rocky surfaces can cause chunking of the tire tread. This is the process by which rough ground and jagged rocks result in cracking, cutting, tearing, and breaking away parts of the tread. Besides causing flats in pneumatic skid steer tires, it wears out hard surface skid steer tires. This becomes a safety issue for the operator because the machines have reduced traction.
The rugged surface skid steer tires made from superior compounds such as high quality natural rubber/carbon black blends are resistant to cuts and chunking from rock damage and rough use, assuring a significant increase in tire longevity, cost effectiveness, and operator safety.
This simply means that the blend is exponentially stronger than the less expensive synthetics used in tire construction. These synthetics will wear out prematurely in severe job environments.
There's no doubt that underground mining conditions offer a multitude of challenges for skid steer tires to overcome. However, the right tires for the job exist: the Evolution Wheel EWRS-HS hard surface skid steer tires.
To learn more about hard surface skid steer tires visit the EWRS-HS Series from Evolution Wheel.
