Solid skid steer tires are made from special compounds and not filled with air. They are perfect for commercial applications. They are commonly found in mining, rock quarries, demolition, waste transfer stations, general construction and anywhere else flat tires are prevalent. A high-quality solid skid steer tire is usually made from high-grade rubber compound ingredients, which are slightly different from normal tire compounds used in typical pneumatic tires.
There are a few differences between ordinary tire materials and the materials used to make solid steer tires. Here we discuss some of the elements that truly make up a high-quality skid steer tire.
Natural Rubber
Solid skid steer tire are prepared from a mixture of ingredients with a much higher proportion of natural rubber. This composition is different from a common tire, which uses a higher percentage of synthetic rubber compounds.
Solid skid steer tires face more wear and tear because they are typically found in more severe environments. Natural rubber increases the wear properties of the rubber compound so you get more life out of your solid skid steer tires.
Not all natural rubbers are created equal though. Many different quality grades are available and have a different cost. There is really no way around this; higher-quality tires will cost more simply because they cost more to make.
Carbon Black
Another key ingredient in solid skid steer tires rubber compound is carbon black. This ingredient is often overlooked by industry customers when purchasing solid skid steer tires because of natural rubber's importance.
Carbon black is a key ingredient responsible for increasing tire wear life and specifically cutting resistance which reduces chunking. Similar to natural rubber, carbon black comes in a variety of quality grades.
If a solid skid steer tire manufacturer combines high grade natural rubber with a high grade carbon black, the tire cost will be higher. However, the performance and wear results will be far superior.
Mixing Compounds
Some solid skid steer tire companies mix high-grade rubber compound ingredients with lower-grade ones to keep costs down. Or some companies may not use high-quality ingredients and sell inexpensive products. However, this means that as a customer, you get a low-quality product that will not be suitable for use in an industrial setting. Common problems associated with a low quality solid skid steer tire are premature tire wear and chunking issues.
Where Is It Made?
Although you can get solid skid steer tires worldwide, there are many quality differences. Solid skid steer tires that you get from countries such as China simply cannot compete with the quality of solid skid steer tires manufactured in North America. In North America you'll find better working processes, more attention to detail, better technology, and the use of higher quality rubber compound ingredients among other advantages.
As a standard rule of thumb solid skid steer tires that come from China, Indonesia and the Asia-Pacific region will have rubber compound consistency issues which means that the results you will experience in wear, cracking and chunking with these products will be very inconsistent. For this reason, ask where a solid skid steer tire is manufactured before purchasing it. Also, make sure that’s what it says on the product when you get it. Just because a company is based in North America doesn’t mean the product they sell is entirely made in North America. Parts or most of it can be made and imported from overseas and still be labeled a North American product.
Made for the Climate
A common issue with solid skid steer tires you will hear about is how rough of a ride they are in cold weather. This all comes back to the original rubber compound formula used by the solid skid steer tire manufactures when making their tires. There is an additive that can be mixed with the rubber to prevent/reduce the stiffening of the rubber compound at colder temperatures.
This however is an added cost. Only a small percentage of manufacturers will include this additive to their solid skid steer tire compound to reduce stiffening at colder temperatures. While stiffness in the ride of a skid steer tire can become a concern in cold temperatures because of the missing additive in the compound, chunking can be an even bigger concern as it occurs more frequently in cold weather.
To learn more about solid skid steer tires visit the Solid Skid Steer Tires Buyers Guide from Evolution Wheel.
