Anyone have a forklift in their shop? Got some tire questions

[Travis Conner]

If you have crushed concrete/ashpalt driveways is that solid enough to drive a forklift over? It will mainly be used in the shop, but occassionally be moved on the driveway. Part of the drive is crushed concrete, the other part is asphalt rail road ballast. If it's solid enough to drive a 7000 pound 3/4 ton truck over it without issues i'm assuming it would be okay for a forklift assuming it has pneumatic all terrain tires? I think i'd be more concerned about getting stuck from the ground being uneven than anything else.

Opinions?

[Grant Wilkinson]

If you are careful about turning while sitting still, you should be fine. The problem is that, often in tight quarters, the operator will turn the wheels hard to the left or right before trying to move. If there is nothing on the forks, the weight is over the steering wheels in the rear. So, the front tires dig a hole, trying to fight against the turned steering wheels. Once the hole is dug, it can be a b$%##ch to get out. DAMHIKT.

[Jim Becker]

I agree with Grant. Weight is zero issue. But with any machine that "drags" a tire a little while making sharp turns, you need to be thoughtful about how you execute turns. The bottom line...don't worry about it. You'll be fine.

[Travis Conner]

I see what youre saying. I worked at a place that had a forklift with warehouse tires on it and you could almost get stuck on uneven concrete, then they bought one with the all terrain tires and it rode smooth as butter over bumps and such and never could even get a wheel to spin if I tried. That was a CAT forklift, maybe it had a locking differential or something.

[Ronald Blue]

You won't have any issue with one that has all terrain tires. The hard surface machines are easy to get stuck on uneven surfaces as you already know. They are just so rigid that they have no forgiveness. We drive the all terrain types all over on gravel. Just curious what asphalt railroad ballast is? Used asphalt removed from crossing approaches? If the rock does't pack then you might have problems. Loose rock will get you stuck easily.

[Travis Conner]

It's the stuff they put under rail road ties.

[Travis Conner]

It's pretty packed down.

[Ronald Blue]

That"s interesting because the ballast I deal with doesn't pack. It is crushed granite. It does eventually break down from all the tonnage passing over it. You might have ballast that was removed because it was turning it to small pieces. We use an under cutter for that.That would pack most likely. But good ballast doesn't pack and it's a pain to walk on because it moves under your feet as you walk.

[Tony Joyce]

It can be pretty hard on pneumatic tires if very coarse, especially if loaded and turning a lot.

[Travis Conner]

I wonder why they they call them pneumatic tires when they still look like solid rubber. I've never seen any of them look flat.

[Tony Joyce]

I wonder why they they call them pneumatic tires when they still look like solid rubber. I've never seen any of them look flat.


On my 10,000 Lb Toyota I have pneumatic tires, they are called pneumatic because they have air in them. It was recommended to us when we first purchased a lift. We were told that pneumatic tires were best to run outside. Coarse gravel/rock seem to wear the tires considerably. I assumed people referring to all terrain tires meant pneumatic, my mistake sorry.

[Jim Becker]

I wonder why they they call them pneumatic tires when they still look like solid rubber. I've never seen any of them look flat.

They have air in them, but because of the amount of weight that they have to support when the machine is being utilized to capacity, they also have to be stiff and beefy. 'Nature of the beast....

[Travis Conner]

Whatever it is it's pretty solid.