Getting the Most From Your Tires

By Morley Young

It’s easy to take tires for granted; that is, until a problem arises. Then it’s a hassle – and costly. Tires can be expensive, but it’s the downtime that really adds up. Below are a few tips and suggestions to help make your tire life event-free.

Watch for Rocks: Here in the Northwest we have an abundance of sharp basalt rocks. There isn’t a lot you can do about rocks other than hire good, careful operators who inspect their tires regularly. A quick scan at the end of the day, and a more thorough going-over once a week, are two good money-saving practices.

Check Tire Pressure: Since our logging equipment spends a great amount of time on steep hillsides, tires on one side of the equipment can get more wear and tear than on the other. The increased pressure means increased heat, which is the enemy of any tire, regardless of size.

Excess Heat: While equipment tires don’t get nearly as hot as truck tires, they also haven’t been treated to withstand the high temperatures generated by highway use, so it’s a good idea to watch the heat.

Test Pressure and Look for Leaks: Operators should check the air pressure regularly, and take note of any slow leaks. At the same time, it’s easy to do a thorough visual inspection of the treads and sidewalls for cuts, chunking and other damage. Damaged rims can spell trouble, too. It’s worth your while to get all of these repaired as soon as possible.

Cost Awareness: Letting your operators know how much the tires on their rigs cost can in some cases make them a bit more conscientious. This could add up to savings in the end.

New Products: Today’s tires may be easy on the ground, but the ground isn’t always easy on the tires. Accordingly, every year sees new developments in tires for logging equipment. Here are a few:

• The Beast, the super severe steel logger LS-2 from Galaxy. It is constructed with steel cable from shoulder to shoulder for increased puncture resistance. Galaxy claims that the buttressed shoulders provide greater sidewall and shoulder protection, while the buttressed sidewall gives the tire 21 percent more pulling power in deep mud.

• The Log Stomper fX from Primex. This tire features a 23- degree bar angle, an increased bar width and special shoulder buttresses for longer wear and better stability. According to Primex, their tires incorporate SteelFlex technology that combines the best features of Aramid fibre and steel for full protection in the tread and sidewalls. Primex tires feature premium tread depths designed to outperform the competition, with a variety of footprints and bar angles suitable for any terrain. For 2003 they have added a new 73x50.00–32 size to their inventory.

• Firestone/Bridgestone. The company has come out with two developments — their cut-resistant compound (CRC) and their tubeless tires. They claim that eliminating the tube reduces heat buildup because of less friction between the two elements. When you consider all the flexing that goes on when a tire’s working, that makes sense. They’re not about to tell us what goes into their cut-resistant compound, only that they like it, and it works.

• Goodyear. This tire has been developed exclusively for large haulage trucks in open-pit mining and quarry work. Goodyear is actively expanding the range of application and it’s worth noting. The company has introduced what they call a Two Piece Assembly. They say that it’s not a tire, but it’s made of rubber, and it goes on wheels. The casing of the tire has a tread very similar to the front tire of a farm tractor, with wide, deep parallel grooves. On top of this casing, held on by its matching grooves and the pressure of the inflated tire, is a wide, cut-resistant tread. The tread is virtually armor-plated.

• Les Schwab. New from the Les Schwab is the full line of Nokian forestry tires, which they claim combine is the best of traction and flotation for logging. The tires were designed for use on both skidders and forwarders. In addition to Nokian, Les Schwab says that the Toyo M320 is now available in two new sizes for applications needing a cut and chop resistant compound steel axle tire. The two sizes — 12R22.5/16 and 315/80R225/20 — provide additional carrying capacity in comparison to standard sizes.

TW

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