Skid steer tires - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

Golden Gate · 09-12-2009, 09:08 PM

Does anyone have an opinion on skid steer tires, what I mean is there a certain brand of tires that you recommend as being flat resistant. My main problem is this, I use my bobcats for to many different things in to many different conditions. I do demo with them on concrete or asphalt but on the same job I may be out in the middle of the sugar sand, the problem is the latter(sugar) I am told the never flat and foam filled tires ad so much weight that they become a problem, I am thinking of going to the bobcat severe duty tires but they run $400 ea here, I am terrible hard on tires in fact my newest machine a 185 with less then 275hrs well I have now put 2 new tires on it, I visit my local tire guy on a weekly basis just to patch the multiple holes. I run 60 oz's of slime in each tire just to stay ahead of the smaller stuff, I am running the Bcat brand heavy duties which are 12plys and I am seriously considering putting the Bcats severe's on next. I can do everything with a skidder except keep air in the tires. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS

tgeb · 09-13-2009, 10:17 AM

I have gotten good service out of Firestone Duraforce DT

http://www.firestoneag.com/tirelist.asp?ref=59

I prefer air filled as opposed to filling w/foam for pretty much the same reasons as you. The draw back is you will get flats from time to time.

I keep a plug kit on the truck, and try not to run over stuff.

I have run sets of these tires as long as 800 hours.

jmacd · 09-13-2009, 12:10 PM

Have you tried tubes, I have tubes in mine and since that have not had a problem. I used to have over the tire tracks and it would suck to get a flat. I think I have the bobcat super duty tires and still got flats until I put in tubes.

mics_54 · 09-13-2009, 12:19 PM

2 new tires in 275 hours???? dude..you should kick your operators A55

jmacd · 09-13-2009, 06:26 PM

Good point Mics, I have close to 1000 hours on mine and the machine is on concrete almost daily.

Golden Gate · 09-13-2009, 07:26 PM

I guess I should clarify not just on concrete but actually demoing the concrete complete w wire mesh and rebar so yeah we do have flat issues mostly because I am so aggressive and yes I do own the machines. my question were personel tire preferences based on many different conditions and daily requirements

Williams Ex Co · 09-13-2009, 07:49 PM

My choice? Tracks.... No flats. Yep, the machine is more expensive to own but I never have flats....

mics_54 · 09-13-2009, 07:59 PM

Sorry I don't know enough about the solid tires to make a judgement. I have been thinking about them though. I know it's hard to avoid flats in the crap and trash loading.

tgeb · 09-13-2009, 08:25 PM

Doing that sort of demo work you might look into the semi solids tires.

Cuts down on the weight, looks like you could run them till they fall apart.

http://www.mclarenusa.com/nu-air/nu-...-backhoes.html

If I did alot of demo these are what I would run.

Golden Gate · 09-13-2009, 08:39 PM

Yeah Tom I have never actually owned a set of solids...dealing with what we call sugar sand weight (footprint) is a big issue, I have shyed away from tracks because they are so fricking exspensive. Don't get me wrong I love the way they work in the sand infact I have to rent them occasionally just because of what the job calls for. I have considered going to the 10" wide solids and then getting the steel tracks. I really worry about tearing the rubber tracks up doing what we do. We already tear heathy chunks of the reg tires out now, I just can't imagine what it would due to a set of tracks. This year it just seems really bad looking at the books AND its mostly me doing it

jomama · 09-13-2009, 08:46 PM

GG, go for the Bobcat Severe Duty tires! I do a lot of concrete tear-out with our S250 (probably not near as much as your doing) & have never had a flat yet. The machine was ordered new with them & now has 685 hours, tires are still about 40%. These have been the best all-around tires I've ever seen on a skid. The most wear I've seen on them was last winter when plowing snow for about 175 hours. I actually dropped the machine off on-site in November with a nail stuck in the tire, & I noticed I broke the valve stem off of that same wheel on some concrete earlier in the year. I forgot about the nail & valve stem all winter, never leaked a bit over 5 months.

To put things into perspective, I've gotten between 300-500 hours of use out of normal "Ag" tires doing the same work. It looks like I will easily see 1000 hours out of this set. Well worth the money when figuring in flats, mounting charges, traction, etc..... Anyone getting 1000 hours out of $200 ag tires isn't using the machine anywhere near what your requiring out of yours.

BTW, I carry a plug kit as Tgeb suggested, & knock on wood, haven't needed it with these tires, only another skid of ours with the ag tires. Either way, the kit was only 40-50 dollars, & is well worth the money, especially when considering down time.

Golden Gate · 09-13-2009, 09:10 PM

Jomama THATS what I was looking for. Passion about a set of tires. My Bcat dealer has been trying to talk me into those tires for 2 months because there is 1 other HUGE demo company down her AND THAT IS ALL THEY USE. My little 185 of course had new tires and of course I have been trying to wear them out before going w another tire and I think if they kept them in stock I would have the two new ones instead of the new heavy duty tires. And your right anyone that's getting 1000 hrs out of a skid steer tire(key word skid) are not doing what I am doing. But I am convinced more then ever about using the severe tire. (pic is of a 4000 sq ft driveway tear out)