• Thank you for visiting HeavyEquipmentForums.com! Our objective is to provide industry professionals a place to gather to exchange questions, answers and ideas. We welcome you to register using the "Register" icon at the top of the page. We'd appreciate any help you can offer in spreading the word of our new site. The more members that join, the bigger resource for all to enjoy. Thank you!

So what tyres are you running?

yamaman

Active Member
Joined
May 22, 2010
Messages
29
Location
Perth Western Australia
G'day fella's, time to put some new rubber under my Komatsu 818, and I need YOUR help!

I've read a few tyre threads here, but couldn't seem to find the info I needed

Currently running Tianli Sand Rib 12 x 16.5's (they were on it when I got it). They also seem to be the cheapest replacement for me......

So, a lot of sand work, but also I work in rock (coffee rock).

I'd love to hear what you run or recommend, :drinkup
 

powerjoke

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2009
Messages
1,125
Location
Missouri
Occupation
owner/operator/estimator/mechanic/grunt/ditchdigge
we have Michelen xcd(?) Radials on our CaT machine. they wear like iron. dont know fi their worth the cost tho

not good in wet mud but on solid surface or hard or tacky clay they cant be beat

Pj
 

mustangman

New Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2010
Messages
4
Location
ohio
Tires for s130 what are a good ones

I like the all terrain tires any good place to get them
 

yamaman

Active Member
Joined
May 22, 2010
Messages
29
Location
Perth Western Australia
Jeez fella's, I realise that this question has probably been asked before 1000 times, so if some kind soul could point me to the right thread, I'd gladly read it.

I really need some help here, is it better to use skid steer tyres or 4WD type tyres & get my rims cut & shut to suit??? My local dealer has some 16 1/2" retreads, they look like truck steerers to me & though they are 12", they are a lot narrower at the tread than the tyres I've got.

Also was told by another dealer that the radial Bridgestones etc will fade away fast on rock/gravel........

:drinkup
 

powerjoke

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2009
Messages
1,125
Location
Missouri
Occupation
owner/operator/estimator/mechanic/grunt/ditchdigge
Jeez Fella! you have had some replies to your thread, everyone is not ignoring you....dont expect it to be the next hot thread, we're just talking about skid tires here ;) lol

why would you use 4wd truck tires?.....is your skid steer a truck?....why would you have your rims "cut", is the proper size tires not available?....

what do you mean "radial bridgestones etc will fada away fast" ? what was the "etc" for? you didnt leave enough of a patern for us to continue the trend to know what you meant by the "etc" if you are talking about my post on the radial michelen tires, mine are SKID steer tires not truck tires.

Hope this helps,

Pj
 

heavylift

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2009
Messages
1,046
Location
KS
There are retreads available... I think the bobcat dealer here sells them.... too aggressive of pattern for my taste...
 

yamaman

Active Member
Joined
May 22, 2010
Messages
29
Location
Perth Western Australia
Jeez Fella! you have had some replies to your thread, everyone is not ignoring you....dont expect it to be the next hot thread, we're just talking about skid tires here ;) lol

why would you use 4wd truck tires?.....is your skid steer a truck?....why would you have your rims "cut", is the proper size tires not available?....

what do you mean "radial bridgestones etc will fada away fast" ? what was the "etc" for? you didnt leave enough of a patern for us to continue the trend to know what you meant by the "etc" if you are talking about my post on the radial michelen tires, mine are SKID steer tires not truck tires.

Hope this helps,

Pj

Sorry to seem ungrateful, any thoughts are most welcome indeed & well appreciated.

4WD tyres, just that I seem to see a lot of skid steers with them, and as a rule they seem to come in 16" or 17" variants, not 16 1/2".

One of the dealers I spoke to said the (skid steer specific) radial tyres would be fantastic in the sand, but wear out quick in gravel & rock.

Thanks for your input, cheers :drinkup

PJ, are THESE the tyres your running?
 
Last edited:

Squizzy246B

Administrator
Joined
Sep 9, 2005
Messages
3,388
Location
Perth, Western Australia
Occupation
Digger Driver
Yanaman,
I have run several sets of the Tianli tyres and they haven't been too bad. However, they become problematic at lower pressures when the sand works its way into the bead and starts them leaking. Once that starts they are hopeless.

The best tyres I have run are the Dunlops in 12 x 16.5". They are probably the most expensive but worth ever cent. They perform as well as anything in the sand and are very strong for bitumen or demo work. Mine have about 600 hours so far and will do triple that in the wear department. I usually run these at 22 psi for general work.

Westrac had these fitted for me so I assume they came from Solid Tyre service out at Bayswater but I know Booragoon Tyre Service can get them.

My mate has run identical skid steers to me for years and he has run Kellys and now Trail Cutters. I operate both machines regularly and the I find the Trail Cutters as bouncy as hell. Plus the radials always seem to be in trouble with punctures. I doubt wether the radials will go the distance the Dunlops will.

Probably the best sand tyre ever available was the EcoCat but they have changed manufacturer and have had quality problems since. Some dealers wont stock them because of a very serious accident involving an EcoCat failure.

Another advantage of the Dunlop is they sit taller than most tyres giving you more ground clearance.
 

Attachments

  • 091107 008.jpg
    091107 008.jpg
    49.1 KB · Views: 512
  • 170208 099.jpg
    170208 099.jpg
    42.8 KB · Views: 529

powerjoke

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2009
Messages
1,125
Location
Missouri
Occupation
owner/operator/estimator/mechanic/grunt/ditchdigge
Yeah i seen those but they arent quite the same, mine are kinda directional......kinda :confused: lol..

I still dont get why you guys run truck tires,
is it just because regular skid tires dont give you traction in the sand or is it the floatation that you get from the softer lower PSI tires?

what do you do with all the tires that are taken off the new machines if they arent good for anything?

how stable is the machine with the soft low PSI tires,....when you have a full bucket in the air isnt it somewhat dangerous?

Pj
 

Attachments

  • skid steer tires.jpg
    skid steer tires.jpg
    29.7 KB · Views: 516
  • 246.jpg
    246.jpg
    59.6 KB · Views: 509

Squizzy246B

Administrator
Joined
Sep 9, 2005
Messages
3,388
Location
Perth, Western Australia
Occupation
Digger Driver
Yeah i seen those but they arent quite the same, mine are kinda directional......kinda :confused: lol..

???:confused: I suppose it depends what direction your going in...:pointhead

I still dont get why you guys run truck tires,
is it just because regular skid tires dont give you traction in the sand or is it the floatation that you get from the softer lower PSI tires?

Basically..Yes!. We have, in the Down Under, a very poor selection of dedicated skid steer tyres, and its worserer here in the West. McLaren is available from the East Coast but if you think the DunnyLops are a bit expensive then.......

Because at least 75-85% of our work is in soft sand you can either go for flotation or try and get a tyre that cuts through the soft stuff and bites on the firmer stuff underneath. A company I work with changes the rims on their Case machines to 17.5" so they can get some more width with a Continental truck tyre.

what do you do with all the tires that are taken off the new machines if they arent good for anything?

I've got a full set of directional lug tyres in my shed...brand spanking new...you want them??. Actually, the standard lug tyres are very under-rated for use on the sub 2.5 tonne machines. The heavier machines don't go too well in the sand with the lugs. Somewhere hereabouts is a thread on the Mustang 2109 which, here in the sand, they fit with balloon tyres not that dissimilar to F-14 Tomcat tyre.

how stable is the machine with the soft low PSI tires,....when you have a full bucket in the air isnt it somewhat dangerous?

I guess it could be a problem for operators not used too it. That's why I use the Dunlop, its very stable, even at low pressures. With the radials, if you let them down for some very soft sand and then go picking up heavy pallets or something your likely to peel one off the rim if you go screwin around.
 

fyrwood guy

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2010
Messages
58
Location
center conway,N.H.
Occupation
husqvarna chain saw dealer
here's some pic's of the ones i'm runnin'
 

Attachments

  • woodyard 001.jpg
    woodyard 001.jpg
    50.3 KB · Views: 478
  • bumpin knots 030.jpg
    bumpin knots 030.jpg
    61.7 KB · Views: 472

yamaman

Active Member
Joined
May 22, 2010
Messages
29
Location
Perth Western Australia
Hey Squizzy, and everyone else here, bit of a long story there.........
After seeing what's around (& more to the point what isn't) I was all set to go for another set of Tianli's due to some of the bottomless sand sites I frequent, & just try & keep the pressures up as high as I can........

However.....I blew the motor up in my truck, so the slicks (well they aren't that bad yet) will have to stay on a while longer yet, while my finances recover.

As a wise friend always says, it only takes time & money, the rest is easy!

So there's still some time to sway my decision away from the Tianli's??????

Thanks very much for all the replies, cheers
 
Top