In the recent past, we have come across several architectural marvels, which have left all of us awestruck. And among all those marvels, the iconic Burj Khalifa from Dubai needs no introduction. Burj Khalifa ranks as the tallest building on the planet, which has over 100 floors in its architecture and accommodates the best real estate.
However, as they say, ‘Rome was not built in a day,’ and so was not the Burj Khalifa. Did you know, it required lakhs of workers and thousands of earthmover equipment? , the latter of which might not have been possible without the contribution of skid steer tyres, which have played an instrumental part in their excavation and mobility solutions.
How do the skid steer tyres operate?
As the name suggests, the skid steer tyres’ functionality depends on how you steer the machine it comes equipped with. Unlike in conventional vehicles, in which the movement of tyres depends on the directional changes in the steering wheel, the movement of skid steer tyres depends on the joysticks provided in the driver’s cockpit in earthmovers.
While the right side wheels are controlled by the right-hand-side joystick, the left wheels can be moved using the left-hand-side joystick. It gives the driver complete control over the movement of the left and right side wheels depending on the traction they need at a particular moment. When the machine turns, these simple controls can lead the vehicle to skid, which is why these tyres are called ‘skid steer’ tyres.
In a nutshell, the skid steer tyres in a machine have a fixed alignment and are in a straight line about the machine. With these tyres in place, the machine takes a turn by skidding or dragging its wheels on the surface
For what purpose are skid steer tyres used?
Unlike passenger vehicles or two-wheeler tyres, skid steer tyres are used for various industrial and commercial purposes. These tasks include dirt, sand and gravel hauling, snow pushing and removal, dump truck material loading, surface grading, pallet loading, stump grinding, equipment transportation, tree and bush removal, fence building, street sweeping and trench digging.
Sizes of skid steer tyres explained
The skid steer tyres are based only on three default pneumatic sizes – 10×16.5, 12×16.5 and 14×17.5, out of which the first two are the most popular ones in use. Here, the first two-digit numbers (10 and 12) refer to the width of the tyres in inches, whereas the second two-digit numbers in decimals (16.5) refer to the diameter of the rim in inches.
Advantages of skid steer tyres
Designed specifically for earthmovers and heavy-duty equipment, the skid steer tyres have a range of benefits. Some of these include puncture resistance, lesser overall maintenance, better machine stability, reduced downtime and longer durability.
However, the best-rated benefit of the skid steer tyres is the impeccable traction they offer on loose surfaces like sand, gravel or mud, despite being attached to heavy machines. In addition to this, using application-specific skid steer tyres also improves the performance of the machine and increases its uptime, thus resulting in better productivity of the machine.
While there are several advantages of skid steer tyres, one should note that they are much heavier and more expensive than the conventional tyres which we are used to in our vehicle
Best skid steer tyre options available
While there are some potent options of skid steer tyres available in the market, here are some of the most common ones from TVS Eurogrip, which we recommend you consider:
| Pattern | Application |
|---|---|
| ST 54 Jumbo L-5 | Severe Duty |
| IT 20 L-4 | Hard surface |
| ST 18 L-4 | Hard Surface / Snow & Ice |
| ST 30 R-4 | Heavy Duty |
| ST 45 R-4 | General Duty |
| ST 27 R-4 | Medium Duty |
| ST 36 R-4 | Light Duty |
Depending on the tyre sizes, all these three options from TVS Eurogrip feature different types of overlapping lugs with an open shoulder. This design helps these tyres achieve superior traction. At the same time, the heavy gauge sidewall with the rim guard of these tyres protects the rims from any external damage.
