Tire
Services

We Keep
Your
Business Rolling

Welch Equipment has been working in the material handling industry since 1985. We provide a full range of both cushion and pneumatic tires for all brands of forklifts, featuring one of the largest inventories in the Mountain States.

Whether you need tires for indoor, outdoor, or specialty use, we’ve got you covered! Our expert team is ready to handle routine tire replacement or provide emergency service when you need it.

ON Site Tire Service

We understand that downtime can cause a variety of problems for any business, from inflating labor costs to eroding customer satisfaction. That’s why we make changing out tires on your lifting equipment quick and easy. Our mobile service trucks will come to you and press the tires on your trucks on site. No need to pay an employee to wait around for service! Your staff can stay productive while we get everything moving again. We can replace all four tires and get your trucks back in service in a matter of minutes.

Mounting and demounting tires can be not only time consuming but also dangerous. Leave it to the professionals at Welch, and you can rest assured that the job will be done correctly, safely, and quickly—so you can get on with business.

Find the Best Tire for Every Job

Tire Type

Forklift & Pallet Tires

Reliable tires are essential for keeping your equipment moving safely and efficiently. What type you need depends on not just the equipment itself but also the work environment and the job you need it to do.

Cushion Tires

Cushion tires are made of smooth, solid rubber pressed directly onto a metal band. They’re designed for use on flat indoor surfaces like concrete or asphalt, making them ideal for warehouses, factories, and loading docks with concrete floors. They do not have sufficient traction, however, for uneven or outdoor terrain.

Air-filled Pneumatic Tires

Air-filled pneumatic tires resemble truck or car tires and are built for mixed-surface use. Their deep tread and superior shock absorption make them ideal for outdoor yards, construction sites, and lumber operations. Using compressed air, they enhance shock absorption, traction, and operator comfort, making them well suited for rough or uneven terrain.

Solid Pneumatic Tires

Solid pneumatic tires also resemble truck or car tires and are designed for mixed-surface environments such as outdoor yards, construction sites, and lumber operations. Constructed entirely of rubber, they provide strong durability and puncture resistance, delivering reliable performance on debris-covered surfaces without the risk of flats.

Polyurethane Tires

Polyurethane tires are solid, lightweight, and resistant to abrasives and chemicals. Built for indoor use, they’re often found on electric forklifts, reach trucks, and order pickers. They are not suitable for rough surfaces or heavy outdoor use.

Non-Marking Tires

Non-marking tires are available in cushion, air-filled pneumatic, and solid pneumatic varieties. They’re made from a rubber compound that is off-white or grey to prevent black streaks on floors. This makes them a popular choice for indoor environments where cleanliness is a priority, such as in the food, pharmaceutical, or electronics industry.

Foam-Filled Tires

Eliminate flats
Cushioned ride
Stable under heavy loads
Long lifespan
Higher cost
Foam adds weight to the tire, reducing energy efficiency

Specialty Tires

Specialty tires are designed for specific environments or performance needs, including static-resistant or conductive tires used in electronics facilities and cold-storage tires engineered to resist cracking and slipping in freezing conditions.

Pallet Jack Tires

Pallet jacks have two steer wheels at the handle end and two load wheels under the forks. These are typically made from either polyurethane or nylon. Polyurethane wheels are non‑marking and quiet but less durable than nylon wheels. Nylon wheels, on the other hand, are tougher and suitable for rough or wet floors. It’s important to inspect pallet jack tires regularly, looking for breakage, flat spots, cracks, or uneven wear. These issues can increase rolling resistance, straining operators as well as wheel bearings. Be sure to replace the damaged wheel as well as its mate. It’s important to replace these wheels in pairs to maintain proper balance, stability, and steering. When replacing wheels, inspect and lubricate or replace bearings to ensure smooth rolling.

What Type of Tire Best Fits Your Needs?

Tire Type		Indoor	Outdoor	Smooth Floors	Rough Terrain	Clean Environments	Heavy Loads
Cushion
Air Filled Pneumatic
Solid Pneumatic
Polyurethane
Non-Marking
Foam-FIlled

Match Tire Performance to Your Workload

Choosing The Right Tire

When selecting forklift tires, consider these factors:

Keep in mind that regular inspection and maintenance, such as checking inflation, wear, and damage, extend tire life and help ensure safe operation.

Air Pressure Maintenance

In air-filled tires, maintaining proper air pressure is essential for safety and tire longevity. Using a reliable gauge, check the air pressure daily or weekly, depending on how heavily you’re using the equipment, at a time when the tires are cool. Compare the reading to the manufacturer’s recommended PSI, and adjust as needed. Take this opportunity to inspect the valve stem. If it leaks or appears damaged, have it replaced promptly.

When Is It Time to Change Forklift Tires?

Regularly inspect your forklift tires, noting any cracking, splitting, or worn tread, which are signs it’s time for replacement. In general, these tires should be replaced if the tread wear that extends beyond the section imprinted with the brand and size. (Some brands print a wear line on the tire for this purpose.) Cushion tires that show signs of separation from their bands and foam tires in which the foam has begun to degrade also should be replaced.

Several factors influence how quickly tires wear out. Different types of tires have different life expectancies, and load weight, surface conditions, operator habits, and environmental influences like heat, cold, and debris will also affect tires’ lifespan. Under normal conditions, you can expect forklift tires to have the following operational lifespans:

Cushion tires	1,000 to 2,000 hours
Air Filled Pneumatic tires	1,500 to 2,500 hours
Solid Pneumatic tires	2,500 to 3,500 hours
Polyurethane tires	500 to 1,500 hours

Tire Maintenance & Replacement Checklist

Keeping forklift tires in top condition ensures safety, stability, and efficiency. Regular inspections help prevent breakdowns, protect operators, and extend tire life.
Before each shift, operators should visually check all tires for the following:

Quick Reference–When To Replace

Tire tread worn beyond 50% or below 1/8"
Tire height reduced by 2 inches
Visible cracks, splits, or chunking
Cushion tire band separation or exposed metal
Air loss or permanent flat spots
Increased operator vibration or load instability

What to Look For

Missing pieces of rubber or tread chunks
Gaps between the tire and rim or layers pulling apart
Smooth patches caused by spinning or sliding under load
Sharp debris lodged in the tread or sidewall
One side of the tire worn more than the other
Tread worn beyond wear line or height reduced by 2” or more from original spec

Why It Matters

Reduces traction and can unbalance the forklift
Indicates compound breakdown or improper bonding
Affects ride smoothness and load stability
Can lead to punctures or further tire damage
May indicate misalignment or uneven load distribution
Excessive wear poses risk of injury or equipment failure

Tire Replacement Best Practices

While there may be more than one type of tire that fits your needs, it’s important to use a single tire type on each machine. If using cushion tires, replace all four at once to ensure even height and balance. Pneumatic tires should be replaced in pairs, either both front or both rear tires at once to maintain consistent traction and steering response.

Don’t Put It Off!

Whatever your business, controlling costs is a top priority. Continuing to operate your equipment on tires that should be replaced, however, is not an effective way to stretch your budget. Running equipment on worn tires reduces its ground clearance by up to two inches, accelerates drivetrain wear, and can lead to tipping. Protect your team and your equipment by replacing tires when indicated. Budgeting to get it done on time prevents the high costs that can arise from an accident or equipment failure.

How Much Downtime Does It Cost YOU?

When your equipment isn’t running, how does it affect your business? Are your employees left standing around? Are you missing deadlines? Are your customers growing impatient and dissatisfied? When you consider all the ways unplanned downtime impacts your bottom line, can you afford to neglect basic tire care?

Tire Services

We Keep Your Business Rolling