TL;DR
Replace tires when the wear indicator groove is gone or when chunking covers more than 10% of the tread. Check wheel alignment and rated load before fitting new tires.
What you might see
- uneven tread wear across the tire width
- chunking or flat spots on drive tires
- forklift pulling to one side during travel
- increased vibration during travel
Likely causes
Wheel alignment out of specification, concentrating wear on the inside or outside shoulder
Repeated operation above the rated load capacity accelerating tread wear and causing internal heat damage
Spinning drive tires on wet or contaminated floors creating flat spots
Impact damage from striking dock plates, ramps, or debris at speed
Required tools
- Toe-in alignment gauge
- Tire wear depth gauge
- LOTO kit
- Wheel chocks
- Hydraulic press (for press-on tire installation)
Safety first
- Lock out and chock the forklift before lifting any wheel for tire inspection.
- A bulging tire can separate at any time. Do not drive the truck; remove it from service immediately.
Procedure
- 1
Lock out the forklift and chock all wheels before inspecting tires.
- 2
Inspect the tread depth. Most solid press-on forklift tires have a wear indicator groove. Replace when the groove is no longer visible.[1]
- 3
Look for chunking, cracking, or flat spots. Any chunk larger than a golf ball or any flat spot deeper than 6 mm requires immediate replacement.[1]
- 4
Check tire sidewalls for cuts or bulges. A bulge indicates internal separation. Remove the truck from service immediately.
- 5
Measure the wheel alignment with a toe-in gauge. The Toyota 8FGU specification is near zero toe. Uneven wear combined with toe error requires an alignment correction.
- 6
Review load history for overloading. If loads consistently exceed the rated capacity on the Toyota nameplate, the tire damage will recur.
- 7
When installing replacement tires, use the correct press-on tire size and compound for the application. Outdoor tires on indoor smooth floors wear prematurely.
Sources
Toyota 8-Series Forklift Operator and Maintenance Manual, Toyota Material Handling
Toyota 8FGU Series Forklift Service Manual, tire inspection criteria and wheel alignment procedures (general)
View source
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