Forklift Tires & Rims

Forklift tires and rims are where the entire machine meets the ground. The wrong tire compound for your floor surface causes poor traction, accelerated wear, and floor damage. Worn solid tires transmit every crack and joint in the floor directly to the chassis, bearings, and operator. A cracked or rusted rim can fail catastrophically under load. Forklift tires and rims are not commodities — the right compound, tread pattern, and load rating directly affect safety, productivity, and maintenance costs.

Kingstream supplies replacement tires and rims for 15+ forklift brands including Toyota, Komatsu, HELI, CAT, Mitsubishi, and Hangcha. Every tire is manufactured to OEM load ratings and compound specifications. Every rim is inspected for weld integrity, bolt hole concentricity, and rust protection.

Complete Forklift Tires & Rims Catalog:

Forklift Solid Tires — Also called cushion tires or press-on tires. These are solid rubber or polyurethane tires pressed onto a steel band that mounts to the wheel hub. Solid tires cannot go flat and are the standard choice for indoor warehouse forklifts operating on smooth concrete floors. When to replace: solid tires must be replaced when the wear layer reaches the 60J safety line molded into the sidewall — running past this line exposes the steel band, which will destroy your concrete floor. We stock solid tires in smooth and traction tread patterns with Shore A 75-95 compound options for Toyota, Komatsu, HELI, and CAT forklifts.

Forklift Pneumatic Tires — Air-filled tires used on outdoor and rough-terrain forklifts. Pneumatic tires provide superior traction on gravel, dirt, and uneven surfaces by conforming to the ground. They are available in bias-ply (nylon cord) and radial construction. Proper inflation pressure is critical — underinflation causes sidewall flexing that generates heat and delaminates the tire carcass, while overinflation reduces the contact patch and traction. Check tire pressure weekly with a calibrated gauge. We stock pneumatic tires in common sizes: 6.50-10, 7.00-12, 8.25-15, and 28×9-15 in smooth, traction, and block tread patterns.

Forklift Rim — The steel wheel rim that mounts to the hub and carries the tire. Rims are either split-rim (two-piece, bolted together) or one-piece (drop-center design). Split rims require a safety cage for inflation — never stand in front of a split rim during inflation. Common rim failure modes: cracked bolt holes from overtightening, rust-through on the inner bead seat from trapped moisture, and bent flanges from curb impacts. We stock OEM-spec rims with correct bolt pattern, center bore, and offset for Toyota, Komatsu, and HELI forklifts.

Forklift Tire Rim — Complete tire and rim assemblies — the tire is already mounted and inflated on the rim, ready to bolt onto the forklift. This saves downtime during tire changes and eliminates the safety risk of mounting and inflating split rims on-site. We stock pre-mounted assemblies with correct tire/rim pairings for common forklift models. Always verify the bolt pattern and offset before ordering.

Forklift Tire — Individual replacement tires in both solid and pneumatic types. When you only need the tire (not the rim), or when you need to match a specific tread pattern or compound to your operating surface. We stock commonly replaced tire sizes and compounds for immediate shipment.

How to Choose the Right Forklift Tire:

• Indoor warehouse, smooth concrete → Solid cushion tires, smooth tread, Shore A 85-90. Non-marking compound for food/pharma facilities.
• Indoor/outdoor mix, asphalt → Solid tires with traction tread, Shore A 75-85. Deeper tread dissipates heat better during outdoor runs.
• Outdoor, gravel/dirt → Pneumatic tires, traction tread, bias-ply construction. Provides cushioning and conforms to uneven ground.
• Cold storage (-20°C and below) → Special low-temperature compound solid tires that remain flexible in freezing conditions. Standard compounds harden and crack.

Tire Maintenance:

• Check solid tire wear line (60J indicator) at every PM inspection — replace immediately if wear line is reached
• Rotate solid tires on single-wheel applications every 500 hours to ensure even wear
• Check pneumatic tire pressure weekly — use a calibrated gauge, not visual inspection
• Inspect rims for rust, cracks, and damaged bolt holes at each tire change
• Clean bead seat area on rims before mounting new tires — dirt and rust prevent proper sealing

Whether you need four 28×9-15 solid cushion tires for a Toyota 8FGCU25 fleet, a pair of 7.00-12 pneumatic traction tires for a Komatsu FD30 on a construction site, or complete tire-and-rim assemblies for a HELI CPCD25 warehouse forklift, we ship from stock within 24 hours. No minimum order. Send us your tire size or forklift model for a quote →