Indoor vs. Outdoor Forklifts

If most of your lifting will take place indoors, then cushion tires will do the job:

• Made of smooth, solid rubber and are fitted around a metal band
• Provide great traction on smooth surfaces, and last longer than pneumatic tires
• Smaller turning radius makes them a good choice for smaller manufacturing facilities
• Indoor forklifts with cushion tires are less expensive and easier to find than pneumatic forklifts

Similar to the tires on a car, pneumatic tires are most useful outdoors on gravel or in yard work (although they can be used inside as well). Longer and wider than cushion tires, there are two types of pneumatic tires, solid and air:

• Solid pneumatic tires are made of solid rubber, and are more expensive than air pneumatic tires because you can’t pop, puncture, or gouge them
• Air pneumatic tires can be punctured, so make sure your work area is free of any sharp objects before you begin using your forklift
• Air pneumatic tires give a bouncy ride, so many air pneumatic users foam fill them, which gives a smoother ride than solid pneumatic tires, and a less bouncy ride than pure air filled