Getting the Most From Your Skid Steer Tires

With the skid steer’s continued growth in prominence on today's construction sites, We have been hard at work crafting our skid steer tires to meet the demands of today’s machines. New applications and uses for the skid steer are being discovered on a seemingly daily basis. Galaxy purpose-builds tires to stand up to the rigors of the challenging terrain and rugged tasks they are asked to perform.

Galaxy has been making tires for the skid steer since the early '90s, beginning with the Beefy Baby which was one of the very first skid-steer tires designed with enhanced sidewall protection and other application specific features. Now in it’s third (and best) iteration, the Beefy Baby III is built for durability, longevity, and with a low cost-per-hour that is tough to beat. With all of our years of experience, we've compiled a list of best practices for skid steer operators to get the most out of their tires:  

• Keep them clean. Keeping a skid steer’s tires clean allows for an easy visual inspection. Operators should look for bubbles, bumps, cracks, or anything that may have become lodged in the rubber and could lead to a puncture.

• Engage all four tires. A common issue for skid steer operators is jamming the machine's bucket into the ground or a pile of dirt, and lifting the front wheels off the ground. When this happens, the stress of the load is placed entirely on the back tires. By keeping all four tires on the ground, skid steer operators can dramatically reduce tire wear.  

• Pay attention where you’re going. Skid steers operate in areas filled with hazards to their tires. Construction sites, recycling yards, and warehouses are often littered with puncture-threatening debris. Galaxy builds tough tires, but only our solid Galaxy SDS line-up will be completely impervious to punctures.

• Use the correct tire pressure. Running your tires with too little pressure wastes fuel, and can make sidewalls more susceptible to catching, tearing, or being cut by debris. Running your tires with too much pressure can cause flats and center tread wear. Make checking the air pressure and ensuring tires are filled to the manufacturer's specifications a part of your skid steer operator’s daily or weekly maintenance routine.   

• Keep it consistent. We design our Galaxy skid steer tires to work in unison with one another, allowing the tires to maximize the skid steer’s performance. Mixing brands, or even models, can cause uneven wear not only on the tires, but also the skid steer itself.

We work hard to bring operators some of the most rugged and durable tires in the industry. Tires like the Galaxy King Kong, Galaxy Trac Star, and the Galaxy Hulk are made for hard work on hard surfaces, and are engineered to survive harsh work on concrete, rock, or in the salvage yard. We will also have some exciting additions for the Hulk line this year. While the Hulk lives up to its name, operators will benefit from following the tips listed above…after all, even a Hulk needs to be pampered sometimes.