Practical Manual for Loader Tire Maintenance: Ten Key Measures to Prolong Service Life

When using, maintaining, and repairing loader tires, the following aspects should be well managed:

1. Use special tire chains in rock operation sites to reduce damage from rocks and other materials to the outer tires.

2. The wear degree of tires on the same axle should be roughly the same, that is, the principle of simultaneous replacement should be adopted as much as possible. Taking the 23.5-25 type tires used in ZL50 series loaders as an example, the tread depth is about 5 cm. When the tread of the old tire is worn flat, the rolling radius of the old tire is significantly different from that of the new tire. When the loader travels in a straight line, due to the difference in the rolling radius of the drive wheels on both sides of the same axle, the main reducer of the drive axle will generate differential action (otherwise the two tires cannot make the loader travel in a straight line), increasing the workload of the differential.

3. Considering that the tires on the front axle wear more than those on the rear axle under the same conditions, the front axle tires should be regularly moved to the rear axle for use. The front axle drive tires should be kept in good condition, generally more than 60%.

5. Before loading materials, the driver should lower the bucket close to the ground and clear the scattered materials in the operation area. Especially when the loader is working in the demolition site of old buildings, it is necessary to confirm that there are no exposed steel bars or other protruding objects on the ground to prevent accidental punctures of the tires.

6. If the outer tire tread is excessively worn, such as with exposed cord layers, the outer tire should be replaced in time. On the one hand, the tire body is still relatively intact at this time and can be retreaded. On the other hand, the inner tire remains intact, and only the outer tire needs to be replaced. If the replacement is not timely and a blowout occurs, both the inner and outer tires will be scrapped and can only be treated as waste tires, which is not worth it.

7. During the process of replacing and repairing tires, the driver should install them correctly to ensure that the inner tire is not folded or pinched. When replacing the inner and outer tires, to prevent the inner and outer tires and the inner liner from adhering to the wheel hub, a moderate amount of talcum powder can be applied to the inner cavity of the outer tire. Before applying talcum powder, the water and sand in the inner cavity of the outer tire must be wiped clean with a cloth. Especially if sand and other particle impurities are mixed between the inner and outer tires, they will be damaged due to repeated squeezing. In addition, the lock nut at the bottom of the inflation valve of the newly replaced inner tire is usually loose. Before installation, it should be tightened with a wrench.

8. For through injuries on OTR tires, except in emergency conditions where the inner cavity of the outer tire can be padded, thorough repair methods such as hot patching must be used to completely seal the through wound. Otherwise, the untreated "wound" on the outer tire will repeatedly squeeze the corresponding part of the inner tire, causing it to be damaged.

9. After a loader tire blowout, it should be replaced on the spot. Even a short distance of driving can cause the inner tire to be scrapped and damage the outer tire, reducing its service life.

10. Loader drivers should regularly check if the tire pressure meets the requirements and adjust it appropriately according to the seasonal changes. In summer, when the temperature is high, the tire pressure can be appropriately reduced. When inflating tires, a pressure gauge must be used for confirmation to avoid relying on feeling.