Polyurethane vs Rubber Press-On Tires

Press-on forklift tires are made in black rubber, non-marking rubber or polyurethane. Weighing polyurethane tires vs rubber comes down to the truck, the floor and the work: how fast and how far the truck runs, what it carries, and whether marks on the floor matter.

This guide sets out what tire makers publish about each compound: ride, rolling resistance, load, traction, heat, speed and floor marks, plus how press-on sizes read and how to order. Where makers disagree, it shows both sides. One point comes first: the truck, not the buyer, decides whether it runs press-on tires at all.

Polyurethane vs Rubber at a Glance

The table sets out what tire makers publish for each compound. A polyurethane tire maker and a rubber tire maker point the same way on rolling resistance, load, ride and heat.^{[2, 3]} Where a cell spans both rubber columns, the source speaks of rubber press-ons in general, not of black or non-marking rubber alone.

What a Press-On Tire Is

A press-on tire is typically a ring of tire compound on a steel band, and the band is pressed onto the wheel hub. One tire maker describes it this way: “the tire is typically made from a single rubber compound that's bonded to a steel band. They are pressed on to the machines hub using a hydraulic press.” The same maker notes that rubber press-ons are also known as cushion tires or band tires.^[1] Another calls them POB tires, for Press-On Band, built by “molding solid rubber on to a steel band”, in smooth or traction treads and in black or non-marking versions.^[5] FTC lists them as Cushion Rubber Press-Ons.

Polyurethane press-ons use the same layout. One maker, writing about polyurethane press-ons, names three parts, “the hub, the band, and the urethane”, and explains: “The urethane and the band are held together with an adhesive bond whereas the band and the hub are held together with the pressure created from pressing a tire.”^[8] Another describes its steel-based press-on bands as “a steel ring with a vulcanized-on rubber cushion” and credits the steel ring with good heat dissipation.^[9]

Pressing takes force. One maker says “Up to 200 tons or more can be required to install a Press-On tire.”^[1] The band’s inside diameter also has to suit the hub, covered under sizes below. Quick Tips On How to Press a Forklift Tire walks through the pressing job, and Tire Installation Service lists FTC’s pressing options.

Press-on vs mold-on

Not every polyurethane tire on a hub is a press-on. One polyurethane tire maker lists two assembly options for one of its compounds.^[10] In the mold-on version the compound “is molded directly to the mountable hub”, and the “Hub cannot be reused once the tire wears out.” In the press-on version it “is molded to a press-on rim, which is then factory pressed onto a hub and sold as a single piece”, which “allows for the hub to be reused when the tire wears out.” This guide covers press-ons. If the tire you are replacing is molded straight onto its hub, it is a mold-on, a different product. Polyurethane load wheels have their own category: Forklift Load Wheels.

Black Rubber, Non-Marking Rubber and Polyurethane

Black rubber

One maker’s press-on catalog tables carry four columns for each size: Black Smooth, Black Traction, Non Marking Smooth and Non Marking Traction.^[11] When a rubber tire marks a floor, another maker names the cause: “Carbon black used in rubber is the primary culprit.”^[3]

Rubber is not limited to engine-powered trucks. One maker describes two of its rubber press-on lines as “Suitable for both IC and electric trucks”^[11], and another says it makes rubber tires “for use with both Internal combustion and electric warehouse forklifts”.^[7] A polyurethane maker and a rubber maker both note that rubber makers offer electric rubber compounds designed for lower rolling resistance; the rubber maker adds that they do not get as low as polyurethane.^{[2, 3]}

Non-marking rubber

Non-marking is about the floor, not the color. One maker: “Non-marking means the tires leave no marks on the floor, not that they have to be white or grey.”^[4] Tire makers describe the formula differently. That maker says the gray color of its own non-marking tires “comes from adding 0.1% carbon black to stabilize the rubber”^[4], while another describes gray non-marking tires as lacking the carbon black additive.^[3] The first describes silica taking the place of carbon black as the filler: “Because silica is used as a filler, non-marking tires are insulating rather than conductive like black tires.”^[4]

An insulating tire can build up static. One maker’s catalog marks the non-marking smooth press-ons in one of its lines as anti-static^[11], and another says a vehicle on non-marking tires “should be earthed or grounded in flammable locations”.^[5] Black vs. Non-Marking Forklift Tires covers static in more detail, and Non-Marking Forklift Tires: Complete Guide has more on non-marking choices.

Non-marking is a floor and facility choice. Federal OSHA’s forklift standard, 29 CFR 1910.178, does not mention tires at all, and the word “markings” appears there just once, in the rule that nameplates and markings be kept in place and legible.^[16] This guide did not review other regulations or customer specifications that may apply to a particular site.

Polyurethane

Polyurethane is a different material from rubber, and one polyurethane maker credits its lower rolling resistance to the material itself: “Polyurethane's chemical makeup allows it to have lower rolling resistance than rubber.”^[3] Three makers say it does not mark floors.^{[2, 3, 6]} The same polyurethane maker says “Polyurethane tires do not mark the floor of a warehouse,” but adds that a polyurethane tire “can pick up dirt off the floor and lay it back down on the coated surface”, which can look like marking.^[3] Another says “All our polyurethane tires are non-marking”.^[6]

Chemical resistance cuts both ways. One maker says a rubber tire exposed to solvents can lose tear strength and chunk resistance while polyurethane is unaffected, but warns that “harsh solvents like methyl ethyl ketone, methylene chloride or acids can destroy polyurethanes as well.”^[3] Another says its rubber formulations “can excel in oil and chemical resistance”.^[7] If the floor sees oil or chemicals, name them when you order.

Durometer: how hard the compound is

Durometer is the hardness number. One maker: “The cushioning ability of a tire is directly related to its durometer or hardness. The higher the durometer number, the harder the tire.”^[3] Published figures differ by maker, so read each as that maker’s own:

• A polyurethane tire maker (comparison, PDF created 2008): rubber “will typically be in the range of 67-75 durometer”; polyurethane “will fall between 83 and 95 durometer”.^[3]
• Raymond (polyurethane guide): tires at 85, 90, 93 and 95 durometer across its lines.^[12]
• A second polyurethane tire maker (polyurethane grades): grades at 70A, which it calls “ideal for damp, cold storage environments”, and at 85A, 90A, 93A and 95A.^[6]

The first maker also wrote that polyurethane is “not widely available in compounds softer than 83 durometer”^[3]; the second maker’s 70A grade is one exception.^[6] In Raymond’s troubleshooting guide, long or high speed runs and heavy loads point to a harder durometer, while traction and ride problems point to a softer one (table below).^[12] Understanding Durometer & Polyurethane Compounds explains the durometer scale in more detail.

Which Trucks and Floors Each Compound Fits

Trucks

One maker lists Class I, II and III vehicles for its polyurethane tires.^[6] Classes of Forklifts and Their Tires explains the classes.

Raymond’s polyurethane guide shows where polyurethane runs on warehouse trucks: it lists polyurethane drive tires and load wheels for pallet trucks, reach trucks, Swing-Reach trucks, order pickers, tuggers and its Reach-Fork trucks. One example is part 632-131/001, a smooth drive tire of 13 1/2x6x10 1/2 at 85 durometer for the 7200 to 7700 Series Reach-Fork trucks.^[12]

On counterbalanced forklifts, rubber press-ons cover both power types: Trelleborg’s technical manual lists its PS1000 press-on under battery and engine counterbalanced forklifts.^[15]

Floors

For rubber press-ons, the tread does the floor work. One maker says smooth treads “are suitable for operating on dry, smooth floors” and traction treads are “for wet environments or uneven/loose surface conditions”.^[1] Some rubber press-ons also come in wide, flat-footprint versions; the same maker describes one of its lines as having a wide profile and flat footprint for stability and grip.^[11]

On polyurethane, extra grip comes from cuts in the tread or from a softer compound. One polyurethane maker says polyurethane makers machine tread styles onto the surface of the tire, a process called siping or routing.^[3] Raymond lists four treatments:^[12]

• Thin siped: razor-thin cuts in the tire surface, for damp floors and cold storage areas.
• Router siped: diagonal cuts, for wet floors and cold storage areas.
• Diamond grooved: diamond cuts, for wet floors and freezer areas.
• Center grooved: a groove in the tire surface, for wet floors; Raymond adds that it dissipates heat.

On wet floors, tire makers disagree, and each leans toward its own material. A rubber maker says rubber tires “would generally provide better traction on wet floor conditions compared to polyurethane tires”.^[2] A polyurethane maker says a siped polyurethane tire “will offer increased traction without sacrificing load capacity”.^[3] Whatever the tire, the forklift standard says “The driver shall be required to slow down for wet and slippery floors” (29 CFR 1910.178(n)(10)).^[16]

On rough floors and debris, tire makers disagree outright. One polyurethane maker says “the polyurethane tire will withstand rough floor conditions and debris much better than rubber”^[3], and another describes one of its polyurethane compounds as “Highly effective in rough floors typically covered in dust”.^[10] A third maker says the opposite: “Poly tires do not hold up as well to rough floors, whereas rubber tires can be used in indoor and outdoor environments.”^[5] Raymond turns the question into a compound choice, shown in its troubleshooting guide below.

Raymond’s troubleshooting guide for polyurethane

Polyurethane’s Limits: Heat, Speed and Long Runs

On heat, makers on both sides of the comparison agree. A polyurethane maker: “Polyurethane tires do not dissipate internal heat well. If polyurethane has an Achilles heel it is heat.” And: “Rubber dissipates heat well and will hold up in the higher speed applications.”^[3] A rubber maker says the same: “Since polyurethane tires don't dissipate internal heat as well as rubber tires, polyurethane tires should not be equipped on forklifts that run at higher speed.”^[2]

The polyurethane maker gives a speed range in its comparison, a PDF created in 2008 (the document itself prints no date): “Most electric lift trucks travel at speeds of 6-8 miles per hour. Within this speed range, polyurethanes excel.”^[3] That is one polyurethane maker’s general figure, not a rating for any tire. The tire maker’s own data for your size and compound is what counts, and load ratings change with speed (see sizes below).

Another maker explains the mechanism: “Polyurethane is an excellent insulator and absorbs and stores energy, which will then be converted to heat. If heat generation is greater than heat dissipation, the polyurethane will melt internally”. It names the most common causes as “overloading the part or operating at too great a speed”.^[14] Run length matters too: “The longer the run, the more heat build-up a tire incurs. Harder materials tolerate heat better, as a general rule, due to the reduced compression in the material.”^[13] Raymond’s guide points the same way, to a harder durometer for long, high speed runs and heavy loads.^[12]

So within polyurethane, a harder compound tolerates heat better than a softer one, as a general rule. Between the two materials, the makers above say rubber sheds heat better. For what heat damage looks like on a polyurethane press-on, see Forklift Tire Damage: Signs and Causes.

How Press-On Sizes Read

A press-on size gives three numbers in inches: outside diameter (OD), width and inside diameter (ID) of the steel band. Raymond’s guide heads its columns OD, W and ID^[12], and one tire maker’s catalog prints inch sizes in the same order.^[11] FTC writes them as, for example, 18x6x12 1/8 and 21x7x15.

Some press-ons are sized in millimeters, printed in the same order. Trelleborg’s manual lists metric press-on sizes such as 250x75x140, 405x130x305 and 500x100x370, and its PS1000 table prints each inch size beside a metric one, for example 18x6x12 1/8 beside 457x152x308 and 21x7x15 beside 533x178x381. Those are Trelleborg’s printed figures. A size written like 200/50-10 is not a press-on: Trelleborg lists it as a resilient or pneumatic size on a 6.50F-10 rim.^[15]

The band’s inside diameter has to suit the wheel. One maker’s catalog gives the tolerance on wheel diameter for inch sizes as “nominal rim diameter +0.005"/-0"”^[11], and another warns: “If band of the tire is too big, space between the band and the hub is created, leading to separation.” The second maker also lists an undersized hub, from being “machined undersized or the hub wearing out”.^[8] Have the hub checked when the old tire comes off.

Load ratings change with speed and position. Trelleborg’s PS1000 table rates 18x6x12 1/8 for “Other Vehicles” at 2,100 kg at 6 km/h, 1,720 kg at 10 km/h and 1,500 kg at 16 km/h, and for counterbalanced lift trucks up to 25 km/h at 1,525 kg as a load wheel and 1,250 kg as a steering wheel.^[15] Another maker’s press-on tables also rate each size at several speeds, and its notes add that those speeds “are the maximum speeds of the unloaded vehicle. An increase in load capacity for lower speeds is not permitted.”^[11] Ratings are maker-specific, so use the tire maker’s table for your size.

On Raymond trucks, look at the hub: “Raymond wheels and tires have a unique identification code stamped into the hub indicating the part number for the wheel or tire.”^[12] For every number on a sidewall, see How to Read Forklift Tire Sizes.

When a Press-On Is Worn Out

One tire maker’s catalog gives each press-on size a replacement overall diameter: “The tire is considered worn out when the outside diameter is equal or smaller than the replacement overall diameter.” For 18x6x12 1/8 in one of its lines, the catalog lists an overall diameter of 18.0 inches and a replacement overall diameter of 16.2 inches.^[11] When To Replace Forklift Tires covers other wear rules by tire type, and Forklift Tire Damage: Signs and Causes covers damage, including band problems on press-ons.

How to Order a Press-On Tire

1. Start with the truck. Note the make, model and serial number from the data plate. How to Read a Forklift Data Plate shows where to find them.
2. Read the old tire. Note the size molded on the tire you are replacing, outside diameter by width by inside diameter. On a Raymond truck, also note the part number stamped in the hub.
3. Keep the compound family. One maker says IC and propane trucks generally travel too fast for polyurethane^[3], and none of the tire makers cited here says whether a rubber press-on can be swapped for a polyurethane one of the same size, or the reverse. Ask the truck maker before changing compound family.
4. Match compound and tread to the work. One maker’s six questions make a good checklist: “What are your load requirements? What are your speed requirements? Is there a presence of moisture in your environment? How would you describe the flooring quality? What is the temperature in your facility? Are there any harsh substances present (such as oil or chemicals)?”^[13]
5. Plan the pressing. Arrange a press before the tires arrive (see below).

FTC’s Tire Installation Service page says “cushion press-on ring tires are the most common pressing job we handle” and “Solid resilient tires need pressing too”. For load wheels, it says “we can press the solid polyurethane press-on tires used on many of them, and we help with load wheels on a case-by-case basis.” Its coverage, in its own words: “On-site solid tire pressing and installation is available through our installation network in five regions.”

• “Los Angeles, CA & Surrounding Areas”
• “Las Vegas, NV & Surrounding Areas”
• “Waco, TX & Surrounding Areas — Serving up to Dallas–Fort Worth”
• “Knoxville, TN & Surrounding Areas”
• “Miami, FL & Surrounding Areas”

“We also work with pressing partners in Akron, OH, Atlanta, GA, and Houston, TX.” Outside those areas, the page says FTC ships “pre-mounted assemblies with the tire pressed on a wheel”; otherwise, plan on a local tire shop with a press.

To shop, Press-On Forklift Tires lists rubber and polyurethane press-ons together. Black and non-marking rubber are in Cushion Rubber Press-Ons, and trucks built for polyurethane tires use Polyurethane Press-Ons. FTC reviews the size with you before you order.

Frequently Asked Questions

This article is general educational information from Forklift Tire Company. It is not a substitute for your truck maker’s guidance, your equipment’s data-plate ratings or the tire maker’s specifications. Trademarks: Raymond, Reach-Fork, Swing-Reach, Trelleborg and all other brand names, including those in the source list, are trademarks of their respective owners. Forklift Tire Company is an independent aftermarket supplier and is not affiliated with, authorized by, sponsored by, or endorsed by any tire manufacturer, equipment manufacturer or government agency.