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Posted by Forklift Tire Company on 18th Sep 2026
Skid steer tires wear out faster than almost anything else on your equipment roster, and they are supposed to. A skid steer steers by skidding — the machine turns by running its left and right sides at different speeds and dragging the tires sideways across the ground. Scrubbing, not rolling, is the dominant wear mechanism. That is why replacement is a routine line item on these machines rather than a sign something is wrong.
This guide covers the decision, not just the purchase: how to tell when a set is done, how to read the size stamped on your sidewall, why these tires are replaced in matched sets of four, how pneumatic, foam-filled and solid tires actually differ, what the bolt pattern under your wheel is likely to be, and what OSHA does and does not require of a machine that looks like a forklift but legally is not one.
In this guide
When to Replace Skid Steer Tires
Hour meters are a poor proxy here. The same tire that goes a long, uneventful life pushing dirt on a farm can be finished in a fraction of the time on concrete and rebar, because hard, abrasive surfaces scrub rubber off on every turn. Ask the tire, not the meter — and be wary of any guide that quotes you an hour figure without telling you what surface it assumed.
Yokohama Off-Highway Tires, which publishes skid steer tire replacement guidance, sets the tread threshold at roughly 80 to 85 percent of the original tread consumed — past that point the risk of flats increases while traction and efficiency decrease. That is a manufacturer's guidance figure rather than an industry standard, but it is a far more useful trigger than an hour count, and it is easy to check with a tread gauge against a new tire's published depth.
Alongside tread depth, five conditions are replace-now regardless of how much rubber is left:
| What you see | Why it ends the tire |
|---|---|
| Sidewall cuts, gouges or bulges | Sidewall failure under load is sudden, not gradual. There is no wear-it-out phase. |
| Chunking — lugs torn out | Common on debris sites. Once chunks tear out, the exposed edges accelerate further tearing. |
| Cracking in the tread base or sidewall | Indicates the compound is aging or heat-cycled past its useful life. |
| Embedded objects | Rebar, bolts and glass work deeper with every rotation until they reach the carcass. |
| Repeated flats on the same tire | The carcass is telling you it is done. Each flat costs downtime that usually exceeds the price gap to a flat-proof tire. |
Solid tires wear out too. They do not go flat, which makes it easy to run them past sensible. Replace a solid skid steer tire when the tread lugs are worn down to the base band or the tire's moulded wear line, when rubber is chunking off in large sections, or — rarely — if the rubber begins separating from the steel band. Because solids carry considerably more rubber depth than pneumatics, they typically run far longer between replacements in severe duty, but the end state is the same.
Reading the Size on Your Sidewall
Three pneumatic sizes cover the great majority of skid steers you will meet: 10-16.5 on small and mid-frame machines, 12-16.5 on the most common mid and large frames, and 14-17.5 on large-frame and severe-duty machines. The notation is simpler than it looks.
One more piece of the sidewall matters: the ply rating, written as 8PR, 10PR, 12PR and so on. It is an index of carcass strength, not a literal count of fabric plies in a modern bias tire. On the same physical size, a higher ply rating takes more air pressure and carries more load with essentially the same outside dimensions — which is what the table below shows.
Size, Pressure and Load: Real Numbers
Most guides tell you to “check the manufacturer's specification” and then never show one. Here is a published spec table, transcribed from Camso's product sheet for its SKS 532 skid steer line, so you can see how the numbers actually move:
| Size | Ply | Rim | O.D. | Width | Tread | Max PSI | Static load |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10-16.5 NHS | 10 | 8.25 | 30.2 in. | 10.9 in. | 23/32 | 75 | 7,440 lb |
| 12-16.5 NHS | 12 | 9.75 | 32.7 in. | 13.0 in. | 24/32 | 80 | 9,985 lb |
| 12-16.5 NHS | 14 | 9.75 | 32.7 in. | 13.1 in. | 24/32 | 90 | 10,710 lb |
| 14-17.5 NHS | 14 | 10.50 | 36.4 in. | 13.8 in. | 30/32 | 80 | 13,495 lb |
| 23x8.50-12 SS | 6 | 7JAx12 | 22.6 in. | 8.6 in. | 16/32 | 50 | 2,860 lb |
| 27x8.50-15 NHS | 8 | 7JAx15 | 26.7 in. | 8.7 in. | 18/32 | 60 | 4,825 lb |
| 31x15.50-15 NHS | 8 | 13LBx15 | 31.0 in. | 15.6 in. | 29/32 | 45 | 7,315 lb |
Figures are static load per tire at maximum pressure, as published on Camso's own sheet — they describe the tire, not your machine's rated operating capacity, and they do not transfer to other brands. The teaching point is in rows two and three: the 12- and 14-ply 12-16.5 share the same rim and outside diameter (section width differs by a tenth of an inch), and the extra ply rating buys pressure and load capacity, not size. Note also that this is a selection from the sheet, not its full size list.
The Set-of-Four Rule
On a skid steer, the front and rear wheels on each side are mechanically driven together — chain- or gear-coupled, with no differential between them. A new tire stands taller than a worn one. Put a new tire alongside a half-worn one on the same side and the two are forced to turn at the same speed while wanting to travel different distances, so one of them is always scrubbing. The new tire wears fast, the worn one wears faster, and the drivetrain carries the difference.
Yokohama Off-Highway Tires puts the practical rule plainly: rotate early when uneven wear appears, and if a pair is too worn to rotate, replace all four — operating a skid steer with mismatched tires will not only worsen the uneven wear but will also lead to uneven wear on the machine itself. That is why every set on our Skid Steer tire and wheel sets page is sold as four matching tires, and why a new solid tire-and-wheel assembly set with directional tread ships as two left-hand and two right-hand units, matched, so the tread points the right way on both sides without you having to sort it out.
Pneumatic, Foam-Filled or Solid?
Because these tires are replaced as a set, replacement is the natural moment to re-decide the tire type — you are paying for four corners either way. Three products, three different trades:
| Type | What it is | Choose it when |
|---|---|---|
| Pneumatic (air) | A conventional air-filled bias tire. Lowest cost per corner, best ride, best flotation on soft ground. | You work soft or uneven ground and flats are rare. Operator comfort matters and budget is tight. |
| Foam-filled | A pneumatic carcass pumped full of polyurethane that cures into a resilient elastomer core. Per Carlisle TyrFil, further pressure adjustments are unnecessary once filled, the added weight lowers the center of gravity and reduces wheel slippage, the fill cures within 24 to 48 hours, and the tire can be retreaded up to four times. It is a shop process, done through the fill manufacturer's authorized dealer network. | You want flats gone but still want a pneumatic-style ride, or you already own good carcasses worth filling. |
| Solid / aperture | A moulded solid tire, usually with apertures — side holes engineered to restore some deflection and cushioning. Carries far more wearable rubber than a pneumatic. Heaviest, firmest ride, highest upfront cost. | Demolition, scrap, recycling, transfer stations — anywhere debris eats tires and downtime between loads is the real cost. |
In scrap and recycling yards, solids have effectively become the default — operators there cannot afford flat-tire downtime between loads. If that is your world, there is a fourth option most buyers never hear about: Reconditioned Solid Skid Steer Tire & Wheel Sets (4x). These are built from used 10.00x20 “bomb cart” solid tires — the heavy solid tires used under container-terminal yard carts — reconditioned, matched by size, and pressed onto 20-inch lockring skid steer wheels. Because they start life as a much heavier tire, they often carry more rubber height than a new skid steer solid, at a lower price than one. That combination is why recycling and wrecking yards re-order them year after year.
Two things to understand before you buy a set. First, they are sold by measured overall diameter rather than by a nominal size — because the rubber height varies with what came in, the sets are specified in a 33-to-36-inch band and you pick the band. Second, they are larger and heavier than a standard skid steer tire and 10 inches wide — narrower than a 12-16.5 or 14-17.5 pneumatic — so machine clearance is a real check, not a formality, and the wheel offset has to be specified. Ask for the measured diameter and offset of the specific set before you commit; FTC reviews the clearance question with you rather than shipping on a nominal size. Verify exact tire size and fitment before ordering.
Wheels and Bolt Patterns
If you are buying complete tire-and-wheel assemblies rather than loose tires, the bolt pattern matters as much as the tire size — and machines that share a tire size do not necessarily share a wheel.
OTR Wheel Engineering's published fitment guide for its SolidBoss skid steer line gives the common configurations: mid- to large-frame machines across the major makes typically use 8 lugs on an 8.00-inch bolt circle, with 0.69-inch stud holes, a 90-degree taper and a 6.00-inch pilot bore. Smaller frames commonly use 6 lugs on a 6.00-inch circle with 0.62-inch holes and a 4.63-inch pilot. The smallest machines are their own case — the Bobcat S70, for instance, uses 5 lugs on a 4.50-inch circle with a 3.00-inch pilot.
The four skid steer wheel bolt patterns in the OTR Wheel Engineering SolidBoss fitment guide, drawn to the same scale: lug count is not enough — the bolt-circle diameter is what has to match. Offsets are model-specific and are not shown.
The important exception is that several large-frame Bobcat models are not on the 8.00-inch circle. The same OTR guide lists an 8-on-10.75-inch pattern (also with a 6.00-inch pilot) for the Bobcat A220, A300, A770, S740 and S76-R in 12-16.5, and for the S750, S770 and S850 in 14-17.5 — while the guide’s other eight-lug Bobcat models stay on 8.00 inches. If you own one of those and order a wheel on the assumption that eight lugs means 8.00 inches, it will not bolt up. This is a case where the tire size matching is not enough on its own.
One honest caveat on top of that: offset and backspacing are model-specific and are not published in that guide, so treat any specific offset figure you find online as unverified until you have it from your machine's parts book. If you are replacing wheels rather than just tires, have the parts book or your existing wheel in front of you, or send FTC a photo of the hub face and the parts-book page so the pattern can be checked against the wheel before you order. Verify exact tire size and fitment before ordering.
Getting the Swap Done — and Done Safely
Pneumatic tires in these sizes mount like any other tubeless or tube-type equipment tire, and plenty of shops can handle them. Solid tires are a different job: they are pressed onto the wheel with a hydraulic press, which is why the simplest path for most buyers is a complete tire-and-wheel assembly in the machine’s bolt pattern, which removes the pressing step. We also offer Tire Installation Service — on-site solid tire pressing in select service regions — if you would rather not press them yourself.
There is a regulatory dimension to this that most skid steer content skips entirely. OSHA's rim-wheel servicing standard, 29 CFR 1910.177, covers the servicing of multi-piece and single-piece rim wheels used on large vehicles — trucks, tractors, trailers, buses and off-road machines. A skid steer is an off-road machine, so in general industry, rim-wheel servicing on one falls within that scope: trained personnel and published rim charts, plus restraint requirements that differ by wheel type. For multi-piece rim wheels the employer must furnish a restraining device for inflation, full stop. For single-piece rim wheels the employer must provide a restraining device or a barrier, unless the rim wheel will be bolted onto a vehicle during inflation. Either way, the restraining device or barrier has to withstand the force of a rim wheel separation occurring at 150 percent of the maximum tire specification pressure for the type of wheel being serviced.
The standard has scope limits worth knowing rather than assuming: it does not apply to employers and places of employment regulated under the Longshoring standards (29 CFR part 1918), the Construction standards (part 1926), or the Agriculture standards (part 1928).
Practically: if you are an owner-operator changing your own tires, treat the restraint and the trajectory rule as best practice regardless of which standard covers you — stand outside the trajectory, and never inflate a tire on a damaged or mismatched rim. The searches we see for changing a skid steer tire by hand and seating a bead in the field are common enough that this is worth saying out loud.
Is a Skid Steer With Forks a Forklift?
A skid steer with a pallet-fork attachment does forklift work. Under OSHA's rules, it usually is not a forklift. The powered industrial truck standard, 29 CFR 1910.178, excludes from its scope vehicles intended primarily for earth moving or over-the-road hauling — and OSHA has confirmed in a 2004 interpretation letter that because skid-steer loaders are intended primarily for earth moving, the operator-training requirements of 1910.178(l) do not apply to them. In construction, training obligations fall instead under 29 CFR 1926.21(b)(2).
The nuance is what most content gets wrong in one direction or the other. OSHA's 1999 interpretation letter applies a design-purpose test: equipment that was designed to move earth but has been modified to accept forks is not covered — but skid-steer equipment that is not earthmoving equipment, such as a vertical-mast skid-steer forklift, is covered by 1910.178. So the machine's design, not what you are using it for today, determines which rule applies.
From Your Sidewall to Your Order
Read the size off a current tire, decide the type, and order four. Solid assemblies are named by outside diameter rather than by the pneumatic designation, so the crossover matters:
| Pneumatic size on your sidewall | Solid assembly set | Overall diameter · width |
|---|---|---|
| 10-16.5 | 31x10-20 on 20-inch wheels (30x10-16 on 16-inch wheels is quoted on request) | 31 in. · 10 in. |
| 12-16.5 | 33x12-20 on 20-inch wheels | 33 in. · 12 in. |
| 14-17.5 | 36x12-20 on 20-inch wheels | 36.5 in. · 12 in. (a wider 36x14-20 solid also exists in the market) |
For severe duty — scrap, recycling, demolition, transfer stations — start with the solid assemblies on the Skid Steer tire and wheel sets page, all sold as complete 4-piece sets, and price the Reconditioned Solid Skid Steer Tire & Wheel Sets (4x) alongside them: the reconditioned sets carry more rubber than many new solids at a lower price, provided your machine has the clearance and the 8-on-8.00-inch pattern.
14-17.5 deserves a word of caution, because the market is not consistent here. Solid assemblies sold against a 14-17.5 pneumatic land in roughly the same 36-to-36.5-inch outside diameter but come in more than one section width. The set listed above is the 12-inch width; a 14-inch-wide solid also exists. A narrower solid rolls at the right height while giving you a smaller contact patch, higher ground pressure and a narrower track than the tire it replaced. Diameter is the easy part; width is the part that changes how the machine behaves, so compare the width against your current tire and your wheel-well clearance before ordering, and call 1 (866) 313-2180 if you want the numbers reviewed against your machine.
For pneumatics, the common sizes are sold as matched four-tire sets: the 10-16.5 10PR R4 SKS General-Usage TL Pneumatic Tires | 4X DEAL for small and mid frames and the 12x16.5 14PR Skid Steer Tires | Starmaxx HD L4 ND | Set of 4 — fits certain Bobcat, CAT, Case models for the most common mid and large frames. A heavier-carcass 10-16.5 12PR set and a 12-16.5 12PR R4 set are quoted on request rather than priced online.
Because a solid assembly changes the wheel as well as the tire, confirm the bolt pattern before you order in every case — particularly on the large-frame Bobcat models listed in the section above. Verify exact tire size and fitment before ordering. If your machine or size is not covered there, or you are buying across several machines at once, the Shop By Equipment page and a phone call to 1 (866) 313-2180 will get you sorted faster than a search will.
Running forklifts as well as loaders? The same size-first logic applies there, and the Forklift Tire Sizes by Make & Model guide maps model to size across the major manufacturers, while the Forklift Tire Buying Guide: Types, Sizes & How to Choose covers the cushion, pneumatic and solid resilient trade-offs on the lift-truck side of the yard.
Not sure which set your machine takes?
Send FTC your make, model and serial number with a photo of the tire sidewall and the wheel face. FTC reviews the size and bolt pattern with you before you order.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What size tires does my skid steer take?
Most machines run 10-16.5, 12-16.5 or 14-17.5 NHS. The size is moulded on the sidewall: the first number is the nominal section width in inches and the number after the hyphen is the rim diameter in inches. Verify exact tire size and fitment before ordering.
What does NHS mean on a skid steer tire?
NHS stands for Non-Highway Service, per Carlisle's specialty tire and wheel catalogue. It marks a tire built for off-road work rather than road use, which is why these tires carry no highway speed rating and are not intended for highway service. The hyphen in a size like 10-16.5, rather than an R, indicates bias-ply construction.
When should skid steer tires be replaced?
Manufacturer guidance from Yokohama Off-Highway Tires puts the tread threshold at roughly 80 to 85 percent of the original tread consumed. Replace immediately, regardless of tread depth, on sidewall cuts or gouges, chunking, cracking, embedded objects, or repeated flats on the same tire.
Can I replace just one skid steer tire?
It is best avoided. The front and rear wheels on each side are driven together with no differential between them, so a new tire alongside a worn one on the same side scrubs continuously and loads the drivetrain. Rotate early when uneven wear appears, and when a pair is too worn to rotate, replace all four.
What is the difference between foam-filled and solid skid steer tires?
A foam-filled tire is a pneumatic carcass filled with polyurethane that cures into a resilient elastomer core; per Carlisle TyrFil it needs no pressure adjustment afterwards and can be retreaded up to four times, and it rides softer than a solid. A solid or aperture tire is a moulded rubber tire with far more wearable rubber, a firmer ride and a higher upfront cost. They are different products with different service lives.
Can I put solid tires on a machine that came with pneumatics?
Usually yes, supplied as complete tire-and-wheel assemblies. Solid assemblies are named by outside diameter rather than the pneumatic designation. A 30x10-16 or 31x10-20 assembly replaces a 10-16.5 and a 33x12-20 replaces a 12-16.5. For 14-17.5 the market offers more than one section width at roughly the same 36-to-36.5-inch diameter (the 36x12-20 is the 12-inch width; a 36x14-20 also exists), so compare width as well as diameter before ordering. Verify exact tire size and fitment before ordering, and confirm the bolt pattern against your machine's parts book, since a solid assembly changes the wheel as well as the tire.
What bolt pattern do skid steer wheels use?
Per OTR Wheel Engineering's published fitment guide, machines across most major makes use 8 lugs on an 8.00-inch bolt circle with a 6.00-inch pilot; smaller frames commonly use 6 on 6.00 inches; and the Bobcat S70 uses 5 on 4.50 inches with a 3.00-inch pilot. The exception worth knowing is a group of large-frame Bobcat models, where the same guide lists 8 on 10.75 inches (with a 6.00-inch pilot) for the A220, A300, A770, S740, S76-R, S750, S770 and S850; the guide's other eight-lug Bobcat models stay on 8.00 inches. Offsets are model-specific and not published in that guide, so confirm against your machine's parts book before buying wheels.
Do OSHA forklift rules apply to a skid steer with forks?
Generally no. OSHA's powered industrial truck standard, 29 CFR 1910.178, excludes vehicles intended primarily for earth moving, and OSHA has stated in interpretation letters that its operator-training requirements do not apply to skid-steer loaders; in construction, training falls under 29 CFR 1926.21(b)(2). The exception is a machine not designed as earthmoving equipment, such as a vertical-mast skid-steer forklift, which is covered. Rim-wheel servicing in general industry is separately covered by 29 CFR 1910.177. This is general scoping information, not legal advice.
Trademarks: Bobcat, Camso, Yokohama, Carlisle, TyrFil, OTR Wheel Engineering, SolidBoss, Starmaxx and all other equipment, tire and wheel names and model designations 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 equipment manufacturer. Make and model references are used solely to identify the equipment that replacement tires are commonly used on.
This article is general educational information from Forklift Tire Company, not a substitute for employer-provided operator training, a formal compliance review, or your machine's published specifications. Always follow your operator's manual, your machine's parts book, and the tire sidewall.