Full Overview on Snow Tires for Skid Steers – Do They Really Improve Traction and Efficiency?
An overview on Different Brands, Features, Benefits and Reasons to Consider Snow Tires for your Skid Steer
Are you one of those owner/operators that leaves your regular dirt tires on in the winter for your snow removal needs? If so, you may have never experienced the benefits of having a designated set of snow tires to support your machine.
Well, by the end of reading this article, you will understand the value of snow tires and why it’s not worth going another winter without a set of your own. We will go over the features and benefits of having snow tires and the 3 things you should take into consideration when searching for a set of snow tires to maximize ROI on your purchase; tire performance, tire life expectancy, and safety.
What Are the Best Options for Snow Tires to Support Your Skid Steer
There’s an abundance of options for snow tires out there for you to choose from. As you likely understand, not all snow tires are created equal.
And finding the right set of tires can sometimes be a headache having to spend hours researching to find the right set. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! Based on our experiences, here are the best 4 snow tire options for your machine.
Kage
These tires are equipped with a lot of innovative features that make them highly reliable. Kage tires offer enhanced operator comfort, excellent grip, and ideal control. The gripper tread that comes on their snow kit tires features wavy patterns and open edges that allows more weight per square inch which means more weight on the rubber
WolfPaws
These tires offer superb traction in snow, especially with studs. Having poor traction in the snow is the main reason serious productivity is lost with a skid steer. You will seriously mitigate time lost spinning tires instead of working with these snow tires.
Blue Diamond
These tires are 6.6”–8.5” wide. When compared to the typical 10”–14” wide conventional tires, Blue Diamond tires will give you nearly double the amount of ground pressure.
Pro Cleats
This tire helps your skid steer slice through the snow which results in enhanced productivity. The Pro Cleats boasts a unique rubber compound designed specifically for use in snowy and frozen conditions. In contrast, most skid steer tires offer too much cushion, which results in the skid steer riding on top of the snow and not providing adequate traction.
Skid Steer Snow Tires Improve Traction and Efficiency
Skid steer snow tires improve job site productivity for one simple reason, traction. If you’ve conducted operations in snowy terrain without snow tires, you likely spent a handful of time spinning your wheels.
And time is money, bottom line. The less time spent spinning tires due to inadequate traction, the more time you spend doing what is producing results and getting the job done. Here are 2 features that really set skid steer snow tires apart from conventional tires.
Tire Width
conventional tires are wider than snow tires. Having narrower tires enables your skid steer to cut through the snow more efficiently allowing you to complete tasks in a more efficient manner.
Tire Tread Pattern
skid steer snow tires are created specifically for use in snow, providing your skid steer enhanced traction on the plowing surface, increasing your productivity.
Compounds of Tire
Skid steer snow tires are manufactured exclusively of rubber compounds designed to stay flexible in the coldest temps of snow and ice to provide your machine with superior traction.
Snow Tire Life Expectancy
As the saying goes, all good things come to an end, and the same is surely true with your tires. But a quality set of snow tires will last significantly longer. The longer your tires last, the more jobs they can be used on which translates to a better return on investment for your purchase.
A tires lifespan in our industry is typically measured by hours of use. You’ll know when you’ve come across a low-quality set of snow tires when you only get about 400 hours out of them. These less-than-desirable tires are usually easy to spot due to their limited skid depth, small deck gauge, and decreased sidewall gauge.
With a quality set of tires, you can expect a 20% to 30% longer service life.
Jobsite Safety is Enhanced with Snow Tires for your Skid Steer
Accidents always happen when you least expect them, and they typically come at the least opportune moments. They can take a long time to recover from, costing us time we can’t get back, which impacts our bottom line.
Accidents happen, and sometimes they’re unavoidable. With that said, we should always strive to mitigate any risks of accidents happening on the job site as much as possible. One step in the right direction of doing that is not using the conventional tires you used all summer in your winter applications.
Swapping those out with some good snow tires will go a long way to minimize the chance of accidents on the job site. Imagine you are plowing with your skid steers around parked vehicles and garage doors. How many stops and starts do you perform?
Especially when you are close to obstacles. Now imagine you were not able to make that abrupt stop or turn at that critical moment. How much money will you save by making that investment in snow tires that helped you make those stops and turns when it counted compared to accidentally plowing into a new Mercedes-Benz?
Utilizing a product that increases your chances of safety is not just a smart investment, it’s the right thing to do.
So, Are Snow Tires for Your Skid Steer Worth It?
In retrospect, absolutely!
Sure, there will be the up-front expense of buying a new set of tires, and the hassle of swapping out your conventional tires to install your new ones.
But, when you calculate how much more time efficient your skid steer will be at job sites, and all the potential accidents you will avoid, having snow tires to support your skid steer is well worth it.
