Total Landscape Care Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/85697
equipment matters start using them for a much wider variety of skid steer applications." Solid tires come with or without apertures, which are holes in the sidewalls that make the tire lighter and more fl exible. This feature of- fers a softer ride and is easier on op- erators and machine components. In general, rims for solid tires are not the same as those for pneumatic tires, which means you need to buy the rims with the tires. The rims might not be reusable depending on the design. On the downside, solid tires weigh more, are rougher riding and cost much more than pneumatic tires. The typical cost of high-quali- ty, solid skid steer tires is $1,750 to $4,500 a set, depending on brand, size, style, geographic loca- tion and dealer. But, solid tires can make good busi- ness sense if you consider the hidden costs of skid steer fl ats. "Not one customer I know of has come back later and said he regret- ted buying solid tires for a skid steer," Goettel says. "In fact, most claim they are one of the best added options they have ever chosen to purchase." Bottom line: It's one of those pay-now or pay-later business decisions. Solid skid steer tires will benefi t landscapers who put their tires at higher risk in harsh- er conditions. If demolition and debris removal is a regular part of your busi- ness, solid tires can help keep things rolling. March 2012 / TOTAL LANDSCAPE CARE 57 COST CALCULATOR Here's a table taken from solidboss.com for calculating the cost of air tires and associated fl at-tire expenses versus solid tires: 1. Flat tire cost including repair and service 2. Number of workers idle 3. Hours of downtime required for repair 4. Workers' hourly wage and benefi ts 5. Hourly billing for machine operation 6. Hours lost during fl at repair Total Cost of One Tire Flat 7. Cost of solid tire 8. Cost of air tire Total incremental cost Number of fl ats to justify $ $ $ $ $ $ Write 369 on Reader Service Card or visit TotalLandscapeCare.net/info