How To: Handle Tires With a Forklift

How To: Handle Tires With a Forklift

In response to questions about how to handle tires with only a forklift, we decided to dedicate an instruction video to the subject. This video will guide you through the steps of unstacking and stacking tires. You will need a forklift and a block to create some space between the tires.

Unstacking Tires With a Forklift

The first part of our instruction video shows how you can unstack tires. For this part, you will also need a spacing block. You can always repeat the steps for more unstacking.

Let’s start!

Step 1: Lift the upper tire and place the block between de sidewalls of both tires.
Step 2: Place the forks between the tires and lift the upper tire.
Step 3: Place the block on the floor underneath the sidewall of the tire.
Step 4: Remove the block and place the tire on the floor, or use this position to lift the tire by supporting the outside and start stacking.

The full description
Start with lifting the upper tire by using the tips of the forks on your machine. When the tire is lifted high enough, you place the block between the sidewalls of both tires. This creates enough space for the forks to be placed between the tires and covers the sidewall completely with support. This allows you to lift the upper tire and move it to the desired location.

When that location is reached, place the block on the floor underneath the sidewall of the tire before putting it to the ground. Place the tire atop of the block and release the tire from the forks. Use the tips again to lift the tire from the block, remove it, and place the tire on the floor.

If you want to stack the tire you just removed from another pile, use the position with the block still on the floor to start stacking.

Stacking Tires With a Forklift

Part two of our instruction video shows you how to stack tires with a forklift.

Step 1: Lift the tire from the ground, or from step 4 of the unstacking process, in an upstanding position.
Step 2: Lift the tire by supporting the outside of the tire and move it towards the stacking pile.
Step 3: place the tire on top of the other tire.

The full description
From step 4 of the unstacking process, you can lift the tire from there in an upstanding position. In the video we show you how to lift the tire there from a laying position on the ground. For both options, you use the tip of the forks. From here, you lift the tire by supporting the outside of the tire and move it towards the stacking pile. Place the tire on the ground next to the start of the stacking pile. Push the tire towards the pile with the tips of the fork and lift it further onto the pile.