Build Your Loader, Get a Free Price Quote

Customize your loader. Select the model, choose options, and submit to your local dealer for a free price quote.
Build & Quote

Pneumatic vs. Solid Tires — Which Skid-Steer Tire Is the Best for the Job?

Published on February 5, 2020

Rock, asphalt, concrete, sand. Loaders can muscle through jobs on nearly any surface condition – if they’re outfitted with the right tire for the task. The type of tire you choose has the potential to not only boost your machine’s performance but also increase uptime and enhance profitability. Before selecting the best skid-steer tires for your machine, determine the primary surface you’ll be working on as well as your main application.

Pneumatic Tires for Skid-Steer Loaders

Pneumatic tires, which are made of rubber and inflated with air, are generally the best fit for construction, agriculture, rental and landscaping work. Although vulnerable to punctures and flats, pneumatic tires provide better shock absorption and ride comfort than solid tires, especially when carrying heavy loads. There are five types of pneumatic loader tires:

1. Standard-Duty Tires

  • Standard-duty tires are made of natural and synthetic rubber with thick sidewalls that pack maximum traction and grip.
  • These tires are designed for long wear during normal machine-hour applications.

2. Heavy-Duty Tires

  • Heavy-duty tires feature superior-quality rubber, self-cleaning tread designs and a higher ply rating, allowing the tires to support heavier loads.
  • Some tires also come with extra bead guarding to protect rims and reduce sidewall damage.
  • Compared to standard-duty tires, heavy-duty tires generally last longer and are less likely to get flats, making them a great option for tough surface applications and high-hour jobs.

3. Severe-Duty Tires

  • Aggressive, long-lasting and designed to withstand abuse, severe-duty tires are the right choice for your toughest jobs.
  • Strong sidewalls defend against cuts and punctures while deep treads and a large surface area extend the life of your tire, increasing uptime.
  • Self-cleaning characteristics help shed mud and debris.

4. Turf and Super-Float Tires

  • Turf tires help you maintain the quality of your clients’ established lawns and finished surfaces by providing superior flotation to minimize damage.
  • Despite being ground-conscious, these tires’ shallow treads still offer excellent traction.

5. Super-Float Tires

  • If you’re navigating wet or soft ground conditions, super-float tires have a footprint that’s 85% larger than conventional tires for extra flotation.

Get a Free Price Quote From Your Local Dealer

Find A Dealer

Solid Tires for Skid-Steer Loaders

When downtime due to a flat tire is not an option, solid tires are your very best choice. The best skid-steer tire in demolition applications, solid tires are constructed completely from extra-tough rubber – no inflation required. Although they can still sustain damage in rough applications, solid tires won’t go flat and are unlikely to be ruined by a single incident, lasting three times longer than pneumatic tires. The trade-off: You’ll experience a bumpier ride, and solid tires are heavier than pneumatic tires. Bobcat offers one style of solid tire.

Solid Flex Tires

  • Severe-duty solid tires have an aggressive off-road tread pattern for unmatched traction and self-cleaning action.
  • Their conical aperture design offers low vibration for greater rider comfort.
  • Massive tread depth ensures great performance in severe applications.

Equipping your machine with the best skid-steer tires for the job ensures you superior traction, flotation, wear and overall performance when you need it most. Check out Bobcat Company’s lineup of available tires, then talk with your dealer to find the best skid-steer loader tires for you and get a set of your own.

Explore More Loader Resources

View All Articles
  • Section 179 Tax Deduction for Compact Equipment T76 compact track loader on a white background

    Section 179 Tax Deduction for Compact Equipment

    Leverage IRS Section 179 for small business tax benefits to deduct the full purchase (or lease) on qualifying compact equipment during the tax year. Learn more.
  • Small Articulated Loaders Productivity for Grounds Maintenance Bobcat L28 Small Articulated Loader with Bucket Attachment Moving Rock

    Small Articulated Loaders Productivity for Grounds Maintenance

    Learn about how versatile and powerful small articulated loaders increase productivity and their advantages for ground-maintenance and landscaping professions.
  • Top Attachments for Mini Track Loaders Bobcat MT100 Mini Track Loader with Log Grapple Attachment Working in Wooded Area

    Top Attachments for Mini Track Loaders

    Discover the top attachments from the 24 available for the Bobcat Mini Track Loaders for job-specific landscaping, grounds maintenance and forestry challenges.
  • How Compact Loaders are Beneficial for Forestry Work Bobcat T86 Compact Track Loader with Drum Mulcher Attachment Operating in Wooded Area

    How Compact Loaders are Beneficial for Forestry Work

    Learn how Bobcat compact track loaders and skid-steer loaders provide versatility with attachments and machine power to increase your productivity for forestry work.
  • Bobcat Attachments for Concrete Work with Compact Loaders Bobcat S76 Skid-Steer Loader With Nitrogen Breaker Attachment Working on Concrete Surface

    Bobcat Attachments for Concrete Work with Compact Loaders

    Learn why Bobcat loaders are the machines of choice for concrete contractors with the productivity increase of Bobcat attachments specifically for concrete work.
  • Landscaping Attachments for Compact Loaders Bobcat T66 Compact Track Loader with Auger Attachment Drilling Into the Ground

    Landscaping Attachments for Compact Loaders

    Explore the top landscaping attachments for your compact loaders, like compact track loaders for versatile productivity and power on the job.
  • How to Choose Compact Track Loader Tracks Closeup Image of Bobcat Compact Track Loader Working on Muddy Jobsite

    How to Choose Compact Track Loader Tracks

    The right compact track loader tracks can improve your machine’s performance, minimize ground disturbance and extend your working season in wetter months.
  • Bobcat L28 vs. Avant 635 Small Articulated Loader Bobcat L28 Small Articulated Loader vs. Avant 635 models in head-to-head comparison

    Bobcat L28 vs. Avant 635 Small Articulated Loader

    Small articulated loaders provide impressive lifting capabilities. When looking at the Bobcat L28 compared to the Avant 635, here are some factors to consider.
  • Bobcat MT100 vs Kubota SCL1000 Bobcat MT100 Mini Track Loader vs. Kubota SCL1000 models in head-to-head comparison

    Bobcat MT100 vs Kubota SCL1000

    Every feature and specification matters, to obtain maximum production and output from a mini track loader. Compare the Bobcat MT100 against the Kubota SCL 1000.
  • Bobcat MT100 vs. Toro Dingo TX 1000 Bobcat MT100 Mini Track Loader vs. Toro Dingo TX 1000 models in head-to-head comparison

    Bobcat MT100 vs. Toro Dingo TX 1000

    When choosing a mini track loader, it is important to examine key features and benefits. Explore how the Bobcat MT100 stacks up against the Toro Dingo TX 1000.