Earthmoving Tyres Durban

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Earthmoving Tyres in Durban, Supplied and Fitted on Site

ForknTire supplies and fits earthmoving tyres for wheel loaders, graders, articulated dump trucks, wheeled excavators and compactors across Durban and KwaZulu-Natal. We work from 6 Schenk Rd in Pinetown, carry the common OTR tyre sizes or source them quickly, and send our fitting team to site when the machine can't come to us. Most of the time it can't.

Earthmoving tyres are expensive. A single loader tyre can cost more than a set of bakkie tyres several times over, and a machine standing on a flat costs you a whole lot more than that. So we'd rather spend five minutes on the phone getting the size, pattern and ply rating right than have you pay for the wrong tyre twice.

What counts as an earthmoving tyre?

An earthmoving tyre is an off-the-road (OTR) tyre built for plant that moves soil, rock and aggregate. Think loaders, graders, dozers on wheels, ADTs, scrapers and compactors. They run at low speeds, carry huge loads and live on surfaces that would shred a road tyre in a week.

An earthmoving tyre is an off-the-road (OTR) tyre built for plant that moves soil, rock and aggregate. Think loaders, graders, dozers on wheels, ADTs, scrapers and compactors. They run at low speeds, carry huge loads and live on surfaces that would shred a road tyre in a week.

Which earthmoving tyre do you need for your machine?

The quickest way to narrow it down is the TRA code moulded on the sidewall. The letter tells you the machine type. The number tells you the tread.

TRA code Machine type Tread / use
E-2 / E-3 / E-4 Earthmovers, ADTs, haulers Traction (E-2), rock (E-3), deep rock (E-4)
L-2 / L-3 / L-4 / L-5 Wheel loaders, dozers L-3 for general work, L-5 extra deep for rock and scrap
G-2 / G-3 Graders G-2 traction for most road and site grading
C-1 / C-2 Compactors Smooth (C-1) or grooved (C-2)

A typical Durban construction site loader on mixed ground will usually run an L-3. A quarry loader working blasted rock is a different story, and that's where an L-4 or L-5 earns its money. If your current tyres are wearing through in months rather than years, the tread code is the first thing we'll look at.

Common earthmoving tyre sizes we supply

You'll find these on a large share of the plant working in KZN:

17.5-25 and 20.5-25 on mid-size wheel loaders

23.5-25 on larger loaders and some ADTs

13.00-24 and 14.00-24 on graders

12.5/80-18 and 16.9-28 on TLBs, which we cover in more detail on our TLB tyres page

29.5-25 on heavier ADTs and big loaders

Radial versions use the newer markings (for example 23.5R25), and ply rating on radials is usually shown as stars rather than a PR number. If the sidewall is too worn to read, send us a photo of the machine plate and we'll work it out from the model.

Earthmoving tyres for every machine on site

We supply tyres for the telehandler brands most common in South Africa, including:

Loader tyres for wheel loaders on construction sites, quarries and stockpile yards

Front-end loader tyres for smaller FELs and yard machines

Grader tyres Durban for road building and site levelling

Dump truck tyres for ADTs, rigid haulers and quarry trucks

If your machine isn't on that list, ask. Wheeled excavators, compactors and scrapers all use tyres we can source.

On-site earthmoving tyre fitting in Durban and KZN

Getting a 20.5-25 off a loader isn't a job for a tyre shop with a car lift. Our team brings the gear to you, across Durban, Pinetown, the South Durban basin, the North Coast and up into the Midlands. For larger jobs further out we'll plan the call-out properly and give you a realistic time, not an optimistic one.

We also do the boring checks that save money later: rim and lock ring condition, valve condition and correct inflation for the load your machine actually carries.

Earthmoving tyres outside KwaZulu-Natal

We supply earthmoving tyres across South Africa and into Mozambique, Botswana and Zimbabwe through our consultant network. For out-of-town orders we'll confirm stock and give you a straight delivery lead time before you commit.

Frequently asked questions about earthmoving tyres

How long do earthmoving tyres last?

It depends heavily on the surface, the load and the operator. On a clean construction site a loader tyre can run several thousand hours. On sharp blasted rock the same tyre might be done in a fraction of that. Correct pressure and a sensible tread code make the biggest difference.

No. Mixing bias and radial earthmoving tyres on the same machine affects handling and puts uneven stress on the drivetrain. Replace them as a matched set per axle at the very least, and ideally keep the whole machine on one construction.

Earthmoving tyres are a type of OTR tyre. OTR also covers mining, port and industrial tyres, so "earthmoving" just narrows it down to plant that moves soil and rock.

Yes. We fit earthmoving tyres on site across Durban and greater KZN, and we'll arrange larger out-of-area jobs around your shift where we can.

The tyre size, ply or star rating and TRA code from the sidewall, plus the machine make and model. A photo of the old tyre is often enough to get us started.

Get a quote on earthmoving tyres

your machine details and a photo of the current tyre. Call 031 702 6335 or 082 468 5308, or email forkntire@telkomsa.net.

We're at 6 Schenk Rd, Pinetown, Monday to Friday, 7:30 to 16:30.

Call 031 702 6335
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