Flotation Tires

Our Flotation Tires Give You Less Compaction & Better Handling for Agriculture Equipment, Heavy-Duty Trucks, & More

Usually, tires are designed to dig into surfaces to provide maximum traction, but flotation tires, or floater tires, work differently. Flotation tires are specifically designed to ride on top of sand and sediment. In other words, they “float” over the soil with minimal disturbance.

How exactly do flotation tires work? When looking at such tires, it’s impossible to miss the massive width of their footprint. This width allows the flotation tires to avoid compacting and sinking into loose soil. In other words, these tires spread the vehicle’s weight more efficiently than traditional tires.

But why is floating necessary at all, and how does this characteristic provide any benefits? Wouldn’t a tire that digs in and grips the earth be preferable? With the different flotation tire types, you’ll see why different industries and enthusiasts would need to choose them over other types of tires.

Types of Flotation Tires

From work vehicles to recreation off-roaders, the ability to “float” over surfaces is exceptionally useful. Their ability to avoid sinking into loose earth makes them incredibly useful in a wide assortment of situations.

Agricultural Flotation Tires

Soil disturbance can be incredibly problematic in agricultural scenarios. Tractors, combines, and other farming equipment must be able to move over soil without harming it.

Standard tires can sink in and grip soil and keep it from effectively supporting crop growth. In contrast, flotation tires for tractors allow farmers to enter their fields with heavy machinery and avoid getting stuck or damaging carefully cultivated ground.

Construction Flotation Tires

Large construction vehicles must be able to move over the earth without ripping up the ground. Consider the process of road construction, for example, where maintaining smooth surfaces before paving is essential. If the equipment tears up the ground, it will have to be regraded first.

Building construction also relies on floater tires. This is because heavy vehicles and trucks usually have to travel over bare earth to deliver materials and haul debris.

Truck Flotation Tires

Flotation tires for trucks allow work and personal vehicles to pass over difficult or sensitive terrain without fear of getting stuck. Additionally, high-speed floater tires allow trucks to travel up to 62mph, depending on the rating. That makes them practical everyday tires for vehicles that frequently traverse loose soil.

Farmers can particularly benefit from flotation tires. When they have the right ones for their needs, they can travel large distances over farmland or across undeveloped land at reasonably high speeds.

Off-Road Flotation Tires

Trucks, ATVs, and other off-road vehicles can use flotation tires to conquer otherwise impassable areas. Floater tires are designed to operate with reduced pressure to create large, square contact patches. As such, they provide lots of surface area for off-roaders to get an adequate grip on the ground.

Key Features to Consider When Choosing Your Flotation Tires

How do you know which floater tires are right for your application? There are some essential features you need to look for when making your decision.

Tread Patterns

Flotation tires can have a great variety of tread patterns, with some even having no tread whatsoever. The tire’s traction will largely depend on the lugs.

First, look at the tire’s lug-to-void ratio, which determines how far apart the lugs are. A higher ratio means the lugs are further apart. In turn, the tire will be better at expelling loose soil, water, and mud. Tread depth also affects traction, and the deeper the treads, the better traction the tire will provide.

Beyond lug size and spacing, lug shape is also important in determining traction. Traditional flotation tread patterns are aggressive and provide plenty of traction in soft, loose soil. Each manufacturer offers a variety of profiles for different vehicles and positions on the same vehicle (front wheels, rear wheels, trailer wheels, etc.).

Tire Size

Typically, floater tires are measured in inches rather than millimeters. Also, traditional metric tire sizes measure the section width, aspect ratio, and wheel diameter.

For example, a 275/65R17 would be 275 mm wide with a 65% aspect ratio, indicating that the tire is 65% as tall as it is wide. The R is the construction type and stands for “radial” in this case. The last number refers to the diameter of the rim, which for this tire would be 17 inches.

Flotation tires use inches, and most of the numbers refer to different measurements. The first number is the height of the tire, the second refers to the tire’s width, and the third represents the rim diameter. Thus, a 33x10.5R16 would be 33 inches tall and 10.5 inches wide, have a radial construction, and be designed to mount on a 16-inch wheel.

Load Capacity

The load capacity refers to how much weight a tire can handle. Your tires should be able to exceed the combined weight of the vehicle, its occupants, and the load it carries. In general, radials are best at handling heavy loads, though bias ply tires are usually cheaper.

Speed Rating

With such a wide spread of vehicles that use floater tires, manufacturers craft their tires to handle different speed ratings. While a work truck may need to approach highway speeds, a skid steer would not. Floater tire speed ratings work as follows:

• A8 Tires: 25 mph
• B Tires: 31 mph
• C Tires: 37 mph
• D Tires: 40 mph
• E Tires: 43 mph
• F Tires: 50 mph
• G Tires: 56 mph
• J Tires: 62 mph

Flotation tires are not recommended for use on paved roads, regardless of their speed rating. The properties that give them exceptional grip on loose soil make them unsuitable for pavement. Flotation tires are usually run with low pressure to create a large contact patch. This would make them feel squishy and imprecise on normal roads.

Durability & Material

Most floater tires will have to survive harsh use and direct sunlight. You will want tires to be able to handle these abusive conditions, so look for quality, long-lasting rubber compounds in the tire descriptions.

Additionally, remember to match the tire’s compound properties to your particular usage. If you need the softest rubber for the most flexibility and traction, you will get better performance than you would with a tire made from harder rubber that may last longer under different conditions.

Sidewall Strength

The sidewalls of flotation tires must be exceptionally strong since they typically handle lower-than-average tire pressures. Still, tires can have greatly varied sidewall strengths thanks to features like:

• Tread design
• Rubber compounds
• Manufacturing process
• Intended use

If you plan on running your tires with low PSI, consult experienced tire experts to see which tires may be best for your application.

Are you wondering whether bias ply or radial tires are better for sidewall strength? Traditionally, bias ply tires are the superior choice. Due to the diagonal plies in bias ply tire construction, punctures rarely result in a larger tear the way they will in radials.

While radial tires do offer superior on-road handling and heat dissipation, that’s not an issue for relatively low-speed tires such as flotation tires. Manufacturers can increase the sidewall strength of their radial tires to make them competitive in this regard.

How to Choose the Right Flotation Tires

Before you make your choice, consider that flotation tire sizes are different from standard metric tire sizes, and make sure to measure your rims and wheel wells accordingly. Flotation tires are wide and flat, so having enough room for them to mount and turn is essential.

It’s also important to think about all the key features and determine which ones impact your particular needs. Ask questions such as:

• How much of a load do your tires need to handle?
• How aggressive should the tread be?
• What is the top speed you expect to achieve?

Your answers will guide you toward the correct floater tire for your situation.

Keep in mind, too, that flotation tires are generally more expensive than regular tires because of their specialized design and larger sizes. The prices can be in the thousands for a single tire. However, due to their unique attributes, flotation tires make up for their cost with superior performance and minimized soil damage.

Why Buy Flotation Tires From Us?

When you’re looking for the right flotation tires, you want to go to a source that has a large selection of quality tires in a wide variety of sizes. You also need to have experts available to answer questions regarding the particulars of each tire so you know you’re making the right decision. Shipping should be fast and secure as well.

Flotation tires are specialized items, and you need to be assured that your hard-earned dollars are going toward the correct ones. If you select the wrong tires for your application, you can expect decreased tire life and substandard performance. Consult with our tire experts and ensure that the tires you buy are right for your specific needs.