Blog

  1. Grader Tires Guide: G2/L2 Tires in 13.00-24, 14.00-24 and 23.5-25

    Short answer: G2/L2 is a directional chevron traction tread for graders and loaders. We carry the Sentry Tire Duramax G2/L2 in 13.00-24 and 14.00-24 (16 ply) and 23.5-25 (16 ply or 20 ply). All are tubeless. Some listings are one tire and some are a set of four, so check before you order. Replace the rear tandem tires as a matched set.

    Motor graders are precision machines. The operator is trying to cut a road or pad to grade, sometimes within a fraction of an inch, while pulling a heavy blade through dirt and gravel. The tires are a big part of whether that works. A grader that slips, wanders or bounces leaves a bad finish.

    We carry Sentry Tire Duramax G2/L2 tires for graders and loaders on our G2/L2 pneumatic tire page. Here is what G2/L2 means, what these tires are built for, the sizes and quantities we sell, and how to approach replacing them.

    What G2/L2 means

    G2 and L2 are off-the-road tire designations. G stands for grader service. L stands for loader service. The 2 indicates a traction

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  2. E3/L3 Loader Tires: Choosing Earthmover Tires from 15.5-25 to 26.5-25

    Short answer: E3/L3 is the general purpose rock tread for wheel loaders and earthmovers. We carry the Sentry Tire Duramax E3/L3 in five tubeless 25 inch sizes, from 15.5-25 at 16 ply up to 26.5-25 at 28 ply. Go by your sidewall and your manual, match all four tires, and have them mounted by trained technicians.

    A wheel loader with a flat is an expensive machine doing nothing. In a quarry, a sand and gravel yard, a recycling operation or a big site job, the loader often sets the pace for everything else. When it stops, the trucks stop.

    That is why the loader tire choice matters. On our E3/L3 pneumatic tire page we carry the Sentry Tire Duramax Earthmover Loader E3/L3 line in five sizes. Here is what E3/L3 means, what these tires are built for, how sizes and ply ratings line up, and what to think about before you buy.

    What E3/L3 means

    E3 and L3 are off-the-road tire designations. E is for earthmover service. L is for loader and dozer service. The 3 refers to a rock tread. A tire marked E3/L3

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  3. Backhoe Tires: R4 Rear Tires and F3 Front Tires Explained

    Short answer: most backhoes run two different tires. R4 industrial tread on the rear, and a ribbed front tire like the F3 up front. We carry four R4 rear sizes (16.9-24, 17.5Lx24, 19.5L-24 and 21L-24, all 12 ply, all tubeless) and the 11L-16 10 ply F3 front. Read both sidewalls before you order. They are not the same tire.

    A backhoe loader is two machines in one, and its tires have to handle both. The rear tires carry the weight of the backhoe, drive the machine and plant it while you dig. The front tires steer, carry the loader bucket and take a beating every time you push into a pile.

    Here is what each tire is built for, the sizes on our site, and how to get the right replacement the first time.

    R4: the industrial tractor tread

    R4 is an industrial tread. It sits between an R1 farm tread, which is built for soil, and a smooth or block tread, which is built for pavement. That makes R4 common on machines that work construction sites, roads and yards, often in the same day.

    We carry four

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  4. I-1 Implement Tires Explained: 7.60L-15, 9.5L-15 and 12.5L-15

    Short answer: I-1 rib implement tires are for equipment that gets pulled, not driven. Balers, rakes, wagons, planters and trailers. We carry three 15 inch sizes: 7.60L-15 (8 ply, tubeless), 9.5L-15 (8 ply, listed as tube type) and 12.5L-15 (12 ply, tube type). Match the ply to the load and confirm tube or tubeless before you order.

    Implement tires do not get much attention until one goes flat in the middle of a field. They carry weight all day with no drive torque. Because their job is different from a tractor tire's, they use a different tread: the I-1 rib.

    Here is what I-1 means, what our product pages say about these tires, the tube type versus tubeless question, and how to pick the right one.

    What is an I-1 rib tire?

    I-1 is the designation for an implement tire with a rib tread. Instead of the big lugs on an R1 tractor tire, an I-1 tire has straight ribs running around the tire. Implements are pulled, so they do not need lugs for traction. They need to roll easily, track straight behind

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  5. R1 Tractor Tires for Compact and Utility Tractors: 6.00-14, 6.00-16, 7.50-16

    Short answer: we carry Sentry Tire Duramax R1 tractor tires in 6.00-14, 6.00-16 and 7.50-16. All three are 8 ply and all three are tube type, so you need a tube with every tire. Match the size and ply on your current tires, replace them in pairs, and do not reuse old tubes.

    Most people know us for solid forklift and skid steer tires. We also carry agricultural tires, and one question we get a lot is about small R1 tractor tires: the 6.00-14, 6.00-16 and 7.50-16 sizes on a lot of compact and utility tractors.

    Here is what R1 means, what we carry, why tubes matter, and how to tell when it is time to replace.

    What does R1 mean?

    R1 is an agricultural tread designation. R1 tires are the traditional farm tread with lugs designed for traction in soil. On our agricultural tire page you will also see R4 industrial treads and I-1 implement ribs. Those are covered in separate posts.

    Our R1 tires are listed as tractor tires for agricultural and farm use. The position they go on depends on your tractor.

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  6. Solid Skid Steer Tire and Wheel Assemblies: V2D, ND, OD, O and V1D

    Short answer: if flats keep parking your skid steer, solid tire and wheel assemblies are the fix. V2D is the general-purpose pick. ND is for stability under heavy loads. OD and O are smooth, for short runs on concrete. V1D is for compact machines. Each one is sized to replace a common pneumatic size and comes on a heavy duty reusable wheel.

    If you run a skid steer in demolition, scrap, recycling, transfer stations or any job with sharp debris, you know what flats cost you. One nail or a piece of rebar and the machine sits until someone gets out there with a tire. Do that a few times a month and solid tires stop looking expensive.

    We carry a full line of Sentry solid skid steer tire and wheel assemblies in V2D, ND, OD, O and V1D patterns. Here is how the sizing works, what each pattern is built for, and what to check before you switch.

    Why solid skid steer tires come on wheels

    Every solid skid steer assembly in this part of our catalog is sold as a tire and wheel. The product pages describe

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  7. Skid Steer Tire Tread Guide: SKS1, SKS3, SKS4, SKS5 and SKS7

    Short answer: SKS1 and SKS5 are chevron, directional treads for dirt, mud and loose ground. SKS3, SKS4 and SKS7 are wide non-directional block treads for concrete, asphalt and constant direction changes. Pick the family first, then the size.

    Skid steers are hard on tires. They do not steer like a truck. They turn by skidding, dragging the tires sideways across the ground every time the operator changes direction. Add rock, rebar, demo debris and a full bucket, and it is no surprise skid steer tires wear out as fast as they do.

    That is why tread pattern matters so much on a skid steer. On our skid steer pneumatic tire page you will see Sentry Tire Duramax and Forerunner tires labeled SKS1, SKS3, SKS4, SKS5 and SKS7. Here is what separates them, based on what our product pages say about each one.

    Two families: chevron and block

    Split the SKS lineup into two groups and it gets simple.

    • Chevron, directional treads: SKS1 and SKS5.
    • Wide non-directional block treads: SKS3, SKS4 and SKS7.

    Each group

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  8. Pneumatic Forklift Tires: Duramax Industrial Lug Tube Type Guide

    Short answer: air filled forklift tires still make sense when flats are rare on your site, ride comfort matters, and you want a lower cost per tire. Our pneumatic line is the Sentry Tire Duramax Industrial Lug tube type series, from 4.00-8 up to 12.00-20. Every one of them needs a tube.

    We sell a lot of solid tires and we believe in them. But not every machine needs one, and not every budget or job calls for one. Pneumatic forklift tires are still the right choice for plenty of operations.

    Here is what the Duramax Industrial Lug is built for, the sizes we carry, how ply rating shows up in the lineup, and what you need to know about tubes. There is also a safety note on mounting near the end. Do not skip it.

    What the Duramax Industrial Lug is built for

    According to our product pages, the Duramax Industrial Lug tube type tires share these features:

    • Part of the Sentry Tire Duramax Series of pneumatic forklift tires.
    • Wide block design that enhances tread depth, which the pages tie to excellent
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  9. Non-Marking Forklift and Skid Steer Tires: When You Need Them

    Short answer: you need non-marking tires when a black streak on the floor is a problem you will actually hear about. Food plants, retail floors, clean manufacturing and coated concrete are the usual cases. If the machine lives in a dirt yard, you probably do not need them.

    Standard black tires do their job. But they can leave black streaks on concrete, epoxy coated floors and finished surfaces. For some sites that does not matter. For others it is a real issue: a food plant that gets audited, a retail floor customers walk across, a clean manufacturing space, or a new building where the owner just paid for a polished floor.

    That is what non-marking tires are for. We carry non-marking options across several categories, from forklift tires to skid steer tire and wheel assemblies to telehandler tires. Here is what non-marking means, where it makes sense, and what we stock.

    What non-marking means

    A non-marking tire is designed not to leave tire marks on the floor. Our product pages put it simply:

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  10. How to Read Forklift Tire Sizes: 6.00-9, 21x8-9, 200x50-10 and More

    Short answer: read the sidewall, figure out which size format it is, then check rim width. A two-number size like 6.00-9 is width and rim diameter. A three-number size like 21x8-9 is overall diameter, width and rim diameter. A press-on size like 21x8x15 is outside diameter, width and inside diameter. Those are not interchangeable.

    Most tire calls we take start the same way. Someone walks out to the lift, looks at the sidewall and reads us a string of numbers. Sometimes it is clean, like 6.00-9. Sometimes it is 21x8-9. Sometimes the tire is so worn they can only make out half of it.

    Getting the size right is the most important step in ordering a replacement forklift tire. Get it wrong and the tire will not fit, or it fits but sits wrong on the wheel. Either way the lift is down longer than it needs to be. Here are the size formats you will see on our site, what each one generally means, and how to double check before you order.

    Why forklift tire sizes look so different

    Forklift tires have

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