Shop for Scissor Lift & Access Platform Tyres

To search for your tyre you need to know the tyre size you need. Tyre sizes can be written in many differing formats, so our Tyre Size Guide is a helpful read to understand them. The size is almost always written on the tyres sidewall and for scissor lift tyres would look something like '16.00R25' or '445/95R25'. The first type (16.00R25) is imperial written in inches, and the second is the newer metric marking now being adopted by many manufacturers.

With both sizes the last number is the RIM (the diameter of the hole in the middle of the tyre) in inches (28 inches in our example). The first number is the tyre WIDTH (know as Section Width), and in our example it would be 16.00 inches or 445mm. The 'R' if presents means you have a tyre of RADIAL construction, and the '-' if present means the tyre is of CROSSPLY construction.

The metric sizes (445/95R25) tell you the PROFILE percentage after the width, here it is 95% profile (this means the side walls on the tyre are 95% as tall as the width of the tyre). This profile can be ignored if your tyre size if written in imperial as it is not given.

Plugging these numbers into the tyre finder above will help you to narrow down your tyre search!

Radial tyres were invented in 1946 and allow the sidewall of the tyre and the tyre tread to work as two independent features. The flexibility of a radial tyre, together with its strength, are two combined factors which mean a radial scissor lift tyre absorbs impact shock and bumps more effectively than a crossply tyre.

This gives you and your machine a more comfortable ride and allows the driver to work longer. The flexibility of the sidewall enhances vehicle stability and provides maximum contact of the tyre with the road surface. This improved contact with the ground reduces the wear on the tyre tread meaning radial tyres last longer than crossply tyres. It also helps spread the weight over the ground reducing soil compaction. Radial tyres tend to have higher speed ratings so for some faster road going machines Radial tyres are the only usable option.

Radial tyres do however tend to be more expensive than crossply alternatives, so could be viewed as an investment that will pay off in the long run.

Crossply tyres have been around a lot longer and whilst don't offer the advantaged of Radial tyres, they are cheaper, and in some applications are the preferred choice. Crossply tyres have stiffer tyre sidewalls than radial tyres, and so tend to be better at avoiding sidewall punctures, something that is advantages in forestry use for example. They also give less suspension than Radial tyres which can be an advantage on forklift trucks and scissor lifts for example that require a firm ride. Find out more about Radial vs Crossply by reading this article.

A Ply Rating is similar to a tyre Load Index and is an indication/measure of a tyre's strength, telling you the maximum weight that the scissor lift tyre can safely carry. Tyres with a higher ply rating carry more weight but cost more due to their superior construction and the extra materials used. Ply Rating's are usually only given on tyres of Crossply construction, the newer Radial tyres should have a load index number given instead. In general, you shouldn't switch to a lower ply rating than you currently have. You can normally increase the ply rating of the tyre used, but bear in mind the higher a tyres ply rating the stiffer a tyres sidewall usually becomes. This can be advantageous in helping to avoid punctures in the tyre sidewall, but may reduce the suspension/cushioning you experience riding your machine.

The exact carrying capacity of scissor lift tyres can vary by axle, speed, pattern, pressure and manufacturer. Tyre manufacturers often provide detailed information on how much weight a tyre can carry in their technical tyre books: please check the Technical Link of a product or Contact Us if you need help.

Most modern scissor lift tyres have a speed and load index, sometimes known as a service index, stamped on the sidewall. A tyre's Speed Index is the maximum safe speed that the tyre can be run at; this is represented with a letter from the very slow (A1) to the very fast (Y and beyond).

The Load Index is the maximum weight that scissor lift tyres can safely support. This is represented by a number: the higher this number is the more weight the tyre can carry. It is imperative for the safety of the vehicle and its occupants that tyres with high enough Speed and Load Indexes are chosen. To find out more about Speed and Load Indexes and all other tyre markings, have a look at our Tyre Size Guide.

Tubed type (TT) scissor lift tyres have a separate tube fitted inside the tyre which is often purchased separately to the tyre. Tubeless tyres (TL) have their own inner liner which prevents leaks from the rim and minimises the damage done by punctures. They therefore do not require a separate tube to be purchased (if you rims are in good condition). Tubeless scissor lift tyres are more resistant to overheating, but air leakage can occur if the tyre has not been fitted properly or if the rims are old or damaged. Find out more by reading this article on Tube-Type and Tubeless Tyres.

Buying mobile and high speed scissor lift tyres online might be new to some people, but it makes a lot of sense. Traditionally tyres are bought from your local tyre supplier in your area, which means you are relying on their stock, pricing, expertise and customer service. By using Big Tyres you are using a national tyre supplier (based in Nottingham), whose only business is in supplying tyres, tubes, wheels and fitting UK wide. We have key accounts with main manufacturers to offer you the best prices, carry millions of pounds worth of stock, can access any scissor lift tyre not in stock by going direct to access manufacturer's free stock, are up to date with all the new tyre news regarding brands, patterns and offers in the market place, and have a dedicated team of customer service staff. We often provide free shipping and next day delivery and are open to talk with you by phone, email, live chat or at one of the many shows we exhibit at.

At Big Tyres we want to take all the hassle out of buying and fitting tyres. We offer a UK WIDE mobile fitting service where professional fitters will come to your doorstep and fit your scissor lift tyres for you. No matter the size or application we can have your new tyres up and running fast. When ordering mention you require fitting with your tyres, and we will add the cost to your order and take payment.

Normally our tyres will arrive with you the next working day by courier delivery, and once you have received them, call us up and we will ask the fitter to come to you to fit them. The fitters can normally respond within 4 hours, so they could be with you the same day as your tyres arrive if you call before 3pm, else they would arrive the next day or on a day of your choosing. We have fitter across the country and we even cover all of the Scottish Highland. For more information read our Scissor Lift Tyre Fitting information page.

There is a wide selection of scissor lift and industrial tyre manufacturers based in Europe, Asia, The Middle East and elsewhere. There are long standing brands like Michelin, Trelleborg, Goodyear, Firestone & Mitas who are well established in the market place and offer premium and mid range scissor lift tyres. There are a large number of budget and mid-range brands too, like BKT, Alliance and Camso Solideal who have been manufacturing for a few decades and are now accepted brands in the industry.

The budget or economy scissor lift tyre sector has lesser known brands trying to forge a following, with brands like Infinity, Ozka and Tianli. The main established brands also offer 'B' brands to the market place, that often use the same technology and materials but are offered at a lower price point to the consumer. Michelin offers alternate brands under the Kleber and Taurus names, and Mitas offers its Cultor brand.

Storing your tyres correctly when on the machine or stacked as spares is important in extending their life time and ensuring they remain safe and continue to function as they should. General advice is to keep your scissor lift tyres out of heat and direct sunlight, as it can dry out the rubber and cause cracking. When leaving a machine unused for a long period try to jack the machine up to take some weight off the tyres to avoid misshaping them. Other advice to follow is to keep them away from liquids like petrol, oil and grease so not to deteriorate the rubber compounds. Read more about Storing your Scissor Lift Tyres.

Many applications using scissor lifts and access platforms demand that the tyres are foam filled, as a way of improving stability and safety. Foam filling is a process which replaces all of the air in your tyres with a very tough polyurethane foam. The increased weight and rigidity of the foam makes the scissor lift more stable, and having no air in the tyres means that there is no danger of pressure loss due to a puncture or other damage. Whereas air-filled tyres become more vulnerable to punctures as they get older, foam filled tyres wear down in a safe and predictable way. Find more about Scissor Lift Tyre Foam Filling.

For the latest scissor lift tyre news, advancements and also a little fun, visit our Twitter Page and follow @bigtyres_co_uk or visit and like our Facebook Page. Why not also check our the Big Tyres Blog for educational articles and the latest industry information. We also send out a monthly Big Tyres Newsletter that often has discount codes and news of our latest sales and offers to save you money on your scissor lift tyres.