Nokian launches Ground Kare excavator and backhoe tyres for roads and railways
In the field of excavator tires, one solution is seldom optimal for all purposes, which is why Nokian Tyres now offers a full range of tires, including the Nokian Ground Kare, with emphasis on different surfaces and stability demands.
The recent trends in earthmoving include big, multi-function machines with heavy work attachments requiring bigger load-bearing capacity from a tyre. Another change is towards faster and longer road transports, which means the tyres must offer good road handling properties to withstand the wear and tear of paved roads.
The third trend is the need to be gentle to the soil and to enable accurate working, essential features when excavating city parks and private yards. The Nokian Ground Kare tyre was designed with all this in mind.
“Of course, there is more than that,” says Eva-Leena Varpe, Product Manager at Nokian Tyres, “Grip and stability on site are also the two defining tire features.”
Right tire for each site
Excavating sites present different issues, with applications demanding stability, which is where the block-patterned Nokian Armor Gard 2 tyres can be used in a dual configuration. For very soft surfaces, the wide, lug-patterned Nokian Excavator tyre is often preferred for its superior grip. Striking a good compromise between the two is the all-new block-patterned Nokian Ground Kare tyre, which has a good grip on soft surfaces, low surface pressure to minimise impact on the soil, as well as excellent stability and on-road properties.
“The Nokian Ground Kare tires feature a purpose-built new tread design for good endurance and low ground pressure,” says Varpe, who sums it up: “To bring the important stability for safe and accurate excavating work, the tires have a special rubber compound that absorbs swings and shocks as well as a very sturdy carcass that allows high operating pressure.”
Customer feedback from the field confirms that the improved stability has a positive effect on work efficiency. “The tires’ stability is better, as well as the damping of the carcass,” said Nokian Ground Kare user Mr. Mark Geurts from the Netherlands, “This saves time, as every stroke in grading is right the first time.”
Mr. Geurts is also impressed by Nokian Ground Kare tyre’s friendliness to the soil, “This tread does not move sand side wards,” he says. “It saves me the time-consuming levelling of my track.”
All-round ruggedness is also important on rocky excavation sites. Nokian Ground Kare tyre has a steel belts against cuts and cracks, with a load-bearing capacity of up to 7500 kg / tyre.
“Heavy auxiliary equipment on multi-function machines can really put tires to the test,” Eva-Leena Varpe said: “Nokian Ground Kare tires give you more margin, and the tire tread wears slowly and evenly for economical use.”
Mr. Geurts also noted the slow tyre wear: “The tire performs very well, and it promises a good lifetime in working hours”, he says. “The tire’s self-cleaning is better than expected and the comfort and low noise on the road is a true joy.”
Nokian Ground Kare semi-slick for railroads
The Nokian tyre sizes are selected for both wheeled excavators and backhoe loaders, which have one special application worthy of its own special tire variant, the first of its kind in the world.
“In railroad use, a special backhoe loader is driven on tracks,” Eva-Leena Varpe says: “The other half of the tire runs on steel, causing uneven tire wear. Nokian Ground Kare tire is available as a special semi-slick version to counteract this and increase the tire service life.”
Sizes and availability
Nokian Ground Kare tyres will be available from June 2019 onwards in sizes 650/45-22.5 for excavators and 620/60B34 for backhoe loaders. The special railroad variant 620/60B34 Ground Kare semi-slick tyre will be available from December 2019.
