The Nokian Tyres Ground Kare tire family took on the excavating world a few years back and recently announced a new size — 600/40-22.5 — fitting many smaller wheeled excavators.

“Compact and agile wheeled excavators in the 9–15-ton range are popular in urban contracting,” said Kimmo Kekki, product manager at Nokian Tyres. “Many modern excavators feature four-wheel steering, which further improves their dexterity in tight spaces. By making Nokian Tyres Ground Kare available for these machines we help contractors minimize soil damage and simultaneously offer them a tire with smooth, comfortable and fuel-efficient road transportation features.”

Replacement for Dual Wheels

Nokian Tyres Ground Kare has often been used to replace twin-wheel configuration, which is prone to stone-trapping that can cause downtime. “The new 600/40-22.5 is a suitable option for machines using 9.00-20 in dual wheel configuration,” Kekki said. “This makes it a drop-in replacement to many modern wheeled excavators.”

Efficiency and Comfort

According to the company, the steel fortifications make it very resistant to puncture damage. At the same time, its wide block pattern with a large contact area enables enhanced traction on soft soil, making it a versatile choice for worksites. It also features an optimized non-directional tread pattern featuring well-staggered blocks with clear offsets.

With the new size, the Nokian Tyres Ground Kare tire is compatible with the even most dexterous modern excavators, the company said. Combining the best features of both tires and advanced vehicles makes achieving flexible steering performance possible, which is crucial when there is a potential risk of damaging the surrounding environment.

Real-world Contracting

Sami Isomäki, who works with an excavator mainly at construction sites around the Helsinki area in Finland, has been a Nokian Tyres Ground Kare user for some time now.  He used twin wheels on his previous excavators but has found Nokian Tyres Ground Kare more suitable for his work. 

“Before, I had to rely on a tracked excavator on difficult terrain,” Isomäki said. “Nokian Tyres Ground Kare has really made my job smoother, as it works well in places where twin wheels would have been stuck. I have also noted that the load-load-bearing capacity is noticeably better than with twin wheels.” 

Sizes and Availability

Nokian Tyres Ground Kare is available in the sizes 600/50-22.5, 650/45-22.5 and 710/40-22.5, is also available for backhoe machines in sizes 620/60B30 and 620/60B34, including the special Semi-Slick version for railroad use in size 620/60B34.