A lot has changed in excavator contracting after Nokian Tyres released the Nokian Ground Kare tire for wheeled excavators and backhoe loaders two and a half years ago. The wide block-patterned single tire has since proven its worth in many kinds of excavating work, making it so popular that Nokian Tyres now extends the Ground Kare tire spectrum from both ends: size 600/50-22.5 for compact excavators and size 710/40-22.5 for the largest machinery.
In 2019, Nokian Tyres called its new Nokian Ground Kare tire a “good compromise” between extreme stability of dual tire configuration and extreme soft soil traction of the wide lug-patterned single tire. The excavating contractors immediately appreciated its useful set of features – and, later on, its excellent service life too.
“We were ahead of the market with Ground Kare”, says Kimmo Kekki, Product Manager at Nokian Tyres. “We were confident about its impressive specs, but the real value has been proven in the field, in the everyday use.”
The winning features
Nokian Ground Kare tire has won many contractors over from using dual tires with its three main benefits: excellent stability that makes working faster and safer, big footprint that minimizes damage to the soil during and after work, and single tire configuration that isn’t prone to stone trapping like dual tires.
“The tire faces many challenges in the worksite. Ground Kare with its steel fortifications is very resistant against cuts and cracks”, says Kimmo Kekki. “What’s more, its big contact area makes it extremely wear-resistant as well, both in terms of working hours and mileage.”
Today’s contracting work involves high-speed road transports as well. Ground Kare makes the transits more comfortable.
“The Ground Kare tread pattern rolls smoothly on the road, making the ride more silent”, says Kimmo Kekki. “And the large contact area helps the tire to wear down slowly and evenly as the surface pressure is low and evenly distributed”.
The voice of the user
Nokian Ground Kare user Sami Isomäki does excavator work around the city of Helsinki, Finland, mainly on construction sites. He used twin wheels on his previous excavators, but Ground Kare has proven to be more suitable for his work on soft surfaces – most noticeably on loose surfaces such as rubble.
“Before, I had to rely on a tracked excavator in difficult terrain”, Isomäki says. “Now Ground Kare works well in places where twin wheels would have been stuck.” He also notes that the load-bearing capacity is noticeably better than with twin wheels.
New sizes, new possibilities
With the two new sizes, whole new excavator types can benefit from Ground Kare.
“The size 600/50-22.5 is suitable for smaller and compact machines, which benefit from stability and soil-friendly work as well”, Kimmo Kekki says. “The size 710/40-22.5 is for the biggest wheeled excavators that look for extra-large footprint and usability on soft worksites as well.”
Kekki is confident that the Ground Kare tire will find new friends from both compact and heavy excavator users.
“The contractors have really discovered single wheels”, he smiles. “And our product has proven its worth on different worksites!”
