Buyers Guide to Used Forklifts
The forklift also commonly known as Fork Trucks or Lift Trucks is a vehicle used to lift and transport items by means of its characteristic steel forks positioned under the load, or via a supporting structure such as a pallet or skid.
There are a large number of different types of forklifts suited to different applications. If you are unsure as to the best type for your requirements, we strongly suggest that you contact a good dealer in your area to go through the various options.
Some of the more common forklift truck types, from the largest to the smallest are:
- Very narrow aisle forklift truck (usually a reach truck designed for aisles less than five feet wide)
- Rider Order Picking forktruck (commonly called an “Order Picker”; like a small forklift, except the operator rides up to the load and transfers it article by article)
- Walkie Order Picking forktruck
- Slip Sheet machine
- Telescopic handler
- Side loader
- IC counterbalanced forklift truck
- Electric counterbalanced forklift truck
- Reach truck (small forklifts, designed for small aisles, usually electrically powered)
- Rider stacker
- Walkie stacker
- Towing tractor
- Rider low lift forklift truck
- Walkie low lift truck (powered pallet truck, usually electrically powered)
- Hand pallet truck (a “pump truck”, or a “chep truck”, or a “hand-jack”, a simple mechanism whereby hand-pumped hydraulics raise or lower a single pallet simply to provide clearance from the floor for manual (hand) pulling).
There are a number of characteristics to choose from across these forklifts:
Power Source: LPG, diesel or petrol internal combustion engine, or an electric motor using either alternating or direct current powered by battery or fuel cells.
The Mast: The mast provides the backbone for the lifting, lowering and tilting of the load. Typically this is operated hydraulically or via a chain in turn powered using a hydraulic motor.
The Carriage: This is made up of flat metal plates that move up and down the mast by means of a chain or direct attachment to a hydraulic cylinder.
Forks: These are L-shaped items that attach to the carriage. The horizontal portion is placed or inserted under the load or into a supporting construction such as a pallet or skid.
Load Back Rest: This is a fitting which is used when the load is brought higher than the back of the carriage.
Overhead Guard: The overhead guard is a metal roof present on rider operated machines which protects the driver from any falling items.
Cab: Either open or closed, this is connected to the cage like overhead guard assembly.
Counterbalance: These machines have a counter weight located at the rear, this offsets the weight of the load to keep the forklift truck stable.
Forklift trucks are rated for the maximum weight of load that they can safely lift and a specified forward center of gravity
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