Buying Tips
When buying a forklift, there can be a lot of things to take into account since this decision can impact numerous things such as productivity, operating expenses, machine downtime, and even worker morale.
When you are thinking of choosing a brand new or second-hand forklift, the following is a short list of things to take into consideration. There can be several specific questions the sales consultant must address in order to help you pick the best option that is most suitable for your company.
Step 1: Identify Your Requirements
Identifying your needs will ultimately help that you could find the best most capable forklift for your company. How large are your typical load sizes? Are they 3,000 pounds to 35,000 pounds or even heavier? How many hours each day will you be using this machinery? Will you be running the machinery indoors or outdoors or potentially both? How wide are your narrowest aisles to travel through? Answering these questions correctly would ensure you are happy with the unit you pick.
Step2: Brand new Vs. Used Lift Trucks
If you are planning to use your lift truck more than 4 hours a day, you will probably want to purchase a new model. The warranty benefits alone would really be handy. A second-hand choice would more than likely be enough for light duty and infrequent applications.
Step 3: Fuel Options
The large electric lift truck batteries would allow the forklift to run for around 8 hours. These particular power sources make forklifts uniquely suited for indoor use as they generate no harmful emissions. Though electric models are normally more expensive than other units, they have less operating expenses. Electric lift trucks are a lot quieter to run and do not have fuel storage requirements to think about. Also, these machinery have less moving components so they have a longer life span since they have less parts to get worn down.
One of the disadvantages of the battery operated forklifts is that they require battery recharging posts and this can take roughly 8 hours. There is an added 8 hours required for cooling. Recent changes have made their way onto the market in order to significantly lessen charging time. The fast-charge technology has become a great new thing.
Step 4: Tire Choice
Common lift trucks use cushion tires made up of solid rubber or they will be outfitted with pneumatic or inflated, air-filled tires. Several forklifts would use a solid pneumatic tires, which is a combination of the two types of tire. The pneumatic tire kind is perfect to be used outdoors. Cushion tires are best for interior use and solid pneumatic tires are the best option for hazardous work settings where there is a chance for standard tires being popped by sharp objects on rough terrain.