Buying Tips
There is certainly lots of factors to take into account when purchasing a forklift. Deciding on the right equipment could have a huge effect on everything from productivity to operating expenses, to machine downtime and worker morale.
When you are thinking of choosing a brand new or second-hand forklift, the following is a brief list of things to take into account. There is certainly several specific questions the sales consultant must deal with to be able to help you select the best alternative which is best for your company.
Step 1: Identify Your Requirements
Identifying your needs will eventually help that you could find the best most capable forklift for your company. How big are your normal load sizes? Are they 3,000 pounds to 35,000 pounds or even heavier? How many hours each day will you be using this equipment? Will you be running the equipment indoors or outdoors or possibly both? How wide are your narrowest aisles to go through? Answering these questions accurately would ensure you are satisfied with the unit you pick.
Step2: Used Vs. New Forklifts
If you are planning to use your lift truck more than 4 hours a day, you will probably want to buy a new unit. The warranty benefits alone would really be handy. A used alternative will more than likely be enough for light duty and infrequent applications.
Step 3: Fuel Options
The huge electric lift truck batteries will allow the lift truck to run for roughly 8 hours. These specific power sources make forklifts uniquely suited for indoor application as they generate no harmful emissions. Even though electric units are generally more pricey than other units, they have lower operating expenses. Electric lift trucks are much quieter to run and do not have fuel storage requirements to take into consideration. Furthermore, these machinery have less moving components so they have a longer life span because they have fewer components to get worn down.
One of the disadvantages of the battery operated forklifts is that they require battery recharging posts and this can take approximately 8 hours. There is an added 8 hours needed for cooling. Recent innovations have made their way onto the market in order to considerably lessen charging time. The fast-charge technology has become a great new thing.
Step 4: Tire Choice
Forklifts are equipped with either pneumatic or inflated, air-filled tires or cushion tires that are made up of solid rubber. There are actually also solid pneumatic tires which are a combination of the two. The pneumatic tire type is best suited for outdoor applications. Cushion tires are best for indoor applications and solid pneumatic tires are the best choice for dangerous work settings where there is a possibility for regular tires being popped by sharp objects on rough terrain.