Buying Tips
When purchasing a forklift, there can be lots of things to take into consideration since this decision may impact numerous things such as productivity, operating costs, equipment downtime, and even employee morale.
When you are thinking of choosing a new or used forklift, the following is a brief list of factors to take into account. There is certainly some particular questions the sales consultant has to deal with to be able to help you pick the best alternative which is most suitable for your company.
Step 1: Identify Your Needs
Identifying your needs will eventually help that you can find the best most capable lift truck 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 every day would you be using this machinery? Would you be running the machinery outdoors or indoors or potentially both? How wide are your narrowest aisles to travel through? Answering these questions accurately would make sure that you are satisfied with the model you select.
Step2: New Vs. Used Lift Trucks
You might want to purchase a brand new model of forklift if you are intending to utilize your lift truck for more than 4 hours a day. The warranty benefits alone will come in handy. A second-hand choice will more than likely be adequate for light duty and infrequent applications.
Step 3: Fuel Options
Normally, the huge batteries that power electric lift trucks could run for an 8 hour shift. The electric units are best suited for indoor use since they produce no harmful emissions. Although electric models are usually more pricey than various other kinds of lift trucks, they have less operating costs. Electric lift trucks are much quieter to run and do not have fuel storage requirements to take into account. In addition, these machines have fewer moving components so they have a longer life span since they have less parts to get worn down.
The electric lift truck is not without its downsides however. These equipment require recharging stations that can take as much as 8 hours th charge. There is an added 8 hours needed for cooling. Recent innovations have made their way onto the market in order to significantly lessen charging time. The fast-charge technology has become a wonderful new thing.
Step 4: Tire Choice
Lift Trucks 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 that are a combination of the two. The pneumatic tire type is great to be utilized outside. Cushion tires are best to be utilized indoors and solid pneumatic tires are the best choice for dangerous work environments where there is potential for standard tires being popped by rough terrain or sharp objects.