Buying Tips
When purchasing a lift truck, there can be a lot of things to take into consideration as this decision can impact a lot of things such as production, operating expenses, equipment downtime, and even employee morale.
Here is a brief list of factors to think about when deciding on a new or used lift truck. There can be some particular questions the sales consultant should address to be able to help you pick the best option that is best for your business.
Step 1: Identify Your Requirements
Identifying your needs will ultimately help that you can find the best most capable forklift for your company. How big 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 ensure you are happy with the unit you choose.
Step2: New Vs. Second-hand Forklifts
If you are intending to utilize your forklift more than 4 hours a day, you would probably want to purchase a brand new unit. The warranty benefits alone will really be handy. A second-hand alternative will probably be enough for light duty and infrequent applications.
Step 3: Fuel Options
Usually, the huge batteries that power electric lift trucks could run for an 8 hour shift. The electric models are best suited for indoor applications because they produce no harmful emissions. Though electric units are generally more expensive than different other kinds of lift trucks, they have less operating expenses. Electric lift trucks are much quieter to run and do not have fuel storage needs to think about. Also, these machinery have less moving parts so they have a longer life span since they have fewer parts to get worn down.
One of the downsides of the battery operated forklifts is that they require battery recharging posts and this could take roughly 8 hours. There is an additional 8 hours required for cooling. Recent innovations have made their way onto the market so as to considerably reduce charging time. The fast-charge technology has become a wonderful new thing.
Step 4: Tire Choice
Common forklifts utilize cushion tires made up of solid rubber or they will be equipped with pneumatic or air-filled, inflated tires. Some lift trucks would use a solid pneumatic tires, that is a combination of the two types of tire. The pneumatic tire type is perfect to be utilized outside. Cushion tires are great for indoor use and solid pneumatic tires are the perfect choice for dangerous work settings where there is a risk for standard tires being popped by rough terrain or sharp objects.