Buying Tips
There is certainly numerous things to take into account when buying a forklift. Choosing the best machinery can have a huge impact on everything from production to operating expenses, to machine downtime and employee morale.
When you are thinking of choosing a new or second-hand lift truck, the following is a brief list of factors to take into consideration. There is certainly some specific questions the sales consultant must address to be able to help you select the best option which is best for your company.
Step 1: Identify Your Needs
Taking the time to identify your needs would help ensure that you can find a capable machinery. What size are your typical loads? Are they 3,000 pounds to 35,000 pounds or even heavier? How many hours each day will you be using this machinery? Would you be running the machinery indoors or outdoors or potentially both? How wide are your narrowest aisles to travel through? Answering these questions accurately will ensure you are happy with the model you select.
Step2: Second-hand Vs. New Lift Trucks
If you are intending to utilize your forklift more than 4 hours a day, you would probably want to buy a brand new model. The warranty benefits alone will come in handy. A used choice will more than likely be enough for infrequent applications and light duty.
Step 3: Fuel Options
The huge electric forklift batteries will allow the forklift to run for about 8 hours. These specific power sources make lift trucks uniquely suited for indoor use as they produce no harmful emissions. Though electric models are usually more expensive compared to other models, they have less operating costs. Electric lift trucks are a lot quieter to run and do not have fuel storage needs to take into account. Moreover, these machinery have less moving parts so they have a longer life span because they have less parts to get worn down.
One of the downsides of the battery operated lift trucks is that they need battery recharging stations and this can take around 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
Forklifts are outfitted with either pneumatic or air-filled, inflated tires or cushion tires which 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 outside applications. Cushion tires are great for indoor applications and solid pneumatic tires are the perfect alternative for hazardous work environments where there is potential for regular tires being popped by rough terrain or sharp objects.