Buying Tips
There is certainly numerous things to take into account when purchasing a forklift. Choosing the right equipment could have a big effect on everything from productivity to operating costs, to equipment downtime and employee morale.
Below is a short list of factors to consider when deciding on a brand new or second-hand lift truck. There can be some particular questions the sales consultant must deal with to be able to help you pick the best option which is most suitable for your business.
Step 1: Identify Your Needs
Identifying your requirements will ultimately help that you could find the best most capable lift truck for your business. How large are your typical load sizes? Are they 3,000 pounds to 35,000 pounds or even heavier? How many hours each day would you be utilizing this machinery? Will you be running the equipment indoors or outdoors or possibly both? How wide are your narrowest aisles to go through? Correctly answering these questions will make sure that you are satisfied with the unit you pick.
Step2: Second-hand Vs. New Lift Trucks
If you are planning to utilize your lift truck more than 4 hours a day, you will probably want to buy a new model. The warranty benefits alone will come in handy. A second-hand option would more than likely be adequate 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 application as they produce no harmful emissions. Although electric units are usually more expensive compared to other units, they have less operating costs. Electric lift trucks are a lot quieter to run and do not have fuel storage requirements to consider. Also, these machinery have less moving components so they have a longer life span since they have less components to get worn down.
The electric forklift is not without its disadvantages however. These equipment require recharging stations which could 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 reduce charging time. The fast-charge technology has become a great new thing.
Step 4: Tire Choice
Forklifts are outfitted with either pneumatic or inflated, air-filled 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 style is perfect for outdoor applications. Cushion tires are perfect to be utilized indoors and solid pneumatic tires are the perfect option for hazardous work settings where there is a risk for regular tires being popped by sharp objects on rough terrain.