Raw Materials
The body, cab, frame and boom of a telescoping boom rough terrain forklift are generally made by a lift truck manufacturer. The most common material used for these subassemblies is steel, due to its amazing strength. At times steel forgings or aluminum are also used. It is common for non-metallic materials such as nylon plastic blocks to be used as guides in the boom assembly. The other parts are usually purchased as finished products and the forklift manufacturer installs them.
Several of the pre-assembled bought products include the transmission, seat, engine, axles, wheels, hoses and tires, backup-alarm, lights, gauges and hydraulic cylinders. Normally, some materials like the fuel and lubricants and hydraulic fluids are purchased in bulk. These liquids are added as required once the machinery is assembled and has passed the rigorous testing sessions.
Design
The common design which is most standard of telescoping boom rough terrain forklifts is a narrow and long design that has a set of wheels at the front of the unit and another set situated towards the back of the machine. The boom portion of the model is mounted at the forklift's back off of a pivot feature that is elevated several feet above the frame's level. Usually, the cab is mounted on the left-hand side of the frame structure. Normally, the cab's bottom half is low and situated between the tires. The hydraulic fuel tank and the fuel tank are mounted opposite the cab on the right-hand side. Along the center-line of the vehicle, the transmission and the engine are mounted within the frame.
Beyond this basic configuration, various manufacturers have contributed to their own unique design. On the market nowadays, there are numerous options offered. Certain models of forklifts utilize a single hydraulic cylinder in order to elevate the boom, and other units utilize 2 cylinders. Some models use a side-to-side hydraulic frame leveling capability. This particular feature enables the frame to tilt up to 10 degrees relative to the axles so as to allow the machine to compensate for extreme axle articulation. This is utilized for instance, when the tires on one side of the lift truck are situated down in a rut and the tires on the other side of the equipment are up, situated on a mound of dirt.
Another common design feature comprises fork attachments which are capable of swinging up to 45 degrees both left and right, in order to enable precise load placement.