Buying Tips
When buying a forklift, there are actually a lot of things to take into account because this decision may impact a lot of things such as productivity, operating expenses, equipment downtime, and even worker morale.
When you are thinking of choosing a new or second-hand forklift, the following is a short list of factors to take into account. There are actually some specific questions the sales consultant should address to be able to help you pick the best option which is right for your company.
Step 1: Identify Your Requirements
Identifying your requirements would ultimately help that you can find the best most capable lift truck for your business. How large are your normal 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? Accurately answering these questions will make sure that you are satisfied with the unit you choose.
Step2: New Vs. Second-hand Forklifts
You may want to purchase a brand new model of forklift if you are intending to use your forklift for more than 4 hours per day. The warranty benefits alone would come in handy. A used option would probably be adequate for light duty and infrequent applications.
Step 3: Fuel Options
The huge electric forklift batteries would allow the forklift to run for approximately 8 hours. These specific power sources make forklifts uniquely suited for indoor application because they generate no harmful emissions. Even though electric units are generally more pricey than different other kinds of lift trucks, they have less operating expenses. Electric lift trucks are a lot quieter to run and do not have fuel storage needs to take into consideration. As well, these machinery have less moving parts so they have a longer life span because they have fewer components to get worn down.
Amongst the disadvantages of the battery operated forklifts is that they require battery recharging posts and this can take around 8 hours. There is an additional 8 hours required for cooling. Recent changes have made their way onto the market in order to significantly reduce charging time. The fast-charge technology has become a wonderful new thing.
Step 4: Tire Choice
Lift Trucks are outfitted with either pneumatic or inflated, air-filled tires or cushion tires that are made up of solid rubber. There can be also solid pneumatic tires that are a combination of the two. The pneumatic tire kind is best suited to be utilized outside. Cushion tires are great for interior use and solid pneumatic tires are the perfect option for hazardous work environments where there is potential for regular tires being popped by rough terrain or sharp objects.