Buying Tips
There are actually many factors to take into account when buying a forklift. Deciding on the best machine can have a huge impact on everything from productivity to operating expenses, to machine downtime and worker morale.
Here is a short list of things to consider when deciding on a new or used lift truck. There can be some specific questions the sales consultant must deal with to be able to help you pick the best option that is right for your business.
Step 1: Identify Your Requirements
Identifying your requirements would eventually help that you could find the best most capable forklift for your business. How big are your normal load sizes? Are they 3,000 pounds to 35,000 pounds or even heavier? How many hours every day will you be utilizing this machinery? Would you be running the equipment outdoors or indoors or potentially both? How wide are your narrowest aisles to travel through? Accurately answering these questions will ensure you are happy with the model you select.
Step2: Second-hand Vs. New Forklifts
You may want to buy a new model of forklift if you are planning to utilize your forklift for more than 4 hours a day. The warranty benefits alone would come in handy. A second-hand alternative would more than likely be adequate for infrequent applications and light duty.
Step 3: Fuel Options
The big electric lift truck batteries will allow the lift truck to run for around 8 hours. These particular power sources make lift trucks uniquely suited for indoor use since they produce no harmful emissions. Even though electric units are generally more pricey than various other types of lift trucks, they have lower operating expenses. Electric forklifts are much quieter to run and do not have fuel storage needs to consider. Also, these machinery have less moving parts so they have a longer life span because they have fewer components to get worn down.
One of the downsides of the battery operated lift trucks is that they need battery recharging posts and this could take approximately 8 hours. There is an additional 8 hours required for cooling. Recent innovations have made their way onto the market so as to significantly 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 utilize a solid pneumatic tires, that is a combination of the two kinds of tire. The pneumatic tire type is perfect for outside use. Cushion tires are great to be utilized indoors and solid pneumatic tires are the best choice for hazardous work settings where there is a chance for standard tires being popped by sharp objects on rough terrain.