Buying Tips
When purchasing a forklift, there can be numerous things to take into consideration as this decision can impact many things such as productivity, operating costs, equipment downtime, and even worker morale.
When you are thinking of choosing a new or used forklift, the following is a brief list of factors to take into consideration. There are actually several particular questions the sales consultant has to deal with in order to help you choose the best option that is most suitable for your company.
Step 1: Identify Your Requirements
Making the time to identify your needs will help ensure that you can find a capable machinery. What size are your standard loads? Are they 3,000 pounds to 35,000 pounds or even heavier? How many hours each day would you be using this equipment? Will you be running the machinery indoors or outdoors or possibly both? How wide are your narrowest aisles to travel through? Correctly answering these questions will make sure that you are happy with the model you pick.
Step2: New Vs. Second-hand Forklifts
You might want to purchase a new unit of lift truck if you are intending to use your forklift for more than 4 hours a day. The warranty benefits alone would truly be handy. A used choice would probably be enough for infrequent applications and light duty.
Step 3: Fuel Options
Typically, the big batteries that power electric forklifts can run for an 8 hour shift. The electric models are best suited for indoor use as they generate no harmful emissions. Even though electric units are generally more expensive compared to various other kinds of lift trucks, they have less operating expenses. Electric lift trucks are much quieter to run and do not have fuel storage needs to consider. Additionally, these machines have less moving parts so they have a longer life span because they have fewer components to get worn down.
The electric forklift is not without its downsides though. These machines need recharging posts that can take as much as 8 hours th charge. There is an additional 8 hours required for cooling. Recent changes have made their way onto the market in order to considerably lessen charging time. The fast-charge technology has become a great new thing.
Step 4: Tire Choice
Common forklifts utilize cushion tires made up of solid rubber or they will be outfitted with pneumatic or inflated, air-filled tires. Several lift trucks will use a solid pneumatic tires, which is a combination of the two kinds of tire. The pneumatic tire kind is great to be utilized outside. Cushion tires are great for indoor use and solid pneumatic tires are the best alternative for hazardous work settings where there is a risk for regular tires being popped by rough terrain or sharp objects.