Tire Types
Cushion tires are generally considered solid tires with no tread pattern. These tires are made for indoor smooth and solid surfaces. There are tread patterns available however, which are more suitable for different surface environments. The cushion tires are common on smooth warehouse floors and in similar applications.
Pneumatic tires on the other hand will require air and are designed particularly for loose surfaces on uneven ground. The pneumatic tire provides a higher ground clearance over solid tires. This raises the forklift's center of gravity and greatly reduces its rated lift capacity. Most often, pneumatic tires are utilized in rough terrain environments due to their ability to negotiate uneven surfaces in a smoother manner. Lots of construction sites and agricultural or mining applications depend on these tires to be able to make certain the equipment could travel as carefully and safe as possible.
Lift Capacity and Lift Height
It is important to understand the maximum dimensions and weight of the loads you will be handling in order to determine the capacity of the vehicle needed. What's more, you should know the maximum fork height required in order to stack or rack the loads. These factors, the load size and the lifting height, really affect the lift capacity of the truck. A bigger size load can move the center of gravity of the vehicle and change the load combination. This reduces the lifting capacity of the equipment as well as affects the height and the load being lifted. Utilizing different attachments can also affect the truck's overall capacity.
Mast Options
On the market nowadays are several different options of forklift masts. These comprise: single, double, triple and quad masts. The number indicated the amount of sections on the mast. In various circumstances, you will not be needed to make any choices as the lift height would dictate the kind of mast you would get, although, in trucks with very high lift heights, you may have an alternative.