Buying Tips
There are lots of factors to take into consideration when buying a forklift. Deciding on the right machine can have a huge effect on everything from production to operating expenses, to machine downtime and employee morale.
When you are thinking of choosing a new or used forklift, the following is a brief list of factors to take into account. There can be some particular questions the sales consultant should deal with to be able to help you pick the best option which is most suitable for your company.
Step 1: Identify Your Needs
Identifying your requirements will eventually help that you can 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 would you be utilizing this equipment? Will you be running the machine indoors or outdoors or potentially both? How wide are your narrowest aisles to go through? Correctly answering these questions will make certain that you are happy with the model you select.
Step2: Used Vs. New Forklifts
If you are intending to use your lift truck more than 4 hours per day, you would probably want to buy a brand new unit. The warranty benefits alone will come in handy. A second-hand alternative will probably be enough for infrequent applications and light duty.
Step 3: Fuel Options
The huge electric forklift batteries would allow the forklift to run for about 8 hours. These particular power sources make lift trucks uniquely suited for indoor application as they produce no harmful emissions. Although electric units are usually more pricey compared to other units, they have less operating costs. Electric lift trucks are a lot quieter to run and do not have fuel storage needs to take into consideration. What's more, these kinds of machinery have less moving components so they have a longer life span as they have less components to get worn down.
Among the downsides of the battery operated forklifts is that they require battery recharging posts and this can take roughly 8 hours. There is an additional 8 hours needed for cooling. Recent innovations have made their way onto the market in order to significantly reduce 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 would be outfitted with pneumatic or inflated, air-filled tires. Some lift trucks will utilize a solid pneumatic tires, that is a combination of the two types of tire. The pneumatic tire style is best suited to be utilized outside. Cushion tires are great for interior applications and solid pneumatic tires are the perfect choice for hazardous work environments where there is a risk for standard tires being popped by sharp objects on rough terrain.