Buying Tips
When purchasing a forklift, there are actually lots of factors to take into account because this decision can impact numerous things such as productivity, operating costs, equipment downtime, and even worker morale.
Below is a brief list of factors to think about when deciding on a new or used forklift. There is certainly some specific questions the sales consultant should address in order to help you select the best option which is best for your company.
Step 1: Identify Your Requirements
Identifying your requirements would eventually help that you can find the best most capable lift truck for your company. How big are your typical load sizes? Are they 3,000 pounds to 35,000 pounds or even heavier? How many hours each day would you be utilizing this machine? Would you be running the machinery outdoors or indoors or potentially both? How wide are your narrowest aisles to go through? Answering these questions accurately will make certain that you are satisfied with the unit you choose.
Step2: Brand new Vs. Used Forklifts
You may want to purchase a new unit of lift truck if you are planning to utilize your forklift for more than 4 hours per day. The warranty benefits alone would really be handy. A used option will more than likely be adequate for infrequent applications and light duty.
Step 3: Fuel Options
The big electric forklift batteries would allow the lift truck to run for roughly 8 hours. These specific power sources make forklifts uniquely suited for indoor use as they generate no harmful emissions. Though electric models are generally more expensive than other models, they have lower operating costs. Electric lift trucks are much quieter to run and do not have fuel storage requirements to think about. In addition, these kinds of machinery have fewer moving parts so they have a longer life span since they have fewer parts to get worn down.
Among the disadvantages of the battery operated forklifts is that they require battery recharging posts and this could take approximately 8 hours. There is an additional 8 hours needed for cooling. Recent changes 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
Forklifts are equipped with either pneumatic or air-filled, inflated tires or cushion tires that are made up of solid rubber. There can be also solid pneumatic tires which are a combination of the two. The pneumatic tire type is great for outdoor applications. Cushion tires are perfect for interior use and solid pneumatic tires are the perfect alternative for hazardous work settings where there is a chance for regular tires being popped by rough terrain or sharp objects.