Raw Materials
The telescoping boom rough terrain forklift's body, cab, boom and frame are normally made by a forklift maker. Steel is the most common materials used to make these as they have amazing strength. At times steel forgings or aluminum are used as well. It is common for non-metallic materials like for example nylon plastic blocks to be used as guides in the boom assembly. The other parts are typically bought as finished products and the lift truck maker installs them.
Several of the pre-assembled purchased products include the seat, transmission, engine, axles, wheels, hoses and tires, lights, back-up alarms, gauges and hydraulic cylinders. Normally, some materials like for instance the hydraulic fluid and fuel and lubricants are bought in bulk. These liquids are added as needed once the equipment is assembled and has passed the rigorous testing sessions.
Design
The long and narrow design of the telescoping boom rough terrain forklift is most common, with a set of wheels at the front of the unit and another set situated towards the rear of the machinery. The boom portion of the unit is mounted at the forklift's rear off of a pivot feature which is raised a few feet above the frame's level. Generally, the cab is mounted on the left-hand side of the frame structure. Typically, the bottom half of the cab is low and located between the tires. The hydraulic fuel tank and the fuel tank are mounted on the right-hand side, opposite the cab. Along the center-line of the vehicle, the engine and the transmission are mounted within the frame.
Beyond this basic configuration, various manufacturers have contributed to their own unique design. On the market today, there are many different options available. Certain units of forklifts make use of a single hydraulic cylinder in order to raise the boom, and other units use 2 cylinders. Some models use a side-to-side hydraulic frame leveling capability. This feature enables the frame to tilt up to 10 degrees relative to the axles in order to allow the machine to compensate for extreme axle articulation. Like for example, this is used when the tires on one side of the lift truck are located down in a rut and the tires on the other side of the machine are up, situated on a mound of dirt.
One more common design feature includes fork attachments which are capable of swinging up to 45 degrees both right and left, in order to enable accurate load placement.