Buying Tips
When buying a forklift, there can be many factors to take into consideration since this decision can impact a lot of things such as production, operating costs, machine downtime, and even employee morale.
Here is a brief list of things to think about when deciding on a new or second-hand forklift. There can be some particular questions the sales consultant should deal with in order to help you select the best alternative that is right for your business.
Step 1: Identify Your Requirements
Taking the time to identify your requirements will help ensure that you can find a capable equipment. What size are your standard loads? Are they 3,000 pounds to 35,000 pounds or even heavier? How many hours every day will you be utilizing this machine? Will you be running the equipment indoors or outdoors or possibly both? How wide are your narrowest aisles to go through? Answering these questions accurately will make sure that you are satisfied with the model you select.
Step2: Used Vs. Brand new Forklifts
You may want to purchase a brand new model of lift truck if you are planning to utilize your forklift for more than 4 hours per day. The warranty benefits alone will truly be handy. A second-hand alternative would probably be enough for infrequent applications and light duty.
Step 3: Fuel Options
Usually, the huge batteries that power electric forklifts could run for an 8 hour shift. The electric units are best suited for indoor use because they produce no harmful emissions. Although electric models are normally more expensive compared to other models, they have less operating expenses. Electric lift trucks are a lot quieter to run and do not have fuel storage requirements to think about. In addition, these machinery have less moving components so they have a longer life span as they have less parts to get worn down.
The electric lift truck is not without its disadvantages though. These equipment require recharging posts that can take as long as 8 hours th charge. There is an additional 8 hours required for cooling. Recent changes have made their way onto the market so as to significantly lessen charging time. The fast-charge technology has become a great new thing.
Step 4: Tire Choice
Forklifts are equipped with either pneumatic or inflated, air-filled tires or cushion tires that are made up of solid rubber. There are also solid pneumatic tires that are a combination of the two. The pneumatic tire kind is perfect for outdoor applications. Cushion tires are perfect to be used inside and solid pneumatic tires are the best option for dangerous work environments where there is potential for regular tires being popped by rough terrain or sharp objects.