Buying Tips
There can be numerous things to take into consideration when buying a lift truck. Choosing the right machine could have a big impact on everything from productivity to operating costs, to machine downtime and worker morale.
Below is a short list of things to think about when deciding on a new or used forklift. There can be some particular questions the sales consultant should address in order to help you pick the best option that is right for your business.
Step 1: Identify Your Requirements
Taking the time to identify your needs will help ensure that you could find a capable machinery. What size are your average loads? Are they 3,000 pounds to 35,000 pounds or even heavier? How many hours every day will you be utilizing this machine? Would you be running the equipment indoors or outdoors or possibly both? How wide are your narrowest aisles to go through? Correctly answering these questions would make certain that you are happy with the unit you select.
Step2: Second-hand Vs. New Forklifts
If you are intending to utilize your lift truck more than 4 hours a day, you would probably want to buy a new unit. The warranty benefits alone would really be handy. A used choice will probably be adequate for infrequent applications and light duty.
Step 3: Fuel Options
The big electric forklift batteries will allow the forklift to run for about 8 hours. These specific power sources make lift trucks uniquely suited for indoor use since they produce no harmful emissions. Though electric models are usually more expensive than other models, they have lower operating costs. Electric forklifts are a lot quieter to run and do not have fuel storage requirements to think about. Moreover, these machinery have less moving parts so they have a longer life span as they have fewer parts to get worn down.
The electric lift truck is not without its downsides however. These machinery need recharging posts which can take as much as 8 hours th charge. There is an additional 8 hours needed for cooling. Recent innovations have made their way onto the market so as to considerably lessen charging time. The fast-charge technology has become a wonderful new thing.
Step 4: Tire Choice
Common lift trucks utilize cushion tires made up of solid rubber or they would be equipped with pneumatic or air-filled, inflated tires. Several lift trucks would use a solid pneumatic tires, that is a combination of the two kinds of tire. The pneumatic tire type is perfect to be utilized outdoors. Cushion tires are best to be utilized inside and solid pneumatic tires are the perfect choice for hazardous work environments where there is a chance for regular tires being popped by sharp objects on rough terrain.