Buying Tips
There can be a lot of things to take into account when buying a forklift. Choosing the best machinery could have a huge impact on everything from production to operating expenses, to equipment downtime and employee morale.
Below is a brief list of things to think about when deciding on a brand new or second-hand forklift. There are several specific questions the sales consultant should address in order to help you choose the best option that is most suitable for your business.
Step 1: Identify Your Needs
Making the time to identify your requirements will help ensure that you could find a capable machine. What size are your typical loads? Are they 3,000 pounds to 35,000 pounds or even heavier? How many hours each day would you be utilizing this equipment? Would you be running the machine outdoors or indoors or possibly both? How wide are your narrowest aisles to go through? Correctly answering these questions would ensure you are happy with the unit you pick.
Step2: New Vs. Second-hand Lift Trucks
If you are planning to use your lift truck more than 4 hours a day, you will probably want to buy a brand new model. The warranty benefits alone would come in handy. A second-hand option will more than likely be adequate for light duty and infrequent applications.
Step 3: Fuel Options
The large electric lift truck batteries will allow the forklift to run for roughly 8 hours. These specific power sources make forklifts uniquely suited for indoor application as they produce no harmful emissions. Even though electric units are usually more expensive than other units, they have less operating expenses. Electric forklifts are a lot quieter to run and do not have fuel storage requirements to think about. What's more, these machinery have less moving components so they have a longer life span since they have less parts to get worn down.
The electric lift truck is not without its disadvantages though. These equipment need recharging stations which can take as long as 8 hours th charge. There is an added 8 hours needed for cooling. Recent changes have made their way onto the market in order to significantly lessen charging time. The fast-charge technology has become a great new thing.
Step 4: Tire Choice
Common lift trucks utilize cushion tires made up of solid rubber or they will be outfitted with pneumatic or air-filled, inflated tires. Several forklifts will utilize a solid pneumatic tires, which is a combination of the two types of tire. The pneumatic tire style is perfect to be utilized outdoors. Cushion tires are perfect to be utilized indoors and solid pneumatic tires are the perfect choice for hazardous work settings where there is potential for regular tires being popped by sharp objects on rough terrain.