Raw Materials
The cab, body, frame and boom of a telescoping boom rough terrain forklift are normally manufactured by a lift truck manufacturer. The most common material for these subassemblies is steel, because of its amazing strength. At times aluminum or steel forgings are used also. It is common for non-metallic materials like nylon plastic blocks to be utilized as guides within the boom assembly. The other parts are usually purchased as finished products and the forklift maker installs them.
Some of the pre-assembled bought products include the transmission, seat, axles, engine, tires, wheels and hoses, lights, back-up alarms, gauges and hydraulic cylinders. Most often, some materials such as the fuel and lubricants and hydraulic fluids are bought in bulk. These liquids are added as required once the equipment is assembled and has passed the meticulous 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 machine. The model's boom is mounted at the rear of the forklift off of a pivot feature that is elevated a few feet above the level of the frame. Normally, the cab is mounted on the left-hand side of the frame structure. Normally, the bottom half of the cab is low and situated between the tires. The fuel tank and the hydraulic fuel tank are mounted opposite the cab on the right-hand side. Along the vehicle's center-line, the engine and the transmission are mounted inside the frame.
Various manufacturers have contributed their own unique designs beyond this basic configuration. These days, there are numerous options available on the market. Some models of forklifts utilize a single hydraulic cylinder to be able to raise the boom, and other units utilize 2 cylinders. Some models utilize a side-to-side hydraulic frame leveling capability. This particular feature allows the frame to tilt up to 10 degrees relative to the axles in order to allow the machinery to compensate for extreme axle articulation. This is used for instance, when the tires on one side of the lift truck are situated down in a rut and the tires on the other side of the machinery are up, located on a mound of dirt.
One more common design feature comprises fork attachments that are capable of swinging up to 45 degrees both left and right, in order to enable accurate load placement.