Buying Tips
When buying a forklift, there is certainly numerous things to take into account because this decision can impact lots of things such as productivity, operating costs, machine downtime, and even worker morale.
Below is a short list of things to think about when deciding on a brand new or second-hand forklift. There are actually some specific questions the sales consultant has to address in order to help you pick the best alternative that is best for your business.
Step 1: Identify Your Needs
Taking the time to identify your requirements would help ensure that you can find a capable machinery. What size are your standard loads? Are they 3,000 pounds to 35,000 pounds or even heavier? How many hours each day would you be using this machine? Will you be running the equipment outdoors or indoors or potentially both? How wide are your narrowest aisles to travel through? Answering these questions correctly would ensure you are happy with the model you select.
Step2: Brand new Vs. Second-hand Forklifts
You may want to buy a new unit of forklift if you are planning to utilize your lift truck for more than 4 hours a day. The warranty benefits alone will come in handy. A used option will more than likely be adequate for infrequent applications and light duty.
Step 3: Fuel Options
The huge electric forklift batteries will allow the forklift to run for around 8 hours. These specific power sources make forklifts uniquely suited for indoor application as they produce no harmful emissions. Though electric units are generally more pricey compared to different other types of forklifts, they have lower operating expenses. Electric forklifts are much quieter to run and do not have fuel storage requirements to take into consideration. Moreover, these kinds of equipment have fewer moving parts so they have a longer life span as they have less components to get worn down.
The electric lift truck is not without its downsides though. These machines require recharging posts that can take as long as 8 hours th charge. There is an added 8 hours needed for cooling. Recent innovations have made their way onto the market in order to considerably lessen charging time. The fast-charge technology has become a great new thing.
Step 4: Tire Choice
Lift Trucks are equipped with either pneumatic or inflated, air-filled tires or cushion tires that are made up of solid rubber. There is certainly also solid pneumatic tires which are a combination of the two. The pneumatic tire type is great to be used outside. Cushion tires are best to be used indoors and solid pneumatic tires are the perfect alternative for dangerous work environments where there is a chance for regular tires being popped by rough terrain or sharp objects.