Buying Tips
There are actually many things to take into account when buying a forklift. Choosing the best equipment could have a huge effect on everything from productivity to operating costs, to equipment downtime and employee morale.
When you are thinking of choosing a brand new or used forklift, the following is a brief list of factors to take into account. There is certainly some particular questions the sales consultant must deal with in order to help you pick the best option that is best for your company.
Step 1: Identify Your Needs
Making the time to identify your requirements would help ensure that you can find a capable machinery. What size are your typical loads? Are they 3,000 pounds to 35,000 pounds or even heavier? How many hours each day will you be utilizing this machinery? Would you be running the equipment outdoors or indoors or potentially both? How wide are your narrowest aisles to go through? Accurately answering these questions would ensure you are satisfied with the unit you choose.
Step2: Used Vs. Brand new Forklifts
If you are intending to use your forklift more than 4 hours per day, you will probably want to buy a new model. The warranty benefits alone would come in handy. A used choice would 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 around 8 hours. These specific power sources make forklifts uniquely suited for indoor use since they generate no harmful emissions. Although electric units are generally more pricey compared to different other kinds of lift trucks, they have lower operating costs. Electric forklifts are a lot quieter to run and do not have fuel storage needs to take into consideration. In addition, these machines have less moving parts so they have a longer life span because they have less parts to get worn down.
The electric lift truck is not without its downsides however. These machines require recharging posts which could 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 so as to significantly reduce charging time. The fast-charge technology has become a wonderful new thing.
Step 4: Tire Choice
Common forklifts use cushion tires made up of solid rubber or they would be outfitted with pneumatic or air-filled, inflated tires. Some forklifts would use a solid pneumatic tires, which is a combination of the two kinds of tire. The pneumatic tire type is great to be utilized outdoors. Cushion tires are perfect to be used indoors and solid pneumatic tires are the best option for hazardous work environments where there is potential for regular tires being popped by rough terrain or sharp objects.