Buying Tips
There is certainly many factors to take into consideration when purchasing a forklift. Choosing the right machine can have a huge impact on everything from productivity to operating expenses, to equipment downtime and worker morale.
Here is a brief list of factors to consider when deciding on a new or used forklift. There is certainly some particular questions the sales consultant must address to be able to help you select the best alternative that is most suitable for your business.
Step 1: Identify Your Requirements
Identifying your needs would eventually help that you could find the best most capable lift truck for your company. How big are your normal load sizes? Are they 3,000 pounds to 35,000 pounds or even heavier? How many hours each day will you be utilizing this machine? Will you be running the machinery outdoors or indoors or potentially both? How wide are your narrowest aisles to travel through? Accurately answering these questions will make certain that you are happy with the unit you select.
Step2: Used Vs. Brand new Forklifts
If you are planning to utilize your forklift more than 4 hours a day, you would probably want to purchase a brand new unit. The warranty benefits alone would come in handy. A used option will probably be enough for infrequent applications and light duty.
Step 3: Fuel Options
The large electric forklift batteries would allow the lift truck to run for roughly 8 hours. These particular power sources make lift trucks uniquely suited for indoor application as they generate no harmful emissions. Although electric units are generally more expensive compared to various 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. In addition, these types of equipment have fewer moving components so they have a longer life span since they have fewer parts to get worn down.
Among the downsides of the battery operated lift trucks is that they need battery recharging posts and this can take approximately 8 hours. There is an added 8 hours needed for cooling. Recent innovations 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 forklifts use cushion tires made up of solid rubber or they would be outfitted with pneumatic or inflated, air-filled tires. Some lift trucks will use a solid pneumatic tires, that is a combination of the two kinds of tire. The pneumatic tire style is great to be utilized outdoors. Cushion tires are perfect for interior applications and solid pneumatic tires are the perfect choice for hazardous work environments where there is potential for standard tires being popped by rough terrain or sharp objects.