Tire Types
Generally, cushion tires are solid tires which have no tread pattern. They are mainly made to be used on solid and smooth surfaces, normally indoors. There are tread patterns available though, which are more suitable for different surface environments. The cushion tires are popular on smooth warehouse floors and in similar applications.
Pneumatic tires however would need air and are designed specially for uneven ground and loose surfaces. The pneumatic tire provides a higher ground clearance over solid tires. This raises the center of gravity of the forklift and greatly reduces its rated lift capacity. More often than not, pneumatic tires are used in rough terrain environments due to their ability to negotiate uneven surfaces in a smoother manner. Numerous construction sites and mining or agricultural operations depend on these tires in order to make sure the machinery can travel as safe and carefully as possible.
Lift Capacity and Lift Height
It is important to know the maximum dimensions and weight of the loads you will be handling in order to determine the capacity of the vehicle needed. Additionally, you will need to know the maximum fork height needed in order to stack or rack the loads. These factors, the lifting height as well as the load size, greatly affect the truck's lifting capacity. A larger size load could move the vehicle's center of gravity and change the load combination. This reduces the lifting capacity of the equipment and affects the load being lifted and the height. Utilizing various kinds of attachments could also affect the overall capacity of the truck.
Mast Options
On the market nowadays are various choices of forklift masts. These comprise: quad, triple, double and single masts. The number indicated the amount of sections on the mast. In different circumstances, you will not be needed to make any choices as the lift height will dictate the kind of mast you would get, however, in trucks with really high lift heights, you can have an alternative.