Buying Tips
When purchasing a lift truck, there can be many things to take into account as this decision may impact numerous things like productivity, operating costs, machine downtime, and even employee morale.
Below is a short list of factors to consider when deciding on a brand new or second-hand lift truck. There is certainly several particular questions the sales consultant must address in order to help you select the best alternative that is most suitable for your company.
Step 1: Identify Your Needs
Identifying your requirements will ultimately help that you can find the best most capable forklift for your business. 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 using this equipment? Would you be running the machine outdoors or indoors or potentially both? How wide are your narrowest aisles to go through? Answering these questions accurately would ensure you are satisfied with the unit you select.
Step2: Brand new Vs. Second-hand Forklifts
If you are intending to utilize your forklift more than 4 hours a day, you would probably want to buy a new model. The warranty benefits alone will come in handy. A second-hand choice would more than likely be adequate for light duty and infrequent applications.
Step 3: Fuel Options
The huge electric lift truck batteries will allow the forklift to run for about 8 hours. These specific power sources make forklifts uniquely suited for indoor use as they generate no harmful emissions. Although electric models are normally more expensive compared to other models, they have less operating expenses. Electric forklifts are much quieter to run and do not have fuel storage requirements to take into consideration. What's more, these types of equipment have less moving parts so they have a longer life span because they have less components to get worn down.
Amongst the downsides of the battery operated lift trucks is that they need battery recharging stations and this can take approximately 8 hours. There is an additional 8 hours required for cooling. Recent innovations have made their way onto the market in order to considerably reduce charging time. The fast-charge technology has become a great new thing.
Step 4: Tire Choice
Common lift trucks utilize cushion tires made up of solid rubber or they would be outfitted with pneumatic or air-filled, inflated tires. Some forklifts will utilize a solid pneumatic tires, which is a combination of the two kinds of tire. The pneumatic tire kind is great for outside applications. Cushion tires are best to be used indoors and solid pneumatic tires are the perfect alternative for dangerous work settings where there is potential for regular tires being popped by rough terrain or sharp objects.