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Reduce repairs with regular inspections
A forklift technician may have coined the saying, "Pay me now or pay me later." That's because it usually costs more to procrastinate when it comes to forklifts. Minor fixes can turn into expensive repairs.
One way to help prevent damaged loads and major repairs is to inspect your forklift's front end regularly as part of your daily or pre-shift inspection. Here are some guidelines on what to check.
Tilt Cylinders
Look for oil leaks or damage. Oil leakage can cause uncontrolled mast movement, which is never good. Whether the leaks are external or inside the cylinder, the result can be cylinder drift and loss of fluid.
If you see signs of leaks or damage, you need to either replace the seals or the entire cylinder assembly.
Chains
You don't want mast lift chains to stretch beyond acceptable limits, so look for that. Also check for signs of wear or damage. Use a chain wear gauge. If wear is beyond 2 percent, replace the chain. The same is true for kinked or rusted chain - replace it.
You also want to check out the chain rollers and sheave bearings for signs of wear. A worn bearing can accelerate wear on the chain. We've found that mast lift chains wear at the pin-to-link connections, so look at those spots. If you find wear, you could experience chain failure, which can damage product and/or the other front-end components.
Mast
You want to make sure the mast moves up and down smoothly when you operate the lift control lever. Also check to see if the mast tilts forward and back smoothly.
If the sliding surfaces are binding, you may need to lubricate the mast strip sliding surfaces and their fittings. There's a fitting on each side of the inner mast. Another lubrication spot is the lift bracket side rollers. Again, there's one on each side roller.
After lubricating, raise and lower the mast and tilt it forward and back a few times to work the lubricant into the fittings.
Forks
Look for cracks, damage and wear. Worn or cracked forks can fail without warning. Of course, fork damage means taking the truck out of service immediately.
Forks can't really be repaired safely, so replace them if cracks are deeper than on the surface. Other indications that you need to replace forks include wear beyond 10 percent, bent forks, uneven fork tines and indications that they've been modified by cutting or welding near the tip.
As part of your inspection routine, don't forget:
Your dealer's phone number
If you need help learning what to check on your forklift's front end, give your local dealer a call. Their trained service technicians can show you proper inspection techniques.
Your service options
If you don't have time to regularly inspect your fleet for front-end problems or other maintenance items, your local dealer can help. Their trained service technicians can perform planned maintenance (PM) inspections according to your application and scheduling needs. Call your dealer's service manager to find out more. |
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