Buying Tips
There are actually many factors to take into consideration when buying a lift truck. Choosing the best equipment can have a huge impact on everything from production to operating costs, to machine downtime and employee morale.
Below is a brief list of factors to think about when deciding on a new or used lift truck. There are several specific questions the sales consultant has to address to be able to help you choose the best option which is best for your business.
Step 1: Identify Your Requirements
Identifying your requirements would ultimately help that you can find the best most capable forklift 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 would you be utilizing this equipment? Would you be running the machine outdoors or indoors or potentially both? How wide are your narrowest aisles to go through? Accurately answering these questions will ensure you are happy with the unit you pick.
Step2: New Vs. Used Lift Trucks
You may want to buy a brand new model of lift truck if you are intending to utilize your forklift for more than 4 hours per day. The warranty benefits alone will really be handy. A second-hand option would more than likely be adequate for light duty and infrequent applications.
Step 3: Fuel Options
The large electric forklift batteries will allow the lift truck to run for around 8 hours. These specific power sources make lift trucks uniquely suited for indoor application because they generate no harmful emissions. Even if electric models are generally more expensive compared to other models, they have less operating expenses. Electric forklifts are a lot quieter to run and do not have fuel storage requirements to think about. What's more, these equipment have less moving components so they have a longer life span as they have fewer components to get worn down.
One of the disadvantages of the battery operated lift trucks is that they need battery recharging stations and this could take around 8 hours. There is an additional 8 hours needed for cooling. Recent innovations have made their way onto the market so as to considerably reduce charging time. The fast-charge technology has become a wonderful new thing.
Step 4: Tire Choice
Common forklifts utilize cushion tires made up of solid rubber or they will be equipped with pneumatic or air-filled, inflated tires. Several lift trucks will utilize a solid pneumatic tires, which is a combination of the two kinds of tire. The pneumatic tire kind is perfect for outdoor applications. Cushion tires are best for interior use and solid pneumatic tires are the perfect option for hazardous work settings where there is potential for regular tires being popped by rough terrain or sharp objects.