In order to help avoid the need for costly lift truck repairs, it is suggested to check the front end of your lift truck frequently as part of your pre-shift and even daily examination. By catching any problems ahead of time or as they happen, you can also help prevent damage to any kind of cargo as well. The following includes some of the common guidelines on what particular stuff to check during frequent inspections of your material handling fleet.
Forks
Regularly inspecting the forks is important because if these are cracked or worn out, they might fail without warning. Any type of fork damage means that your lift truck must immediately be removed from service until it is safe and repaired once again. Visually check your forks for any noticeable indications of wear or damage. If the cracks run deeper than on the surface, replace them. Any kind of wear on the forks beyond 10 percent is one more sign that you should replace the forks.
Mast
Ideally, the mast must tilt back and forward and be able to smoothly move down and up. If you find that the sliding surfaces are binding, you might have to grease the mast strip sliding surfaces as well as their fittings. On the inner mast there is a fitting located on every side. The lift bracket side rollers are a different lubrication point and there is also one on every side roller. When the lubricating has been done, raise and lower the mast and also tilt it backward and forward a few times in order to ensure that the lubricant is worked correctly into the fittings.
Tilt Cylinders
Your daily check needs to involve the checking for damage and oil leaks since an uncontrolled mast movement can be caused by oil leakage. Whether the leaks are situated inside of the cylinder or are external, the end result may be loss of fluid and cylinder drift. If there are any indications of leaks or damage, you may need to replace the whole cylinder assembly, or just the seals.
Chains
The mast chains need to be checked to see if they are being stretched beyond their acceptable limits. Moreover, check the chain wear guage or check the chains for indications of damage. If there is wear beyond 2 percent, replace the chain. Also replace it if the chain appears kinked or rusted. The chain rollers and the sheave bearings must also be checked for indications of wear.
The mast lift chain would typically wear at the pin-to-link connections. You could experience chain failure if you discover wear. This can end up damaging the product or front end components. If you need help determining what exactly to inspect on your lift trucks or if you do not have time on hand to carry out regular fleet inspections, simply contact your local lift truck dealer. Their skilled service technicians will help your perform PM or planned maintenance checks according to your application needs and scheduling.