Raw Materials
The body, cab, boom and frame of a telescoping boom rough terrain forklift are usually made by a lift truck manufacturer. The most popular material used for these subassemblies is steel, because of its tremendous strength. At times aluminum or steel forgings are used too. It is common for non-metallic materials like nylon plastic blocks to be utilized as guides in the boom assembly. The other components are normally bought as finished products and the lift truck maker installs them.
Several of the pre-assembled purchased products comprise the transmission, seat, engine, axles, tires, wheels and hoses, backup-alarm, lights, gauges and hydraulic cylinders. Usually, certain materials like the fuel and lubricants and hydraulic fluids are purchased in bulk. These liquids are added as needed once the equipment is assembled and has passed the meticulous testing sessions.
Design
The common design which is most standard of telescoping boom rough terrain forklifts is a narrow and long design that has a set of wheels at the front of the model and another set situated towards the rear of the machinery. The boom portion of the unit is mounted at the back of the forklift off of a pivot feature that is raised several feet above the frame's level. Normally, the cab is mounted on the left-hand side of the frame structure. Normally, the cab's bottom half is low and situated between the tires. The fuel tank and the hydraulic fuel tank are mounted opposite the cab on the right-hand side. Along the center-line of the vehicle, the engine and the transmission are mounted in the frame.
Various manufacturers have contributed their own unique designs beyond this basic configuration. Today, there are many different options available on the market. Certain models of forklifts make use of a single hydraulic cylinder in order to elevate the boom, and other models make use of 2 cylinders. Several models utilize a side-to-side hydraulic frame leveling capability. This feature allows the frame to tilt up to 10 degrees relative to the axles in order to allow the equipment to compensate for extreme axle articulation. Like for example, this is utilized when the tires on one side of the forklift are situated down in a rut and the tires on the other side of the equipment are up, situated on a mound of dirt.
Another common design feature comprises fork attachments which are capable of swinging up to 45 degrees both right and left, in order to allow precise load placement.