Buying Tips
When purchasing a lift truck, there are a lot of things to take into account as this decision may impact a lot of things like production, operating expenses, machine downtime, and even employee morale.
Below is a short list of things to consider when deciding on a brand new or used forklift. There can be some specific questions the sales consultant should address to be able to help you choose the best alternative 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 typical load sizes? Are they 3,000 pounds to 35,000 pounds or even heavier? How many hours every day would you be using this machinery? Will you be running the equipment indoors or outdoors or potentially both? How wide are your narrowest aisles to go through? Accurately answering these questions will ensure you are satisfied with the model you pick.
Step2: Brand new Vs. Used Lift Trucks
You may want to purchase a brand new model of forklift if you are planning to use your forklift for more than 4 hours per day. The warranty benefits alone will truly be handy. A used alternative would probably be adequate for infrequent applications and light duty.
Step 3: Fuel Options
Normally, the big batteries that power electric lift trucks can run for an 8 hour shift. The electric models are best suited for indoor use as they generate no harmful emissions. Though electric units are usually more pricey than other models, they have lower operating costs. Electric forklifts are much quieter to run and do not have fuel storage requirements to take into consideration. Also, these machinery have less moving components so they have a longer life span as they have less components to get worn down.
Amongst the downsides of the battery operated forklifts is that they need battery recharging posts and this can take around 8 hours. There is an added 8 hours required for cooling. Recent changes have made their way onto the market so as 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 equipped with pneumatic or inflated, air-filled tires. Several forklifts would utilize a solid pneumatic tires, which is a combination of the two kinds of tire. The pneumatic tire kind is best suited for outdoor use. Cushion tires are best to be used indoors and solid pneumatic tires are the perfect option for hazardous work environments where there is a possibility for standard tires being popped by sharp objects on rough terrain.