It is suggested to regularly check the front end of your lift truck as part of your daily or pre-shift examination, in order to help avoid expensive lift truck repairs. By catching any problems as they arise or in advance, you can also help prevent damage to any loads as well. The following covers some of the common guidelines on what particular stuff to inspect during frequent inspections of your material handling fleet.
Forks
It is vital to regularly inspect the forks because if they are cracked or worn out, they could potentially fail without warning. Any kind of fork damage means that your lift truck must immediately be removed from service until it is safe and fixed once again. Visually check your forks for any visible signs of damage or wear. If the cracks run deeper than on the surface, replace them. Any type 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 up and down. 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 each side. The lift bracket side rollers are another lubrication point and there is also one on each side roller. Once the lubricating has been completed, lower and raise the mast and also tilt it backward and forward several times in order to ensure that the lubricant is worked properly into the fittings.
Tilt Cylinders
Uncontrolled mast movement could be caused by oil leakage; therefore, your inspection must involve checking for damage and for oil leaks. Whether the leaks are situated inside of the cylinder or are external, the end result may be cylinder drift and loss of fluid. If there are any indications of leaks or damage, you may have to replace just the seals or the entire cylinder assembly.
Chains
The mast chains have to be checked to see if they are being stretched beyond their acceptable limits. Furthermore, 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 seems kinked or rusted. The sheave bearings and the chain rollers must also be checked for signs of wear.
The mast lift chain would normally wear at the pin-to-link connections. You could experience chain failure if you notice wear. This could end up damaging the product or front end components. If you require help determining what exactly to check on your forklifts or if you do not have time on hand to carry out regular fleet inspections, just contact your local forklift dealer. Their skilled service technicians will help your perform planned maintenance or PM checks according to your application requirements and scheduling.