It is recommended to regularly inspect the front end of your forklift as part of your pre-shift or daily inspection, in order to help avoid costly forklift repairs. By catching any problems as they happen or ahead of time, you can also help prevent damage to any cargo too. The following includes several of the common guidelines on what particular stuff to check during regular inspections of your material handling fleet.
Forks
Frequently checking the forks is vital because if these are cracked or worn out, they may fail without warning. Any type of fork damage means that your lift truck will need to instantly be removed from service until it is fixed and safe once again. Visually inspect 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 another indication that you need to replace the forks.
Mast
Ideally, the mast should tilt back and forward and be able to smoothly move down and up. If you find that the sliding surfaces are binding, you may need to lubricate the mast strip sliding surfaces as well as their fittings. On the inner mast there is a fitting situated on each side. The lift bracket side rollers are another lubrication point and there is also one on every side roller. Once the lubricating has been completed, raise and lower the mast and also tilt it forward and backward a few times in order to make certain that the lubricant is worked correctly into the fittings.
Tilt Cylinders
Your daily inspection has to involve the checking for damage and oil leaks as an uncontrolled mast movement could 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 damage or leaks, you might have to replace just the seals or the whole cylinder assembly.
Chains
The mast chains need to be inspected to see if they are being stretched beyond their acceptable limits. Furthermore, check the chain wear guage or check the chains for signs of damage. If there is wear beyond 2 percent, replace the chain. Also replace it if the chain looks rusted or kinked. Both the chain rollers and the sheave bearings must also be checked for indications of wear.
Normally, mast lift chains wear at the pin-to-link connections. If you discover wear, you can experience chain failure. This can end up damaging the product or front end components. If you do not have time on hand to perform frequent fleet inspections or if you need help determining what exactly to inspect on your forklifts, simply call your local forklift dealer. Their skilled service technicians will help your perform planned maintenance or PM inspections according to your application needs and scheduling.