It is recommended to regularly inspect the front end of your forklift as part of your daily or pre-shift examination, in order to help avoid expensive lift truck repairs. By catching any problems ahead of time or as they happen, you can also help avoid damage to any cargo as well. The following covers a few of the common guidelines on what particular things to check during regular inspections of your material handling fleet.
Forks
Regularly inspecting the forks is vital because if these are cracked or worn out, they might fail without warning. Any type of fork damage means that your forklift should instantly be removed from service until it is safe and repaired once more. Visually check your forks for any visible signs of damage or wear. If the cracks run deeper than on the surface, replace them. Any wear on the forks beyond 10 percent is one more indication that you should replace the forks.
Mast
The mast should ideally tilt backward and forward while being able to move up and down. You might have to lubricate the mast strip sliding surfaces and fittings if you find that the sliding surfaces are binding. On the inner mast there is a fitting situated on each side. The lift bracket side rollers are a different lubrication point and there is also one on each side roller. When the lubricating has been done, tilt it forward and backward and also lower and raise the mast a few times in order to ensure that the lubricant is worked correctly into the fittings.
Tilt Cylinders
Your daily inspection needs to involve the checking for damage and oil leaks since an uncontrolled mast movement can be a result of oil leakage. Whether the leaks are external or are located inside of the cylinder, 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 need to be inspected to see if they are being stretched beyond their acceptable limits. Also, inspect the chain wear guage or check the chains for indications of damage. If wear is present beyond 2 percent, replace the chain. Also replace it if the chain appears rusted or kinked. Both the chain rollers and the sheave bearings also have to be inspected for indications of wear.
Normally, mast lift chains wear at the pin-to-link connections. If you discover wear, you could experience chain failure. This could end up damaging the product or front end parts. If you require help determining what precisely to check on your lift trucks or if you do not have time on hand to carry out regular fleet inspections, just contact your local forklift dealer. Their trained service technicians would help your perform planned maintenance or PM checks based on your scheduling and application needs.