It is suggested to regularly check the front end of your lift truck as part of your pre-shift or daily examination, in order to help prevent expensive lift truck repairs. By catching any problems as they arise or ahead of time, you could also help prevent damage to any cargo too. The following includes a few of the common guidelines on what specific stuff to check during regular inspections of your material handling fleet.
Forks
It is important to frequently check the forks because if they are cracked or worn out, they could probably fail without warning. Any kind of fork damage means that your forklift will need to instantly be removed from service until it is safe and repaired once more. Visually check your forks for any noticeable 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 sign that you need to replace the forks.
Mast
Ideally, the mast should tilt forward and back and be able to smoothly move down and up. If you find that the sliding surfaces are binding, you may have 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 each side roller. Once the lubricating has been completed, tilt it forward and backward and also raise and lower 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 oil leaks and damage since an uncontrolled mast movement could be caused by oil leakage. Whether the leaks are located inside of the cylinder or are external, the end result could be cylinder drift and loss of fluid. If there are any signs of damage or leaks, you might need to replace just the seals or the whole cylinder assembly.
Chains
Check and make sure that the mast chains are not stretching beyond their acceptable limits. Also be certain to check the chains for indications of damage or wear using a chain wear gauge. If there is wear beyond 2 percent, replace the chain. Also replace it if the chain appears rusted or kinked. Both the chain rollers and the sheave bearings should also be inspected for signs of wear.
The mast lift chain will normally wear at the pin-to-link connections. You can experience chain failure if you discover wear. This could end up damaging front end parts or even the product. If you do not have time on hand to perform frequent fleet inspections or if you need help determining what precisely to inspect on your forklifts, just contact your local forklift dealer. Their trained service technicians would help your perform PM or planned maintenance inspections according to your scheduling and application requirements.