It is recommended to often check the front end of your lift truck as part of your daily or pre-shift inspection, in order to help prevent expensive forklift repairs. By catching any problems as they arise or ahead of time, you can also help prevent damage to any type of cargo as well. The following includes several of the common guidelines on what particular stuff to check during regular inspections of your material handling fleet.
Forks
It is important to regularly inspect the forks because if they are worn out or cracked, they can potentially fail without warning. Any kind of fork damage means that your lift truck must instantly be removed from service until it is safe and fixed once more. Visually inspect your forks for any visible indications of damage or wear. If the cracks run deeper than on the surface, replace them. Any wear on the forks beyond 10 percent is another sign that you need to replace the forks.
Mast
The mast should ideally tilt forward and backward while being able to move down and up. You might have to grease the mast strip sliding surfaces and fittings if you find that the sliding surfaces are binding. On the inner mast there is a fitting located on each side. The lift bracket side rollers are a different lubrication point and there is also one on every side roller. When the lubricating has been completed, tilt it backward and forward and also lower and raise the mast several times in order to make sure that the lubricant is worked properly into the fittings.
Tilt Cylinders
Uncontrolled mast movement could be a result of oil leakage; hence, your inspection should involve inspecting for damage and for oil leaks. Whether the leaks are external or are located inside of the cylinder, the end result could be loss of fluid and cylinder drift. If there are any signs of damage or leaks, you may have to replace the entire cylinder assembly, or just the seals.
Chains
The mast chains need to be checked to see if they are being stretched beyond their acceptable limits. Furthermore, inspect 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 seems rusted or kinked. Both the sheave bearings and the chain rollers must also be checked for indications of wear.
Typically, mast lift chains wear at the pin-to-link connections. If you notice wear, you could experience chain failure. This could end up damaging front end parts or even the product. If you require help determining what exactly to check on your lift trucks or if you do not have time on hand to perform regular fleet inspections, just call your local lift truck dealer. Their skilled service technicians would help your perform PM or planned maintenance checks according to your application requirements and scheduling.