Tire Types
Cushion tires are generally considered solid tires with no tread pattern. These tires are designed for indoor smooth and solid surfaces. There are tread patterns available however, that are a lot suitable for different surface environments. The cushion tires are common on smooth warehouse floors and in similar applications.
However, pneumatic tires need air and have been specially designed for outdoor use on uneven ground and loose surfaces. Pneumatic truck tires have higher ground clearance also. This raises the forklift's center of gravity and really reduces its rated lift capacity. More often than not, pneumatic tires are utilized in rough terrain environments because of their ability to navigate uneven surfaces in a smoother fashion. Numerous construction sites and mining or agricultural operations rely on these tires so as to make certain the machinery can travel as carefully and safe as possible.
Lift height and Lift Capacity
It is important to understand the maximum weight and dimensions of the loads you would be handling in order to determine the capacity of the vehicle needed. Furthermore, you will have to know the maximum fork height required in order to rack or stack the loads. These factors, the load size and the lifting height, really affect the lift capacity of the truck. A larger size load is able to move the vehicle's center of gravity and change the load combination. This decreases the lifting capacity of the equipment and affects the height and the load being lifted. Using different kinds of attachments can also affect the overall capacity of the truck.
Mast Options
On the market these days are various choices of forklift masts. These consist of: single, double, triple and quad masts. The number indicated the amount of sections on the mast. In various circumstances, you would not be needed to make any choices as the lift height would dictate the type of mast you would get, however, in trucks with really high lift heights, you may have an option.