It is recommended to regularly inspect the front end of your forklift as part of your daily or pre-shift inspection, in order to help prevent expensive forklift repairs. By catching any problems as they occur or in advance, you can also help prevent damage to any kind of cargo too. The following includes several of the general guidelines on what specific stuff to check during frequent inspections of your material handling fleet.
Forks
It is essential to regularly check the forks because if they are cracked or worn out, they could potentially fail without warning. Any type of fork damage means that your forklift will need to instantly be removed from service until it is fixed and safe once more. Visually check your forks for any visible indications of wear or damage. If the cracks run deeper than on the surface, replace them. Any type of wear on the forks beyond 10 percent is one more sign that you must replace the forks.
Mast
The mast should ideally tilt backward and forward while being able to move down and up. You may 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 situated on every 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, lower and raise the mast and also tilt it backward and forward several times in order to ensure that the lubricant is worked properly into the fittings.
Tilt Cylinders
Your daily check needs to involve the checking for oil leaks and damage because an uncontrolled mast movement can be a result of oil leakage. Whether the leaks are external or are situated inside of the cylinder, the end result can 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
Inspect and make certain that the mast chains are not stretching beyond their acceptable limits. Also be sure to inspect the chains for signs of wear or damage utilizing a chain wear gauge. If there is wear beyond 2 percent, replace the chain. Also replace it if the chain seems kinked or rusted. Both the chain rollers and the sheave bearings should also be checked for indications of wear.
The mast lift chain will typically wear at the pin-to-link connections. You could experience chain failure if you discover wear. This can end up damaging the product or front end components. If you do not have time on hand to carry out frequent fleet inspections or if you require help determining what precisely to inspect on your forklifts, just call your local lift truck dealer. Their trained service technicians would help your perform PM or planned maintenance checks based on your scheduling and application requirements.