Forklifts
In construction, material handling, manufacturing and warehousing applications, forklifts are usually used to move and lift palletized loads. With manual-drive forklifts, the load or travel movement is either walk-behind or manually powered. Motorized drive forklifts have a motorized drive. In many models, the forklift has a protected cab or seat for the driver. Fork trucks have features like cabs, and backup alarms and are additionally motorized. Various types of forklifts are counterbalanced so as to prevent the vehicle from turning over. Other models come outfitted with safety rails, or a rotating element such as a turntable or a hand rail.
The stroke and lift capacity are other factors that you must take into account when choosing a type of forklift. Lift capacity is defined as the supportable, maximum load or force. Stroke is defined as the difference between completely lowered and completely raised lift positions.
Some of the other key specifications for the forklift include fuel type and tire type. The fuel choices available include: natural gas, LP or liquid propane, CNG or compressed natural gas, electricity, diesel, gasoline or propane.
For fork trucks and forklifts, there are two basic kinds of tires which can be utilized. They are: solid and pneumatic. The cushion or solid tires need less maintenance compared to pneumatic tires and do not easily puncture. Air-inflated or pneumatic tires offer load cushioning and great drive traction. At the end of the day, solid or cushion tires provide less shock absorption.
Class VII forklifts are normally designed to be utilized on rough terrain. These machines are often used in agriculture, construction and in logging environments. Last of all, Class VIII forklifts have all burden and personnel carriers. Dual Fuel lift trucks often fit in this class.