Raw Materials
The telescoping boom rough terrain forklift's body, cab, frame and boom are usually made by a forklift maker. Steel is the most common materials utilized to make these because they have tremendous strength. At times steel forgings or aluminum are utilized as well. It is common for non-metallic materials such as nylon plastic blocks to be used as guides within the boom assembly. The other components are normally bought as finished products and the lift truck manufacturer installs them.
Some of the pre-assembled purchased products include the transmission, seat, axles, engine, wheels, hoses and tires, lights, back-up alarms, gauges and hydraulic cylinders. Normally, certain materials such as the fuel and lubricants and hydraulic fluids are bought in bulk. These liquids are added as required once the machine is assembled and has passed the meticulous testing sessions.
Design
The common design that is most typical of telescoping boom rough terrain forklifts is a long and narrow design which has a set of wheels at the front of the model and another set located towards the rear of the equipment. The boom part of the model is mounted at the forklift's back off of a pivot feature which is elevated a few feet above the level of the frame. Normally, the cab is mounted on the left-hand side of the frame structure. Typically, the bottom half of the cab is low and located between the tires. The fuel tank and the hydraulic fuel tank are mounted opposite the cab on the right-hand side. Along the center-line of the vehicle, the engine and the transmission are mounted in the frame.
Different manufacturers have contributed their own unique designs beyond this basic configuration. These days, there are numerous options available on the market. Some models of forklifts utilize a single hydraulic cylinder in order to elevate the boom, and other units utilize 2 cylinders. Some models utilize a side-to-side hydraulic frame leveling capability. This particular feature enables the frame to tilt up to 10 degrees relative to the axles so as to enable the machinery to compensate for extreme axle articulation. This is used for example, when the tires on one side of the lift truck are situated down in a rut and the tires on the other side of the machinery are up, situated on a mound of dirt.
One more popular design feature includes fork attachments that are capable of swinging up to 45 degrees both right and left, in order to allow precise load positioning.