It is recommended to regularly check the front end of your lift truck as part of your pre-shift or daily inspection, in order to help avoid costly lift truck repairs. By catching any problems as they occur or in advance, you can also help prevent damage to any loads as well. The following covers some of the common guidelines on what specific things to check during regular inspections of your material handling fleet.
Forks
Regularly checking the forks is vital because if these are worn out or cracked, they may fail without warning. Any kind of fork damage means that your forklift should immediately be removed from service until it is safe and repaired once more. Visually inspect your forks for any noticeable signs 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 should replace the forks.
Mast
Ideally, the mast should tilt forward and back and be able to smoothly move down and up. If you find that the sliding surfaces are binding, you might need to lubricate the mast strip sliding surfaces as well as their fittings. On the inner mast there is a fitting situated on each side. The lift bracket side rollers are another lubrication point and there is also one on every side roller. When the lubricating has been done, lower and raise the mast and also tilt it backward and forward a few times in order to ensure that the lubricant is worked correctly into the fittings.
Tilt Cylinders
Your daily inspection needs to involve the checking for oil leaks and damage as an uncontrolled mast movement could be caused by oil leakage. Whether the leaks are external or are located inside of the cylinder, the end result could be cylinder drift and loss of fluid. If there are any signs of leaks or damage, you might need to replace just the seals or the entire cylinder assembly.
Chains
The mast chains have to be inspected 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 wear is present beyond 2 percent, replace the chain. Also replace it if the chain looks kinked or rusted. The chain rollers and the sheave bearings should also be checked for indications of wear.
Typically, mast lift chains wear at the pin-to-link connections. If you discover wear, you could experience chain failure. This can end up damaging the product or front end parts. If you require help determining what precisely to inspect on your lift trucks or if you do not have time on hand to carry out frequent fleet inspections, simply call your local forklift dealer. Their skilled service technicians would help your perform PM or planned maintenance inspections based on your scheduling and application needs.