A scheduled maintenance program for your forklifts is essential to operator safety and operational efficiency. Like your personal vehicle, there are parts on your lift trucks that need regular attention to maintain performance and avert breakdowns.

Some lift truck components consistently receive unrelenting wear, or are more vulnerable to damage over time. Hoses and rubber parts should be proactively renewed on a set schedule to prevent leakage or failure.

Swapping out components before they degrade or break down can help you avoid much costlier repairs in the future. As the adage goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

The parts you should proactively replace during scheduled maintenance are:

• Rubber Parts and Power Steering Hoses: Every 4,000 hours or 2 years
• Reservoir Tank Hose: Every 2 years, or 4,000 hours
• Wheel Cylinder Rubber Parts: Every year, or 2,000 hours
• Master Cylinder Rubber Parts: Every year, or 2,000 hours
• Hydraulic Hose: Every 4,000 hours or 2 years
• Lift Chain: Every 6,000 hours or 3 years
• Swing Lock Cylinder: Every 10,000 hours

There are other parts that may also need regular replacement, including:

• Forklift batteries: these will usually last at least 5 years, and given appropriate management they can last much longer. However, all batteries will eventually need to be replaced.
• Forklift tires: once tires erode under the wear line, have shredding or chunking problems, or acquire flat spots, they should be swapped out immediately.
• Bearings: any failing bearings should be promptly replaced to continue unimpeded function of the forklift.

Lift Truck Maintenance

Scheduled lift truck maintenance programs should include the following:

• Routine Lubrication: the joints and moving parts of a forklift should be greased on a regular basis.
• Fluid Checks: Forklift battery water and fluids for hydraulic systems should be monitored regularly.
• Battery Charging: A methodical charging routine is vital for your forklift’s battery longevity and efficiency.
• Gauge Inspection: to maintain a safe work environment, all gauges and instruments should be checked on a regular basis. This is not only a best practice, it’s also an OSHA requirement within Section 1910.178(q)

Lift Truck Safety

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has many regulations concerning lift truck maintenance, and any vehicle that is considered to be substandard must be put out of commission until any deficiencies are addressed. How do you know when a vehicle is not safe to operate? These are some of the conditions that may take a forklift out of service:

• Tires with gouges or missing chunks
• Weld faults on the mast or frame
• Damaged or missing fasteners or bolts anywhere on the lift truck
• Malfunctioning instruments or gauges
• Overhead guard damage

Forklift Part Replacement in Boise 

For any brand of forklift parts, you can speak with a parts professional at Raymond West by calling (800) 675-2500.

Raymond West's Boise service center serves most of Idaho, including Boise, Nampa, Meridian, Idaho Falls, Caldwell, Pocatello, Twin Falls, Post Falls and surrounding areas.

Raymond West | Boise Forklift Dealer

743 W McGregor Ct #100
Boise, ID 83705
(800) 675-2500