A scheduled maintenance program for your forklifts is critical to operator safety and operational efficiency. Whether you rent or own your forklifts, regular service is a must. Like your personal vehicle, there are components on your forklifts that need to be serviced periodically to maintain performance and prevent mechanical failures.

 There are some forklift parts that naturally get a lot of wear, or are more prone to degradation through use and time. Hoses and rubber parts should be proactively replaced on a regular basis before they start leaking or fail altogether.  

Replacing parts before they degrade or fail can save you from much costlier repairs down the road. As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. 

The parts you should proactively replace during scheduled maintenance are:

• Power Steering Hoses & Rubber Parts: Every 2 years, or 4,000 hours
• 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 2 years, or 4,000 hours
• Lift Chain: Every 3 years, or 6,000 hours
• 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 with proper care they can last much longer. However, from time to time they may need replacement.
• Forklift tires: once tires go beyond the wear line, have tearing or chunking issues, or develop flat spots, they should be replaced immediately. 
• Bearings: any worn out bearings should be promptly replaced to maintain smooth operation of the lift truck. 

Forklift Service

At a minimum, any regular forklift maintenance should include:

• Lubrication: all moving parts or joints should be greased on a regular basis.
• Fluids: Battery water and hydraulic fluids should be checked regularly.
• Charging: A regular charging schedule is imperative for your forklift’s battery life and efficiency.
• Inspection of Gauges: for safety, all gauges and instruments should be checked on a regular basis. Not only is this a good idea, it’s also an OSHA requirement under the compliance section 1910.178(q). 

Forklift Safety

OSHA has a number of rules related to lift truck maintenance, and any truck that is deemed unsafe should be removed from service until any problems are corrected. So when is a forklift unsafe to operate?  These are some of the conditions that may take a forklift out of service:

• Tires with missing chunks or gouges
• Broken welds on the mast or frame
• Missing bolts anywhere on the vehicle
• Malfunctioning gauges
• Damage to overhead guard

Forklift Part Replacement in Los Angeles

If you’d like assistance in sourcing forklift parts or need forklift service, you can speak with a professional at Raymond West by calling 562-944-8067.

If you’re anywhere in Southern California or Las Vegas, you can find us at these locations:

Los Angeles, CA
9939 Norwalk Blvd
Santa Fe Springs, California 90670
Phone: 562-944-8067

Ontario, CA
4602 E Brickell St.
Ontario, California 91761
Phone: 909-930-9399

San Diego, CA
12310 World Trade Dr
Ste 111
San Diego, California 92128
Phone: 858-679-1800

Valencia, CA
28309 Industry Dr
Valencia, California 91355
Phone: 661-206-0462

Las Vegas, NV
2555 E. Washburn Rd.
North Las Vegas, Nevada 89081
Phone: 702-651-6480