A planned maintenance routine for your lift trucks is crucial to operator safety and operational efficiency. Like your own car or truck, there are parts on your lift trucks that need to be serviced periodically to maintain performance and prevent breakdowns.

There are some forklift parts that invariably receive unrelenting use, or are more vulnerable to damage over time. All rubber components and hoses should be periodically renewed on a set schedule in order to avoid problems with leakage or failure.

Replacing lift truck parts before they weaken or break down can save you from much costlier repairs down the road. As the adage goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

These are some of the components on a lift truck that must be replaced on a regular basis:

• 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 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:

• Lift truck batteries: lead acid batteries generally have a lifespan of at least 5 years, and with adequate management they can have an even longer life. However, from time to time they may need replacement.
• Forklift tires: as soon as tires go further than the wear line, have shredding or chunking issues, or acquire flat points, they should be replaced as soon as possible.
• Bearings: any failing bearings need to be replaced quickly to maintain unimpeded operation of the lift truck.

Forklift Maintenance

Regular forklift maintenance plans should address the following:

• Routine Lubrication: all moving parts or joints should be oiled on a regular basis.
• Fluid Checks: Battery water and hydraulic fluids should be inspected regularly.
• Charging: A regular charging routine is imperative for your forklift’s battery longevity and efficiency.
• Inspection of Gauges: to maintain a safe work environment, all instruments and gauges must be inspected on a planned schedule. This is not only a best practice, it’s also an OSHA regulation under the compliance section 1910.178(q)

Lift Truck Safety

OSHA has a litany of standards concerning lift truck maintenance, and any vehicle that is found to be substandard must be put out of commission until all issues can be resolved. So when is a forklift unsafe to operate? These are some of the problems that may take a forklift out of service:

• Tires with missing chunks or gouges
• Broken welds on the frame or mast
• Damaged or missing bolts anywhere on the forklift
• Compromised instruments or gauges
• Overhead guard damage

Forklift Part Replacement in Phoenix

For any brand of forklift parts, you can talk to a parts professional at Raymond West Inc by calling (602) 275-2228 .

Raymond West Inc
2659 E Magnolia St
Phoenix, AZ 85034
Phone: (602) 275-2228