A scheduled maintenance routine for your lift trucks is crucial to operator safety and operational efficiency. Similar to your own car or truck, there are parts on your forklifts that need regular attention to maintain performance and prevent breakdowns.

There are some forklift parts that naturally receive unrelenting wear, or are more vulnerable to degradation through use and time. All rubber components and hoses should be proactively renewed on a planned maintenance schedule to prevent leakage or failure.

Replacing parts before they weaken or give out can save you from far costlier repairs down the road. As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Lift truck parts that need to be replaced on a regular schedule 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 2 years, or 4,000 hours
• 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:

• Lift truck battery: these will usually last at least 5 years, and given appropriate management they can last much longer. However, all batteries will eventually wear out and need replacement.
• Forklift tires: once tires go beyond the 50% line, have splitting or cracking problems, or acquire flat areas, they should be replaced as soon as possible.
• Bearings: any worn out bearings should be attended to right away to maintain smooth function of the forklift.

Lift Truck Service

Scheduled lift truck maintenance programs should include the following:

• Routine Lubrication: all joints and moving parts of the lift truck should be greased regularly.
• Fluids: Lead acid battery water and hydraulic system fluids should be monitored regularly.
• Charging: A systematic charging routine is essential for your lift truck’s battery longevity and efficiency.
• Instrument Inspection: to maintain a safe work environment, all gauges and instruments should be inspected on a routine schedule. This is not just a suggestion, it’s also an OSHA requirement within Section 1910.178(q)

Forklift Safety

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has a number of rules concerning lift truck upkeep, and any fork truck that is considered to be noncompliant must be put out of commission until all issues can be resolved. When is a lift truck considered unsafe? These are some of the issues that might be cause to keep a truck sidelined:

• Tires with missing chunks or gouges
• Cracked welds on the frame or mast
• Damaged or missing bolts on any part of the vehicle
• Malfunctioning gauges
• Damage to overhead guard

Forklift Part Replacement in Riverside

To obtain parts for any forklift manufacturer, you can contact an expert at Raymond West by calling (951)384-2444 .

Raymond West
Riverside County Service Area:
Redlands, Colton, Rialto, Bloomington, Moreno Valley, Hemet, Perris, Lake Elsinore, Menifee, Coachella Valley
Phone: (951) 384-2444