Forklift driver safety and operational readiness starts with properly maintained forklifts. Similar to your personal vehicle, there are parts on your lift trucks that need regular attention to maintain performance and prevent mechanical failures.

There are some forklift parts that naturally receive unrelenting wear, or are more vulnerable to degradation over time. Rubber parts and flexible hoses should be preemptively replaced on a set schedule before they start leaking or fail altogether.

Replacing components before they degrade or give out can help you avoid much costlier maintenance down the road. As they say, 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 2 years, or 4,000 hours
• Reservoir Tank Hose: Every 4,000 hours or 2 years
• 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: lead acid batteries generally have a lifespan of at least 5 years, and with adequate handling they can remain functional for several more years. However, from time to time they may need replacement.
• Lift truck tires: as soon as tires erode beyond the 50% line, have tearing or chunking problems, or develop flat points, they should be changed right away.
• Bearings: any failing bearings should be promptly replaced to maintain smooth operation of the lift truck.

Lift Truck Maintenance

Scheduled lift truck maintenance programs should include the following:

• Routine Lubrication: all joints and moving parts of the lift truck should be greased on a regular basis.
• Fluids: Forklift battery water and fluids for hydraulic systems should be checked regularly.
• Battery Charging: A regular charging routine is essential for your lift truck’s battery life and performance.
• Gauge Inspection: to maintain a safe work environment, all instruments and gauges should be checked on a regular basis. This is not only a best practice, it’s also an OSHA requirement under the compliance section 1910.178(q)

Forklift Safety

OSHA has many regulations addressing lift truck upkeep, and any truck that is considered to be noncompliant should be sidelined until all issues can be resolved. So when is a forklift unsafe to operate? These are some of the conditions that might be cause to keep a truck sidelined:

• Tires with missing chunks or gouges
• Weld failures on the mast or truck frame
• Missing bolts anywhere on the forklift
• Compromised instruments or gauges
• Overhead guard damage

Forklift Parts Near Me

If you’d like assistance in sourcing forklift parts or need forklift service, contact a parts technician at Raymond West today.

Raymond West's Sacramento facility serves the greater Sacramento area and other parts of Northern California, including Sacramento, Elk Grove, Auburn, Placerville, Vacaville, Fairfield, Sausalito, Napa, Santa Rosa, Redding, Eureka and all surrounding areas.

Raymond West | Sacramento Forklift Dealer

900 National Dr
Sacramento, CA 95834
(800) 675-2500