A scheduled maintenance routine for your forklifts is crucial to driver 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 avoid systematic problems.

Some lift truck components invariably get a lot of use, or are more vulnerable to damage over time. All rubber components and hoses should be preemptively replaced on a regular basis to prevent leakage or failure.

Exchanging parts before they weaken or give out can help you avoid far more expensive repairs in the future. 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 2 years, or 4,000 hours
• Reservoir Tank Hose: Every 4,000 hours or 2 years
• Wheel Cylinder Rubber Parts: Every 1,000 hours or annually
• Master Cylinder Rubber Parts: Every 1,000 hours or annually
• 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 battery: these will usually last at least 5 years, and given appropriate management they can have an even longer life. However, all batteries will eventually need to be replaced.
• Forklift tires: once tires go under the 50% line, have shredding or general disintegration problems, or form flat spots, they should be changed immediately.
• Bearings: any worn out bearings need to be replaced quickly to continue smooth operation of the lift truck.

Lift Truck Maintenance

Regular forklift maintenance plans should address the following:

• Lubrication: all joints and moving parts of the lift truck should be oiled on a regular basis.
• Fluid Checks: Lead acid battery water and fluids for hydraulic systems should be monitored on a routine basis.
• Charging: A systematic charging schedule is essential for your lift truck’s battery longevity and performance.
• Instrument Inspection: as a basic safety measure, all gauges and instruments must be checked on a routine schedule. Not only is this a good idea, it’s also an OSHA regulation within Section 1910.178(q)

Lift Truck Safety

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has many regulations concerning lift truck upkeep, and any truck that is deemed noncompliant must be put out of commission until any problems are corrected. So when is a forklift unsafe to operate? These are some of the conditions that could easily justify removing a lift truck from service:

• Tires with gouges or missing chunks
• Weld failures on the truck frame or mast
• Missing fasteners or bolts on any part of the vehicle
• Malfunctioning gauges or instruments
• A compromised overhead guard

Forklift Part Replacement in Spokane 

To obtain parts for any forklift manufacturer, you can talk to an expert at Raymond West by calling (509) 728-6000.  

Raymond West's Spokane branch services Spokane, Airway Heights, Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, Post Falls, Hayden, Rathdrum, Coeur d'Alene, Medical Lake, Cheney, Pullman, Moscow, Moses Lake, Yakima, Wenatchee, Lewiston, Clarkston, Kennewick, Pasco, Richland, Walla Walla and all surrounding areas.

Raymond West | Spokane Material Handling Equipment Supplier

2324 E Euclid Ave Suite 208
Spokane, WA 99207
(509) 728-6000