It is recommended to often inspect the front end of your lift truck as part of your pre-shift or daily inspection, in order to help prevent expensive lift truck repairs. By catching any problems in advance or as they arise, you could also help prevent damage to any type of cargo too. The following covers several of the common guidelines on what particular stuff to inspect during regular inspections of your material handling fleet.
Forks
It is vital to regularly check the forks because if they are worn out or cracked, they can potentially fail without warning. Any type of fork damage means that your forklift would need to immediately be removed from service until it is safe and repaired once again. Visually check your forks for any noticeable signs of damage or wear. If the cracks run deeper than on the surface, replace them. Any wear on the forks beyond 10 percent is one more sign that you should replace the forks.
Mast
Ideally, the mast should tilt back and forward and be able to smoothly move down and up. If you find that the sliding surfaces are binding, you might have to lubricate the mast strip sliding surfaces as well as their fittings. On the inner mast there is a fitting situated on every side. The lift bracket side rollers are another lubrication point and there is also one on every side roller. Once the lubricating has been completed, tilt it backward and forward and also lower and raise the mast a few times in order to guarantee that the lubricant is worked correctly into the fittings.
Tilt Cylinders
Uncontrolled mast movement can be a result of oil leakage; thus, your inspection must involve inspecting for damage and for oil leaks. Whether the leaks are external or are situated inside of the cylinder, the end result may be loss of fluid and cylinder drift. If there are any signs of damage or leaks, you may have to replace just the seals or the whole cylinder assembly.
Chains
The mast chains need to be checked to see if they are being stretched beyond their acceptable limits. Also, inspect the chain wear guage or check the chains for signs of damage. If there is wear beyond 2 percent, replace the chain. Also replace it if the chain seems kinked or rusted. The chain rollers and the sheave bearings also have to be checked for signs of wear.
The mast lift chain would usually wear at the pin-to-link connections. You could experience chain failure if you discover wear. This could end up damaging the product or front end parts. If you need help determining what precisely to check on your lift trucks or if you do not have time on hand to perform frequent fleet inspections, simply contact your local forklift dealer. Their trained service technicians would help your perform PM or planned maintenance inspections according to your application requirements and scheduling.