It is recommended to often inspect the front end of your forklift as part of your pre-shift or daily inspection, in order to help avoid costly lift truck repairs. By catching any problems as they arise or in advance, you can also help avoid damage to any cargo as well. The following covers several of the general guidelines on what specific things to inspect during regular inspections of your material handling fleet.
Forks
It is vital to frequently check the forks because if they are worn out or cracked, they can probably fail without warning. Any kind of fork damage means that your lift truck must immediately be removed from service until it is safe and fixed once more. Visually check your forks for any noticeable indications of wear or damage. If the cracks run deeper than on the surface, replace them. Any type of wear on the forks beyond 10 percent is one more sign that you must replace the forks.
Mast
The mast should ideally tilt forward and backward while being able to move up and down. You might have to lubricate the mast strip sliding surfaces and fittings if you find that the sliding surfaces are binding. On the inner mast there is a fitting situated on each side. The lift bracket side rollers are a different lubrication point and there is also one on every side roller. Once the lubricating has been completed, tilt it forward and backward and also raise and lower the mast a few times in order to ensure that the lubricant is worked properly into the fittings.
Tilt Cylinders
Your daily check has to include the checking for damage and oil leaks as an uncontrolled mast movement can be a result of oil leakage. Whether the leaks are external or are located inside of the cylinder, the end result could be cylinder drift and loss of fluid. If there are any indications of leaks or damage, 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. Moreover, check the chain wear guage or check the chains for indications of damage. If wear is present beyond 2 percent, replace the chain. Also replace it if the chain seems kinked or rusted. The chain rollers and the sheave bearings must also be checked for indications of wear.
The mast lift chain will typically wear at the pin-to-link connections. You could experience chain failure if you notice wear. This could end up damaging the product or front end parts. If you require help determining what precisely to check on your forklifts or if you do not have time on hand to perform regular fleet inspections, just contact your local forklift dealer. Their trained service technicians would help your perform PM or planned maintenance checks according to your scheduling and application needs.