It is recommended to often inspect the front end of your lift truck as part of your daily or pre-shift inspection, in order to help prevent costly forklift repairs. By catching any problems ahead of time or as they occur, you could also help avoid damage to any kind of loads as well. The following includes some of the common guidelines on what particular stuff to check during regular inspections of your material handling fleet.
Forks
It is important to regularly check the forks because if they are cracked or worn out, they can potentially fail without warning. Any kind of fork damage means that your lift truck should instantly be removed from service until it is safe and fixed once again. Visually check your forks for any visible signs of wear or damage. 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
The mast must ideally tilt forward and backward while being able to move down and up. You might need 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 located on every side. The lift bracket side rollers are another lubrication point and there is also one on every side roller. When the lubricating has been completed, tilt it forward and backward and also raise and lower the mast a few times in order to guarantee that the lubricant is worked properly into the fittings.
Tilt Cylinders
Your daily check has to include the checking for oil leaks and damage as an uncontrolled mast movement could be caused by oil leakage. Whether the leaks are external or are situated inside of the cylinder, the end result may be cylinder drift and loss of fluid. If there are any signs of leaks or damage, you may need to replace the whole cylinder assembly, or just the seals.
Chains
The mast chains need to be inspected to see if they are being stretched beyond their acceptable limits. Also, 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 looks rusted or kinked. The sheave bearings and the chain rollers also have to be inspected 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 can end up damaging the product or front end parts. If you require help determining what exactly to inspect on your forklifts or if you do not have time on hand to carry out frequent fleet inspections, just call your local lift truck dealer. Their skilled service technicians would help your perform PM or planned maintenance checks based on your scheduling and application requirements.