It is recommended to regularly inspect the front end of your lift truck as part of your pre-shift or daily examination, in order to help prevent costly lift truck repairs. By catching any problems in advance or as they happen, you can also help avoid damage to any kind of cargo too. The following covers a few of the general guidelines on what particular things to inspect during regular inspections of your material handling fleet.
Forks
It is vital to regularly inspect 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 will need to immediately be removed from service until it is safe and repaired once again. Visually inspect 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 another sign that you must replace the forks.
Mast
Ideally, the mast must tilt forward and back and be able to smoothly move down and up. If you find that the sliding surfaces are binding, you may 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 a different lubrication point and there is also one on each 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 make certain that the lubricant is worked correctly into the fittings.
Tilt Cylinders
Uncontrolled mast movement can be a result of oil leakage; hence, your inspection should include inspecting for damage and for oil leaks. Whether the leaks are external or are situated inside of the cylinder, the end result could be loss of fluid and cylinder drift. If there are any signs of damage or leaks, you might need to replace the whole cylinder assembly, or just the seals.
Chains
Check and make certain that the mast chains are not stretching beyond their acceptable limits. Also be sure to check the chains for indications of wear or damage utilizing a chain wear gauge. If wear is present beyond 2 percent, replace the chain. Also replace it if the chain appears kinked or rusted. Both the sheave bearings and the chain rollers also have to be checked for signs of wear.
The mast lift chain will typically wear at the pin-to-link connections. You can experience chain failure if you notice wear. This can end up damaging the product or front end components. If you do not have time on hand to perform frequent fleet inspections or if you require help determining what precisely to check on your forklifts, simply contact your local forklift dealer. Their skilled service technicians will help your perform planned maintenance or PM inspections based on your scheduling and application requirements.