Key Questions to Ask When Ordering material handling boom

What to Look for When Buying a Used Forklift

Knowing when to buy a used forklift is easy, but figuring out how to inspect a forklift can be tough, especially if you have little knowledge of the components that drive most of your ownership costs and maintenance.

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These tips will give you some guidance to make a good choice.

1. Check the Forks for Damage

When inspecting a forklift, you will most likely start at the front. Look for cracks, bends, or any other signs of wear.

Cracks are the most worrisome because they are early signs that your forks will need to be replaced soon.

A spot that is sometimes forgotten is the heel of the fork blade. Look closely at the thickness.

If the back of the blade does not match the thickness of the upright fork shank (the part of the fork connected to the carriage), then your forks are worn.

2. Look for Gaps in the Lift Chains

While moving your way up from the forks, look along the mast for any cracks or welding marks where cracks were fixed.

A poor weld will affect the structural integrity of the mast.

When examining the middle of the mast, you should view the lift chains for any missing or corroded links/pins.

3. Watch How Smoothly the Mast Operates

Have the dealer or seller raise the forks high enough to extend the second or third mast.

Any signs of a hiccup in the process mean that either the link chain needs fixing, the mast rollers are worn, or the mast rollers have not been lubricated or well-maintained.

If the mast rollers are worn, they will have a lopsided shape (more oval) instead of a perfectly round wheel.

4. Look at the Tires

Get down and feel for any signs of chunking.

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Chunking looks like a bite has been taken out of the tire. Another telltale sign that the tires are in rough shape is when the tread is low or non-existent.

The first area to look at is the wear line or the safety line. If the tire is worn past this line or is close to it, then the tires need to be replaced. If there isn't a wear line, look at the lettering on the sidewall of the tire.

Once the top of the lettering is reached, the tire should be replaced.

Another useful test is the penny test. Place a penny in the tire groove, and if the top of Abraham Lincoln’s head is visible, then your tire tread is low. Click here to learn more about this.

5. Determine the Life Left in the Battery

Unfortunately, the number of hours on the battery is not tracked.

However, one quick check is to ask the dealer how many shifts the battery was used in and for how many years.

A normal battery will last about five years in single-shift operations.

If the battery was used in double shifts and is a year old, then it likely has about 2-3 years left.

Check for exterior acid corrosion (only for lead-acid batteries).

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