In order to help avoid the need for costly lift truck repairs, it is suggested to check the front end of your lift truck regularly as part of your daily and even pre-shift inspection. By catching any problems in advance or as they occur, you can also help avoid damage to any cargo too. The following covers a few of the common guidelines on what particular things to check during frequent inspections of your material handling fleet.
Forks
Frequently checking the forks is vital because if these are worn out or cracked, they may fail without warning. Any type of fork damage means that your lift truck should immediately be removed from service until it is safe and repaired once more. 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 need to replace the forks.
Mast
The mast should ideally tilt backward and forward while being able to move up and down. You might have to grease 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 every 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 done, tilt it forward and backward and also lower and raise the mast a few times in order to ensure that the lubricant is worked into the fittings properly.
Tilt Cylinders
Your daily inspection 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 located inside of the cylinder, the end result can be cylinder drift and loss of fluid. If there are any signs of leaks or damage, you may need to replace just the seals or the entire cylinder assembly.
Chains
The mast chains have to be inspected to see if they are being stretched beyond their acceptable limits. Moreover, 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 appears kinked or rusted. Both the chain rollers and the sheave bearings also have to be inspected for indications of wear.
Typically, mast lift chains wear at the pin-to-link connections. If you notice wear, you could experience chain failure. This could end up damaging the product or front end parts. If you need help determining what exactly to check on your lift trucks or if you do not have time on hand to perform frequent fleet inspections, just contact your local lift truck dealer. Their skilled service technicians will help your perform planned maintenance or PM inspections according to your scheduling and application needs.