Choosing The Right Forklift

The forklifts are essential machines for many industries, as they are used to load and move small and extremely heavy loads. However, when it comes to buying or renting a forklift truck, there are many options on the market, making it difficult to choose one. With so many brands and suppliers, choosing the right forklift is not a simple task. In order to make the right choice, there are few things that need to be closely considered when buying a forklift truck:

Application – When choosing a forklift truck, the first question you need to answer is: “Why do I need a forklift truck?”. You may use a forklift for storing pallets in a warehouse or for moving pallets from one place to another in outdoor environments. Depending on the application, you may need a forklift with specific features and capabilities, such as type of tires, fuel type, capacity, attachments, etc.

Capacity – Every forklift truck has specific lifting capacity. This is the amount of weight that can be lifted and moved. The forklift capacity is indicated on the forklift’s data plate, where all important information is included. Before buying a forklift truck, you need to identify the maximum weight and size of loads you will be dealing with. The capacity is related to the price. This means, more capacity, more expensive forklift truck.

Fuel Options – When selecting a forklift truck, you have several fuel options to consider: gasoline, diesel, LP gas, and electric. Your application will determine which fuel option to choose. Usually, for indoor applications the electric powered forklift truck is the ideal option. But the electric forklift trucks are more expensive, because of the batteries, battery chargers and the need for specific maintenance. For outdoor applications, the heavy-duty forklift trucks with internal combustion engines are clearly the ideal choice.

Tire Options – You also need to consider the tire options. There are several tire options: air pneumatic, foam-filled, solid pneumatic and cushion tires. Once again, your application will determine the tires that are needed. Indoor applications on smooth and flat surface require forklift trucks with cushion tires, while outdoor applications on rough asphalts or grass require forklifts with pneumatic tires. Additionally, the forklift truck tires may have an impact on the operator’s comfort.