Many people who buy forklifts do not do a good job of finding out if the machinery is fit for the heavy job. Before you purchase a forklift, there are many things you need to inspect to avoid losing money.

Top 4 Tips for Inspecting a Forklift

A forklift is among the most efficient pieces of equipment with the ability to lift and handle materials that range from 2,000 lbs to over 110,000 lbs. when you find a used forklift for sale, you need to inspect it before you purchase. Here are the major forklift inspection items not to miss out.

Forks and mast

Face the front of the forklift and check it for bends, cracks, and distortions due to overloading. If there are minor bends, consider having the forks straightened. You need to avoid cracks in the forks. Deep, large cracks will make it unsafe to lift loads at the full capacity of the machine. As you continue, check the fork heels for signs of wear and tear. The thickness of the fork heels should match the thickness of the upright fork shank. Also, inspect the mast for welds and cracks. You should also ensure the tilt, side-shift cylinders, and mast pins are secure, and then check the cylinder for leaks.

Lift chains, mast rails and cylinders

Continue your inspection and look for welds or cracks that may affect the structural integrity of the mast. Check the mast rollers for signs of excessive wear such as a compressed oval shape instead of round. Also, check along the length of the lift chains for damaged or missing anchor pins or links. Check the hoses parallel to the chain for leaking hydraulic fluid. Again, look for damage, leaks, and insecure or missing bolts on the tilt cylinders that are fastened to the forklift carriage.

General operation

Get into the driver’s seat and fasten the seatbelt. Check if the seat is securely fixed. Start the forklift and listen for odd sounds from the engine. Also, check the hydraulic levers by lifting and lowering the loader arms. Side shift the arms right and left, and tilt and run the pivot mast in various degrees to see if everything is functioning well. Then, you can end your inspection.