How to buy a used forklift ?

What type of fungus?

Stephen R.

Try this site to start.

The hydraulics and transmission are the key components to look at. There are both regular (i.e. clutch) and hydrostatic (no clutch) transmissions available.

Yale, Clarke, Hyster, Prime Mover are the main names in forktrucks.

Depends on the environment in which they are being used, and how much use they get.

Parallel to. So you don't need to line the truck itself up exactly with the spot in which the pallet is to be placed.

Yes. When driving with empty forks you should tilt them forward slightly and run the tips just at the floor.

HTH

scott

"AL" wrote in news:uiBTb.210166$xy6.1078731@attbi_s02:

What are you planning to use it for? Many are for outdoor construction, while others are for warehouse work.

NJBrad

I'd recommend one with an automatic tranny, that way you don't have to worry about a clutch when spotting a heavy load. I don't know if they make a 5000# cap model in electric, I doubt it.

If you go propane, plan on renting the tanks from your local weld supply with the monthly rental fee. Gasoline will be cheaper as long as you operate in a well ventilated area. Diesel is nice but a more expensive machine.

My Yale 5000# is a well used machine, but it has a simple Chrysler 6 cylinder engine, very easy to get parts for and repair. I paid $2500 for it.

Check out ebay to get an idea of prices.

I used to run a Towmotor that gave good service. When I worked in the paper mill as a kid we'd have jousting matches.

The Towmotors beat the s*it out of the others.

It was hard getting used to the rear wheel steering but the iron posts in that warehouse were pretty strong.

Good thing.

Thomas J. Watson - Cabinetmaker (ret.) (Real Email is tjwatson1ATcomcastDOTnet)

Yes they do, and larger.

Dave Miller

Im new to this group and have read a lot of guys get scolded for not putting OT in their subject surely this is off topic?

The only two issues that I know about are the result of my very limited experience operating one:

1. If you are using it to lift parts into place and then attach them, make sure that the forklift will hold the forks stationary under load.
2. If you buy a propane forklift make sure it will start when cold. The one I was using would not properly vaporize propane at low temperatures at startup. Once it was running, it was fine.

No exhaust fumes, quieter. Good if you only need to use it an hour or two a day. If you need to run it all day, get one that you can refuel, rather than waiting for the battery to cahrge.

They can be charged indoors with good ventilation. They do give off hydrogen gas. Open the access panels around the batteries when charging.

No problem.

Where I live, both the local community college and an equipment rental yard offer forklift classes.

From my experience, used forklift salesmen make used car salesmen look like paragons of virtue.

You'll pay less buying from an end user than from a dealer, in general. The dealer may, or may not, paint it. The dealer may, or may not, fix anything. The truck may, or may not, break when you get it home. The dealer may give you a warranty on the engine or hydraulics.

What to look for: does it run? does it smoke? do the brakes work? does it have the capacity you need? Does it have the lift you need? (you can find single, double or triple section masts). Are the tires good? Does it leak? Does the transmission work? What does the trans fluid look like? Can you get parts? How's the steering linkage? Any slop in the kingpins? Suspension work is a pain and, if you do it yourself, will probably mean pulling the counterweight.

Others may correct me, but what I remember from looking at this a year or so ago is Yale and Hyster are now owned by the same holding company. This is good, parts are available. Clarke was in bankruptcy the other year, trade in values had dropped to nil. Cat was importing a Daewoo lift and rebadging it, I think. There are a lot of old trucks around from companies that have disappeared: Towmotor, Allis Chalmers, Burke(?). Some of these trucks are 40 years old and still running, but parts may require some creativity.

You have to charge it. Batteries are expensive and heavy. Gas smells if you run it inside, ditto on diesel. When you run out of propane, you'd better have another tank handy. Propane tends to be nicer on engines.  >

What's your budget? Less is better, but costs more. What kind of maintenance did it have? If it came from a company that had a lift service handle routine maintenance on a regular basis, a high hour truck may be in better shape than low hours from someplace that ignored maintenance. 

It moves the forks back and forth, parallel to your shoulders. That way you don't have to move the truck to get the forks where you need them.

As long as you don't run them on something soft like gravel or dirt. They'll just dig it. If you're on concrete or asphalt, it should be fine. >

No. It might leak out though if you forget to shut off the tank.

I also realize that I can rent forklifts (and even have

Hydraulics are the only way to lift things :-)

There is a tilt control for the mast.

You can also get manual or automatic transmissions. Manuals have fewer things to go wrong, autos are a little easier to creep around. Auto's have bunches of springs that can break as the truck gets older. With most trucks you can rebuild the clutch or trans without pulling it from the truck.

Check the manufacturers web sites. Mostly a lot of don'ts - don't take turns fast. Don't exceed the capacity, don't drive with the load high, etc. In other words: don't do anything dumb :-)

Propane trucks give off fumes but are best at long sitting without running. Forks shift parallel to shoulders. Forks can be tilted.Can be charged in building, but need ventilation because hydrogen is generated. Three phase chargers are cheaper to install and operate, smaller wire and conduit. Most industries now require fork truck licenses or certification. Should be available from local community college as a non degree seeking student.

Look for leaking hydraulic seals, cracked hydraulic hoses, hydraulic fluid drips, if fueled...leaks or corrosion in radiator, wobbles, pulsing, or jerking in steering, poor braking. It should have flashing warning light and beeper, save later lawsuits and required OSHA upgrades. Does it have a seat belt, I believe req by OSHA? It should have a working headlight. Does emergency brake work? If you are going off smooth or level pavement, buy one with GROUND CLEARANCE. Many trucks are only one inch off ground. Get easily stuck. Good luck

Bill Turpin in WNC mountains

Let me preface all remarks by saying that I am a certified forklift operator. I operate a 5,000# capacity lift at the Las Vegas Convention Center, The Sands Expo, and many hotels in Las Vegas. I am on my third certification, and they are good for five years.

Same thing as a car. High hours. (easily disguised on a forklift by changing the hour meter.) Lots of wear on the moving parts. Signs of leaks. Signs of repairs, particularly welding. Examine it as you would a car.

You get what you pay for. Stick with a Toyota, Yale, or Hyster, IMHO. I drive those 8 hours a day.

We use Yale, Hyster, Komatsu, and Toyota forklifts. They are good names, although I do not like the old Komatsu stick shifts. If there is anything to stay away from, I believe it is a stick shift clutched forklift.

Electric forklifts are used in special environments, usually confined spaces, indoors and special environments. A diesel would be only used outside, as well as a gasoline model because of the exhaust. Propane lifts can be used indoors with ventilation.

The lower the better. Model year means nothing when put beside the hour meter. You can have a year old forklift with 2,000 hours on it, or a ten year old lift with 500 on it. Hours mean something. Model year means a lot less.

It shifts loads horizontally. It is a very useful control.

Electric lifts have a whole separate list of needs and maintenence. They also have different repair and replacement procedures. Yes, they can be charged indoors. Yes, they give off noxious flammable gases.

Yes, they run on asphalt.

You might consider a lease. That way, the leasing company maintains it, and you pay a flat fee or for the hours of use. You may have a better deduction factor with a lease instead of having to amortize depreciation on capital investments of a purchased lift. Check with your CPA for the figures.

Yes.

You would have to check that out in your locality.

Are you going to be the one driving it ALL the time. Just like you used to sneak a drive on the forklift, employees may do the same thing and create a huge liability for you. If you know so little about a forklift, and need one, I would hire an employee who is already certified. Your insurance company will probably require it. If you go and get experience, it will be at a cost. A lot of it is trial and error, and it will be on your stuff. Driving a forklift looks easy. It is not. It is hazardous, and the statistics are there to prove it.

HTH

Steve

The Army gave me a 4,400lb capacity rough terrain forklift and a license after 1/2 hour of instruction. Then I used it to move missile sections around. On snow and ice in Germany. Didn't seem too hard to me.

Sounds about right. A brand new 3000 lb model will run about $17,500. they do not depreciate like a car due to model years, but hours is a more important factor.

Toyota is the top selling brand in the world. Most brands have components from around the world. Yale, as US brand uses Mitsubishi engines while Toyota is built in Ohio. I don't know of any brands to avoid. Just be sure the brand is still in busness, otherwise it will be hard to get parts if needed.

Electric is quiet and has no air pollution. Batteries and chargers are a few thousand dollars though. Unless you need electric, propane is a much better fuel. If it is used outdoors, gasoline is OK.

Engine hours are important. less than 10,000 is good. Look for signs of hydraulic leaks and see how the transmission feels. Steering should be fairly tight.

Side shift is a good feature if you are stacking pallets in tight quarters or need any degree of accuracy when placing a load. It moves parallel to your shoulders about 6 inches in each direction.

Yes, they are charged indoors. I don't know about the other factors.

Yes, they are made for most any smooth surface. Do NOT take them out on sand, gravel or dirt. Every year we get a new fork lift operator and we have to pull him out of the dirt outside the plant. The are very poor traction if the suface is wet. Downright dangerous in fact.

No, can sit for very long time.

Yes. Some of the new models have a fork leveling button. When travelling with a load you should have the forks tilted back. When you want to put it down, it can be difficult to get the forks exactly level. You hold the button on the lever and push forward and when the forks are 90 degrees, it will stop. You have to tilt the forks forward to pick up a load that is not on a pallet or to slide out from under a bundle.

Most dealers offer a safety course. OSHA requires a training course. You have to have a refresher every couple of years and you have to be trained in every model. You are supposed to run down a checklist every day before using it also. And now you are supposed to wear a seatbelt. -- Backup alarms are not required yet, but if you have more than one truck and one has the alarm, all must then have the alarm.

If you think buying a car is a fun time, forklift salesmen make them look like amateurs.

Other factors to consider are lift heights. The trucks in a trucking termnal are often single mast as they only lift pallets maybe 4 feet to stack inside of a trailer. Double mast allows a much higher lift; this is very common to find. Triple mast is higher yet. I'm not sure of the maximum, but the ones I just bought are 186" This is handy when you have to change lightbulbs in a factory ceiling or do overhead piping. You can buy a cage that goes on the forks to lift a man up.

For limited use, the "window" in the front is probably not the deciding factor, but if you use one a lot, it is a big help to have a wide window in the mast instead of looking at the cylinder. Makes for safer driving and more accurate load placement. Ed snipped-for-privacy@snet.net

I'm sorry I can't help you out with details on forklifts (ask me about tractors though :-)) However, you might also want to check out the site: , they have a classified and photo classified section and often have a forklift or two for sale. It will give you at least another place to look.

No affiliation, just spend some time looking at the hardware.

I would guess that there's a big difference between using a forklift outside (which is what I assume a rough terrain forklift is used for) and running one inside a warehouse. I've seen plenty of walls with forklift-shaped holes in them and warehouse racks with forklift-shaped dents in them. It wouldn't take a lot of imagination to envision taking out a rack with enough force to topple it. Not to mention the risks when picking or placing pallets to prevent knocking other pallets off the other side, etc..

Reminds me of a time several years ago when I worked as a design engineer. I borrowed a stand-up forklift from the shipping department to move some lead weights in our test yard that we used to provide dead weight to test our products over time. While bringing it back, I had to go through the employee parking lot. I guess I had a brain cramp and turned the little crankwheel the wrong way and turned left instead of right. I came about an inch away from taking out the rear quarter panel of somebody's car.

todd