Forklift question

Blaze

Blaze

The Jeeper Reaper
Joined
Aug 9, 2005
Location
Wake Forest, NC
I am in the process of trying to get all my things straight for expanding my side business into a full time gig sometime next year, probably around June. I am going to need to purchase some equipment and things for it, so trying to figure out a plan for some things.

One of the things I am going to need is a forklift. I know how to drive a forklift but I know nothing about them when it comes to purchase or maintain them. I know some of you guys on here own them, drive them, maintain them, etc.

Most of what I will do with it is moving pallets on and off of the racks, but I might need it to load things onto or off of a trailer occasionally. The location I am looking at has a gravel lot, so I need something that can drive in gravel without getting stuck or falling over and killing me. My pallet racks will be 10' tall, my heaviest pallets will probably be about 1000lbs at most. Occasionally I may need to move a junk car around with it, but most of my stuff rolls and I can just use the fork to lift the front and drag it around.

What do you guys think? Any recommendations for the capacity/where to look/what to avoid/etc?
 
I've got a Cat T50C solid tire lift that I've had for a couple years. Its a 5000 lb rated machine, and I couldn't operate without it (and I'm just a guy who fiddles, I don't make any money with the shop). I've probably had it for 7-8 years, and in that time I've put a battery in it, a set of spark plugs, and rebuilt 1 hydraulic cylinder. In my current shop (34'x40') its a little big, but I wouldn't want one any smaller. I've considered selling it and getting a pneumatic tire lift, but the outdoor/pneumatic tire lifts are longer and wider because they are designed to carry that weight on inclined/angled surfaces, and it's already difficult enough to move around with the smaller lift. I've got a skidsteer with forks, and it can comfortably pick up a little over 2k pounds, so it gets the outside work done, but is occasionally limited because of the weight.

In an ideal world, I'd have a 10k+ rated dual wheel outdoor lift and a battery operated narrow aisle lift to keep inside in a corner. Use the narrow aisle lift for pallet racks and tight confine work, and use the big lift for loading/unloading vehicles and moving big stuff inside the shop when needed.
 
That's kind of my thought. I can get a smaller one for a lot cheaper and would be able to maneuver between the pallet racks pretty easily. If I got one of the bigger 6-7k lb ones it would be a bitch to maneuver around inside the building.

Do you run yours outside on gravel any?
 
Blaze said:
That's kind of my thought. I can get a smaller one for a lot cheaper and would be able to maneuver between the pallet racks pretty easily. If I got one of the bigger 6-7k lb ones it would be a bitch to maneuver around inside the building.

Do you run yours outside on gravel any?
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I never have because I'm afraid it might get stuck, and I haven't poured a concrete pad in front of my door yet, so the breakover angle on the transition might hang it up too.
 
There are some semi-pneumatic lifts, that might work for you. Even the pneumatic s, you have to be careful Not to spin a tire. Most lifts only have 3-4 " of ground clearance, & as soon as you spin a tire, your on the frame.
Biggest problem I've seen, is the operators crank the steering wheel with out looking or realizing they have. They will turn past 45 degrees & more, & the steer wheels, are acting as a brake, causing the drive tires to spin.
You got to get the lift moving [rolling] & turn very gently, when in loose materials, such as gravel. Forklift Companies, are like Automobile dealers, they have Very little, in an Old trade in! Tarheel 4 wheel Dr., grabbed a rather old lift from where I used to work, back around 99. I bet their still using that $400 lift!
 
You want a "pneumatic" tired lift, with actual pneumatic ( air ) tires, the floatation over (packed) gravel is much greater and easier to drive thru, the solid version of these tires ( look similar but solid rubber AKA Solid Pnematic ) will work but the floatation isn't as great, easier to spin and get stuck. Upside of pneumatic, softer ride, better movement over gravel, downside, flat tires and a bouncy ride over uneven surfaces. TO identify a pneumatic tired lift, look for either 2 piece wheels ( wheel splits in middle held together with bolts ) or wheels with split lock rings ( simile to old style truck wheels, and almost as dangerous when mounting ) Cushion tired lifts are for smooth solid surfaces ( indoors or paved lots ) wheels press on and tires are generally smooth solid rubber, almost instant stuck if on gravel and not very careful.

as for capacity, a 3000 capacity lift is probably where you want to be, small, maneuverable. but tough to find in a pneumatic tired version for reasonable prices ( everyone wants them ) 5000 lift is more readily available ( most commonly used )

pay attention to the mast and cylinder configuration. for a low ceiling building, you want a mast that has 3 cyls, one center, 2 outer, this is called a " full free lift mast" aka a "Triplex" mast

with free lift, the carriage will rise almost to top of first mast section before the mast itself extends,



Duplex or 2stage mast will take out the roof/ceiling or doorway of the average building if not careful.

all that being said, there is nothing "cheap" about a forklift, if you find one cheap, it's because its worn out or needs more repairs than the seller wants to pay for.

no brakes is usually a big reason for sale, it's easy to wrap up $1200+ in parts getting brakes back into working condition. ( not trying to scare, just go in informed )
 
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