7 Forklift Spare Parts To Always Have On Hand
What are the forklift spare parts to always have on hand?
- Oil
- Filters
- Hydraulic parts
- Mast chains
- Forks
- Brakes
- Tires
Forklifts are essential in warehouses, construction sites, dockyards, and other places where heavy lifting is needed. If moving goods is a crucial part of your daily operations, you can’t afford to have your forklift break down and cause downtime. To maintain your business operations, you should know what forklift spare parts to have on hand. This way, you can always keep your material handling equipment in good condition. Keep on reading to learn more!
Oil
For most forklifts, you’ll need to change the oil every 200 to 300 hours. To know the specific schedule you should follow, you can consult your manufacturer’s manual. Oil changes are crucial because they can help reduce engine wear and build-up. By changing your oil regularly, you can remove the excess dirt that can build up in your engine.
Fortunately, a forklift oil change is something that an in-house mechanic can complete in just a few minutes. Just always keep spare oil on hand to maintain uptime.
Filters
Filters should also be replaced regularly — typically during every oil change. This is a must because oil filters are responsible for filtering contaminants and particles from the oil. These particles, if left in the oil, can cause premature wear and tear on the forklift engine.
If you’re performing oil changes in your facility, it’s also a good idea to stock on oil filters. Other than this, don’t forget to stock up on air filters too!
Hydraulic Parts
Forklifts utilize hydraulics to move the chains and lift loads. The hydraulic system is composed of several parts, which can undergo wear and tear. The more you use your forklift, the sooner you will need to replace these components.
For instance, the hydraulic system rubber parts are subject to degradation especially if you use your forklift more often, which is why it’s beneficial to stock up even before a failure occurs. This includes the seals, gaskets, and bushings.
Mast Chains
The mast is the component of the forklift that lifts and lowers the load. Because of this, they affect the functionality of your material handling equipment. Since they’re put under incredible strain daily, it’s important to perform maintenance on the mast chains. This includes replacing damaged components before they completely fail.
By stocking up on mast chains, you can immediately replace them when you see signs of wear and tear. This way, you can prevent severe injuries caused by a failed chain when lifting heavy loads.
Forks
The forks are the long extensions that are attached to a forklift’s carriage. These support the load from the bottom. Just like the mast chains, they’re exposed to heavy loads. Because of this, the forks are one of the most commonly replaced parts of a forklift. Although the materials used for the forks are tough, the metal will eventually crack, bend, or wear down over time — especially when always exposed to large loads.
For this reason, fork inspections must be done properly. The important thing here is to identify signs of wear and perform a replacement before they fail.
Brakes
The brakes are always working to stop your forklift’s movement while carrying heavy loads. Stopping a three thousand pound forklift carrying large loads is no easy task. That’s why eventually, the brakes on your forklift will wear down. As soon as their function and efficiency diminish, the components should be replaced immediately. Otherwise, you risk accidents and damage to goods. This is why having replacement brakes is crucial.
Tires
Forklift tires do more than simply enable a forklift to move and transport loads. They also affect the comfort of the operator and the safety of the whole forklift operation. Well-maintained tires can help you move pallets smoothly and improve fuel efficiency. Compared to that, operating with damaged tires will only increase the risk of accidents and damage to products in your facility.
Depending on the tire you’re using, you might need to replace them sooner or later. Remember that tires with missing rubber chunks must be replaced immediately. To maintain uptime, make sure that you keep tires in your inventory.
Key Takeaway
If you rely on your forklifts on a daily basis, then you will need to know which forklift spare parts to have on hand. This way, you can perform replacements before a component fails — effectively preventing downtime and injuries.
Aside from providing high-quality Clark forklifts, we also provide after-sales services. We can offer preventive maintenance services to help keep your material handling equipment in peak condition. We have experienced technicians who can perform forklift repairs and servicing when needed. And on top of that, we only use parts that are made by the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) for Clark forklifts.
For any questions and inquiries, you can send us a message here!
