Forklift trucks require regular maintenance to detect issues in their infancy before they become major, causing downtimes, expensive repairs, and premature retirement of equipment. The need for religious and appropriate maintenance does not fall away owing to the ruggedness and cumbersome nature of forklift trucks. Although it is possible to manage your maintenance requirements inhouse, it makes more sense to partner with a seasoned forklift dealer like Accurate Forklift for all forklift service and repair needs. There are different types of maintenance when it comes to forklift trucks. To help you get your forklift service and repair on point, we take a closer look at the different types of maintenance that you ought to know.
Types of Forklift Maintenance
As mentioned before, there are different types of forklift maintenance that every business in material handling must know. These are:
- Preventative maintenance - Performed while equipment is functional to reduce the likelihood of failing
- Predictive maintenance - Predicts future failure points of forklifts and replaces parts before they fail
- Proactive maintenance - This is a form of preventative maintenance that seeks to address the underlying causes of problems. The objective is to anticipate and eliminate equipment failures.Â
- Reactive maintenance - Also referred to as Breakdown Maintenance as it occurs after the forklift truck has already broken downÂ
- Lubrication maintenance - Covers efforts related to grease, oil, and filters, among others. It is a program designed to ensure adequate equipment lubrication at all times to ensure performance and reliability.
 Frequency of Service
The frequency at which a particular forklift truck requires inspection can only be determined after conducting an engineering analysis that looks at several factors such as:Â
- Age of forklift
- Service record
- Operation hours
- Condition and value
- Safety requirements
- Type of service
Crafting a Maintenance Schedule
Every entity that runs a fleet of forklift trucks must create a maintenance schedule that is informed by all the important factors. A proper maintenance schedule must be clear on th tasks to be carried out daily, monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, and annually. Here are some of the elements that commonly feature under the various categories:
Daily MaintenanceÂ
Daily maintenance amounts to tasks that the forklift operator must perform daily before they begin operations. The visual inspection includes but is not restricted to:
- Checking tires
- Checking for damage and leaks
- Check if the safety lights are in a proper working condition
- Check the steering, parking brakes, and horn
- Lift and lower the forks with and without a load
- Check the fuel, engine oil, radiator water, and hydraulic fluid levels
Monthly Maintenance
At the end of the month or after 200-250 hours, whatever comes first, it is the best time to conduct monthly maintenance. This includes:Â
- Replace engine oil
- Clean air filters
- Check for cracks
- Adjust engine idle speed
- Lubricate chassis and mast components
- Ignition adjustment
- Check battery for electric forklifts
- Check drive belt tension, lift, and tilt cylinder operation
Quarterly Maintenance
Quarterly Maintenance at 250-600 hours involves a host of tasks that include checking for:
- Cracks
- Lift chain tension
- Hand brake
- Fuel filter
- Mast operation
- Carriage rollers
- Lift and tilt cylinder operation
- Hoses
- Differential and transmission oil
You must also:
- Replace fuel filter
- Clean radiator exterior
- Check the battery
- Check electrical system
- Drain water separator (for diesel trucks)
- Adjust clutch release bearing, tilt cylinder pins,Â
Semi-Annual Maintenance
Semi-annual maintenance needs to be conducted after every 1,000 to 1,200 hours and includes:
- Check for cracks
- Replace brake fluid, coolant, fuel strainer element, fuel filter, lube in drive hubs, and diesel truck water separator
- Torque manifold nuts and engine head bolts
- Inspect brake booster operation
- Electric systems check
- Battery check (for electric forklifts)
Annual Maintenance
Annual maintenance must be performed between 2,000 and 2,400 hours and covers:Â
- Checking for cracks
- Run magnetic tests of forks and main mast welds
- Replace coolant, brake fluid, fuel filter, fuel strainer element, diesel truck water separator, and lube in drive hubsÂ
- Inspect brake booster operation
- Torque manifold nuts and engine head bolts
- Run magnetic particle test for forks and main mast welds
- Electrical system check
- Electric truck battery check
Partner with the Best!
Accurate forklift offers forklift service and repair deals that are customized to your unique needs. We have a team of seasoned experts, the technology, and a reputation for providing superior service. Talk to us today to customize a deal for your forklift service and repair. Just dial 770-692-1455 or email us at service@accurateforklift.netÂ
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