Just like a car’s mileage, the operating hours that your forklift has accumulated directly affects whether your vehicle needs replacing. The lifespan of most forklifts is between 10,000 to 12,000 hours, which equates to 5-6 years of full 8-hour operation. When your forklift starts to approach this number, you should start to think about some replacement options.
Notably, this consideration is only relevant to those with electric forklifts. To find out what condition the battery is in, you need to know its run time. The average battery will have approximately 1500-2000 charges (fully completed charging cycles). Each charge will last roughly 5 hours of operational time, and so if you divide the operational hours of the forklift by 5, you can estimate how many charges the vehicle will have left.
Notably, if the discharge indicator is at 20% residual power, continuing to use the forklift can cause substantial damage.
If you notice that your repair and maintenance costs have dramatically increased over the past year, it might be time to retire your forklift. At this point, will make economic sense to replace your vehicle with a newer one that requires less regular maintenance and repairs. Even though you will have to cough up for a new forklift, it will be far more cost-effective!
When the mechanical features of your forklift start to malfunction, it is time to consider getting a replacement. If you do not, you are jeopardising your own (or your employees) health and safety.
There are several different issues that could lead to serious accidents, including the malfunction of brakes, steering, clutch, and mast assembly, or leaks in hydraulic systems. Equally, if your forklift starts to unexpectedly drop loads or exhibit jerking motions, this may foreshadow more dangerous equipment failures occurring down the line.
Modern forklift technology such as Intelligent Curve Control, which reduces the risk of tilting during fast turns, can make operating a forklift safer and increase productivity in the workplace. You should consult periodically with your solutions provider to find out if updated technology will benefit you. In turn, this will help you determine when your forklift needs replacing.
If you are looking to replace your old forklift with a newer one, check out our premium range of L.P gas, diesel, and electric forklifts.
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