Forklift preventive maintenance, tips, and tricks

Forklift preventive maintenance

If you work in a warehouse or a storage facility then you are most likely familiar with forklifts. Although they do make everyone’s life easier when it comes to transporting heavy material in a limited amount of time, these babies require our love and care as well to continue to support us.

This explains why preventive maintenance is no option but a necessity

Take a guess, how much would you value forklift downtime cost per minute? Whatever you are thinking, it is probably higher. Corporate managers estimate it at thousands of dollars wasted per minute. Yes, per minute. This only makes forklift preventive maintenance more important. When the cost of downtime is so high, why use this type of machine you might ask the answer is; that it makes just about everything run more smoothly and diminishes the risks of injuries. You can now say goodbye to ropes, pulleys, or cables, the forklift replaces all that and more, and now by simply using a remote, one can pick up and drop off heavy objects to the chosen final destination, which also makes life much easier for the workers and their safety.

For the forklift to continue to run adequately, remain easy to maneuver, and resist over time, the operator must take the time to properly maintain it to increase its longevity. Here is a list of tips to help you take good care of your forklift and ultimately make your life at work better.

1. Make sure you change your oil regularly. At least once every three months, an oil change and check-up are mandatory. It will maintain the machinery at its best performance in terms of efficiency and prevent any combustion problems.
2. Check your brakes. As the person operating the vehicle, you will probably be using those brakes often and you don’t want this to become an issue at a crucial time. From the moment you feel like your brakes are a little often, ask a mechanic to check them.
3. Don’t forget to lubricate the forklift. Just like your car, oiling the main parts of the forklift will make a big difference. This will reduce the friction between the different elements and avoid a big harmful impact on the machinery which can add up to a lot of extra expenses. A good way to do forklift preventive maintenance is simply by keeping your eyes and ears wide open, any weird sound you hear or unmaintained appearance might require a checkup from a professional and save everyone a lot of time, money, and energy.
4. Keep an eye on the fluid levels. Especially in countries like Canada where the temperature can drastically change in a matter of hours when operating a forklift, it is important to not overlook the fluid levels. Fluid levels refer to a range of fluids such as fuel, hydraulics, and anti-freeze. If you work in a busy warehouse, the forklift might be used or even overused, therefore looking for signs of overheating is crucial. When it comes to forklift preventive maintenance, being alert and aware is key. For instance, before and after you start operating the machine, make sure you look for leaks from the reservoir or from underneath the machine.
5. Check your tires. At least once a week, yes once a week, make sure to check the pressure of the tire. Since the forklift is used daily and very frequently throughout the day, for its maintenance and also for everyone’s security, it is mandatory to check the tires and verify their pressure. Make sure that the tires are not underinflated or overinflated. This last step will significantly reduce the risk of damage long-term.

With a great piece of machinery also comes more responsibility and the need for frequent preventive maintenance.

If you are operating a forklift, you must keep these five essential tips in mind and care for your forklift as it makes your life so much better at work every day. Just like you would take care of your car, make sure you take extra good care of your forklift, you will not regret it.

A forklift that is well-taken care through preventive maintenance can last years and run smoothly and efficiently. As forklifts are a crucial part of the warehouse equipment, make sure you take proper care of it and that you do so every week. This will extend its life and cause you fewer problems in the end in terms of money, energy, time, and even safety.

Remember, pay attention to visible damage meaning appearance and noise, and make sure to be safely equipment in case of an accident, forklift preventive maintenance is very important but safety always comes first. It is also a good idea to keep a calendar of these tips to not forget to do them and ask yourself the right questions:

Just as you take care of your car, do not neglect taking even better care of your forklift! It is better to prevent than to fix, forklift preventive maintenance will make your life easier and cause you less headaches in the end.

What type of forklifts do you have?

A professional mechanic will fix forklifts differently if they work with internal combustion, propane, or electrically.

How long does each tip take me to accomplish?

If you know how long it takes, you can also fit it better into your busy work schedule.

How often a month do these tasks need to be repeated?

You can keep a calendar at your desk and circle the important check-up dates with the tasks to perform for that day. This way you won’t forget! Some maintenance should be done monthly others quarterly and some only twice a year. The tips above our four maintenance you can do on a more frequent basis but when it comes to bigger tasks, the intervention of a professional mechanic is necessary.