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Bargains batteries and tyres

We are getting near the end of our search for a decent second hand forklift truck but there are still points to consider.

10. Look out for ex-rental or ex-demonstration bargains

Sometimes it makes sense to go for an ex-rental truck which can be a good choice for your ‘back-up’ truck as they are often well-maintained and are normally sold after fewer years’ use.

Often, rental trucks are part exchanged or resold after three to five years and may only clock up less than 1000 hours a year. Owned trucks tend to be kept much longer and ten year old trucks still working are not uncommon.

Similarly, a truck that was only used as a dealer demonstration model should have very low truck hours.

11. What condition is the battery in?

On an electric forklift, a large part of its value is the battery and replacing one is very expensive. Imagine that when the truck is new it’s about 30 per cent of the total value and after five years it can be 40 per cent or more.

I am indebted to Mitsubishi for the following information.

To help gauge the sort of battery life you can expect from a second-hand electric counterbalance truck, you simply need to remember that – as a rule of thumb – a battery’s life consists of 1,200 charges – lasting approximately five hours each.
By dividing the number of hours a truck has been in operation by five, you can discover just how many charges it has left. Let’s look at a truck which has worked 3,500 hours:

To determine the impact of battery life on your site, why not calculate your annual use? Just multiply the number of hours the truck will be in operation each week by 52. If your trucks are needed 24 hours per week, your annual use (1248 hours), means that your battery will need to be replaced in two years’ time.

One way to determine a battery’s health is to examine the battery plates for white crystals. This could be a sign of sulphation, a naturally occurring process whereby sulphuric crystals from the sulphuric acid attach themselves to the lead plates, preventing the battery from charging. This problem is more common in warm environments where batteries are used or charged often and is a prime cause of premature battery failure.

Alternatively, you could request an inspection of the truck’s battery by a battery manufacturer or reputable forklift truck dealer. They will be able to test the specific gravity of the battery. The findings will verify the health of this vital truck component.

12: Check the tyres

Check the tyres for signs of uneven wear as this can indicate poor axle alignment which is a very pricey repair job.

Make sure any truck you’re thinking of purchasing has not been fitted with the wrong type of compound tyres. These wear prematurely and can be a costly exercise to correct.

On solid tyres, look out for a pronounced line. This will indicate that a truck is nearing its wear limit.

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