Raw Materials
The body, cab, boom and frame of a telescoping boom rough terrain forklift are usually made by a forklift manufacturer. The most popular material for these subassemblies is steel, because of its incredible strength. At times steel forgings or aluminum are utilized too. It is common for non-metallic materials like nylon plastic blocks to be used as guides within the boom assembly. The other parts are normally bought as finished products and the lift truck maker installs them.
Some of the pre-assembled purchased products include the transmission, seat, axles, engine, wheels, hoses and tires, lights, back-up alarms, gauges and hydraulic cylinders. Usually, some materials such as the lubricants and hydraulic fluid and fuel are purchased in bulk. These liquids are added as required once the machine is assembled and has passed the meticulous testing sessions.
Design
The narrow and long design of the telescoping boom rough terrain forklift is most common, with a set of wheels at the front of the model and another set located towards the rear of the equipment. The model's boom is mounted at the back of the forklift off of a pivot feature that is elevated a few feet above the level of the frame. Generally, the cab is mounted on the frame structure's left-hand side. Normally, the bottom half of the cab is low and situated between the tires. The hydraulic fuel tank and the fuel tank are mounted on the right-hand side, opposite the cab. Along the center-line of the vehicle, the transmission and the engine are mounted in the frame.
Beyond this basic configuration, different manufacturers have contributed to their own unique design. On the market now, there are many different options available. Some models of forklifts make use of a single hydraulic cylinder to be able to raise the boom, and other units utilize 2 cylinders. Several units utilize a side-to-side hydraulic frame leveling capability. This particular feature allows the frame to tilt up to 10 degrees relative to the axles so as to allow the equipment to compensate for extreme axle articulation. This is utilized for instance, when the tires on one side of the forklift are located down in a rut and the tires on the other side of the machine are up, situated on a mound of dirt.
One more common design feature comprises fork attachments which are capable of swinging up to 45 degrees both right and left, in order to allow accurate load placement.