Forklifts are like any other motor vehicle and are prone to wear over time. This is why it’s important to thoroughly examine your model over time to ensure it’s still in peak condition.

This is done differently to your daily safety check and is designed to look for things that may have happened over extensive use. It doesn’t matter if it’s one of your first class Bendi VNA forklifts or a different make altogether, you have to ensure your model is still at peak condition.

Here are five ways of checking that condition:

1. Examine your forks

You should inspect your forks by starting at the front and looking for bends, cracks or other signs of wear. Cracks tend to be the biggest cause for concern as they are tell-tale signs your forks may need replacement.

You also want to cheek the fork blade’s heel taking note of its thickness. If the blade’s back does not align with the upright fork shank’s thickness then this a good sign your forks are worn.

2. Check the lift chains for gaps

As you go up the forks, check the mast for any welding marks or cracks where cracks were once fixed. If the welding was poor this could affect the structural integrity. Check the middle of the mast and view the lift chains, checking for any corroded or missing links/pins.

3. Check the mast’s operation

Have an expert raise the forks high enough to extend a second or third mast. If there is trouble in the raising process then this could mean that the mast rollers are worn, the master rollers have no been lubricated or that the chain needs fixing. Worn mast rollers are typically lop-sided or oval-shaped.

4. Check the tires

Get down and have a look for any signs of chunking. This will typically look like a bite has been taken out of the tyre. Another great way to check if the tyres are struggling is if the tread is low or there is no tread at all.

Start by looking at the safety line or wear line, checking to see if the tire is worn past this line or is close to it. This way you can tell if the tires need replacing.

If there is no wear line, then look at the sidewall’s lettering. If the top of the lettering is reached then the tire needs replacing.

5. Check the battery life

Battery hours are not tracked, but you can gauge the battery life by knowing how many years and shifts the forklift was operated in. Typical batteries last up to five years for single-shift operations, so if the battery was in a double-shift and is one year old it has about two or three years of life left.

It’s just part of the job

Given that you already have to conduct daily forklift safety checks, it’s only natural that you will have to do the same with a more thorough examination of other forklift parts as the years go on.

A forklift’s components are subject to wear over time and may need replacing. Of course, if the forklift has incurred irreparable damage or is noticeably faulty, you may have to buy a brand new forklift to ensure the proper operation of the forklift and safety of your employees!