Raw Materials
The body, cab, frame and boom of a telescoping boom rough terrain forklift are usually made by a forklift manufacturer. The most common material utilized for these subassemblies is steel, due to its tremendous strength. Sometimes steel forgings or aluminum are also utilized. It is common for non-metallic materials such as nylon plastic blocks to be utilized as guides within the boom assembly. The other parts are usually bought as finished products and the lift truck maker installs them.
Several of the pre-assembled purchased products comprise the transmission, seat, engine, axles, wheels, hoses and tires, lights, back-up alarms, gauges and hydraulic cylinders. Most often, certain materials like the hydraulic fluid and fuel and lubricants are purchased in bulk. These liquids are added as needed once the machinery is assembled and has passed the rigorous testing sessions.
Design
The common design that is most standard of telescoping boom rough terrain forklifts is a narrow and long design which has a set of wheels at the front of the model and another set located towards the rear of the machine. The model's boom is mounted at the forklift's back off of a pivot feature that is elevated a few feet above the level of the frame. Normally, the cab is mounted on the frame structure's left-hand side. Typically, the bottom half of the cab is low and located 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 engine and the transmission are mounted in the frame.
Beyond this basic configuration, different manufacturers have contributed to their own unique design. On the market nowadays, there are many different options available. Certain models of forklifts use a single hydraulic cylinder to be able to raise the boom, and other models utilize 2 cylinders. Some 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 in order to enable the equipment to compensate for extreme axle articulation. For instance, this is used when the tires on one side of the forklift are situated down in a rut and the tires on the other side of the equipment are up, located on a mound of dirt.
Another common design feature includes fork attachments which are capable of swinging up to 45 degrees both left and right, in order to enable accurate load positioning.