Raw Materials
The body, cab, boom and frame of a telescoping boom rough terrain forklift are normally made by a forklift manufacturer. The most common material for these subassemblies is steel, because of its tremendous strength. At times aluminum or steel forgings are utilized as well. It is common for non-metallic materials like for example nylon plastic blocks to be utilized as guides within the boom assembly. The other components are normally purchased as finished products and the lift truck maker installs them.
Pre-assembled purchased products could consist of several of the following: transmission, seat, axles, engine, tires, wheels and hoses, lights, back-up alarms, gauges and hydraulic cylinders. Most often, certain materials like the fuel and lubricants and hydraulic fluids are purchased in bulk. These liquids are added as required when the equipment is assembled and has passed the rigorous testing sessions.
Design
The long and narrow 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 boom portion of the model is mounted at the back of the forklift off of a pivot feature which is elevated a few feet above the frame's level. Generally, the cab is mounted on the left-hand side of the frame structure. Typically, the cab's bottom half is low and located between the tires. The fuel tank and the hydraulic fuel tank are mounted opposite the cab on the right-hand side. Along the center-line of the vehicle, the transmission and the engine are mounted within the frame.
Beyond this basic configuration, various manufacturers have contributed to their own unique design. On the market these days, there are numerous options available. Some units of forklifts utilize a single hydraulic cylinder to be able to raise the boom, and other models use 2 cylinders. Several units make use of 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 enable the machine to compensate for extreme axle articulation. This is utilized for instance, when the tires on one side of the lift truck are situated down in a rut and the tires on the other side of the machinery are up, located on a mound of dirt.
Fork attachments are another common design feature capable of swinging both right and left up to 45 degrees, that improves the precise load placement.