Raw Materials
The telescoping boom rough terrain forklift's cab, body, boom and frame are normally produced by a forklift maker. Steel is the most common materials used to make these since they have incredible strength. At times steel forgings or aluminum are utilized also. It is common for non-metallic materials like nylon plastic blocks to be used as guides in the boom assembly. The other components are normally bought as finished products and the lift truck maker installs them.
Pre-assembled bought products could consist of several of the following: transmission, seat, engine, axles, wheels, hoses and tires, lights, back-up alarms, gauges and hydraulic cylinders. Usually, some materials like for instance the lubricants and hydraulic fluid and fuel are purchased in bulk. These liquids are added as needed when the machinery is assembled and has passed the rigorous testing sessions.
Design
The common design which is most standard of telescoping boom rough terrain forklifts is a narrow and long design that has a set of wheels at the front of the model and another set situated towards the back of the equipment. The unit's boom is mounted at the back of the forklift off of a pivot feature that is elevated a few feet above the frame's level. Generally, the cab is mounted on the frame structure's left-hand side. Typically, the bottom half of the cab is low and situated 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.
Various manufacturers have contributed their own unique designs beyond this basic configuration. Today, there are many different options offered on the market. Certain models of forklifts make use of a single hydraulic cylinder in order to elevate the boom, and other units use 2 cylinders. Several models 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 machinery to compensate for extreme axle articulation. This is used for instance, when the tires on one side of the lift truck are located down in a rut and the tires on the other side of the equipment are up, situated on a mound of dirt.
Fork attachments are another popular design feature capable of swinging both left and right up to 45 degrees, which increases the accurate load positioning.