Forklift Parts in More Detail
A forklift is made of many components. The key parts which make up a lift truck are the truck frame, the engine parts, the overhead guard, the wheels and the tilt cylinders. Also, a lift truck consists of a variety of attachments. All the components that make up a forklift are all essential as they work together to make the machine's functions possible. The next paragraphs describe in detail some of the lift truck components.
The Overhead Guard - The overhead guard is really the forklifts metal roof, which sits atop the operator cab. It's job is to protect the operator whilst they are using the equipment. The overhead guard makes sure that nothing falling from above onto the truck will hurt the operator or damage the controls in the cab. The overhead guard is integral to the frame assembly on various models.
The Mast - the mast is a vertical assembly made of interlocking rails and mounted either to the forklift frame or the front axle. The mast provides lateral stability and allows the forks to move upwards and down. The interlocking rails may either have bushings or bushings as guides. There are a couple of ways the mast may be operated: hydraulically by one or more hydraulic cylinders or chain operated with motive power provided by a hydraulic motor.
Forklift Carriage - The carriage is the component that the forks and various other kinds of attachments are mounted to. Actually, the carriage is directly attached to the hydraulic cylinder and is attached by chains. To enable the forks to be lowered and raised, the carriage may have either rollers or bushings to guide it in the interlocking mast rails.
Load Back Rest - When the carriage is lifted to full height, there is a back rest made of metal that prevents a load from falling backwards. The back rest is either bolted or welded on to the carriage.
Lift Truck Attachments - There are numerous kinds of attachments which can be fixed directly to the lift truck's carriage. Forks are the most common kind of attachment. What's more, there are rotators, rollers, L-shaped members, pole handlers, roll clamps and so on. These different kinds of attachments are helpful for moving various types of loads.