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 popular materials utilized to make these because they have tremendous strength. At times aluminum or steel forgings are also utilized. It is common for non-metallic materials such as nylon plastic blocks to be used as guides within the boom assembly. The other components are typically bought as finished products and the lift truck maker installs them.
Pre-assembled bought products can include some of the following: seat, transmission, engine, axles, hoses, tires and wheels, backup-alarm, lights, hydraulic cylinders and gauges. Usually, certain materials like the hydraulic fluid and fuel and lubricants are purchased in bulk. These liquids are added as required once the machinery is assembled and has passed the rigorous testing sessions.
Design
The narrow and long 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 machinery. 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 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.
Different manufacturers have contributed their own unique designs beyond this basic configuration. Now, there are many different options available on the market. Some models of forklifts use a single hydraulic cylinder to be able to elevate the boom, and other models utilize 2 cylinders. Several models utilize a side-to-side hydraulic frame leveling capability. This feature allows the frame to tilt up to 10 degrees relative to the axles in order to enable the machinery to compensate for extreme axle articulation. This is utilized 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, located on a mound of dirt.
Fork attachments are another common design feature capable of swinging both left and right up to 45 degrees, that improves the precise load placement.