Questions to Ask When Buying a Forklift
With our years of customer experience, we have been asked various questions by customers when they have come looking for a forklift. Here we break down the top five questions you should ask when purchasing a forklift, both to yourself and to our salesman.
1. What weight do you need to lift?
Our forklifts come in a wide variety of capacities depending on the needs of your job. We have capacities ranging from 1.8 ton up to 10 ton. It is better to go a little higher with the lifting capacity to ensure that you will be able to lift your required products. This question is important to ask as the price can vary between lifting capacities. It is important for you to know your exact lifting requirements so that you can avoid any unnecessary costs.
2. How high do you need to reach?
High reach forklifts are designed to reach heights that traditional forklifts are not designed to, using weighted counter balance to ensure the job is done safely. Most forklifts typically reach around 3.8m to 4.5m but options are available if you need to lift to a greater height.
3. Are you driving into a container?
It is important to ensure you have the right forklift if you need to unload a container. Container entry masts are standard on most forklifts, but it is always important to ask as some forklifts can have a higher mast.
4. What surface will you be driving on?
Forklifts typically have three tyre options. It is therefore important to consider what surface you will be driving on when selecting a tyre choice. The three options are pneumatic, solid and non-marking. Pneumatic are filled with air and best suited for uneven terrains such as dirt or sand. Solid tyres are made of solid rubber and are best suited to flat surfaces such as cement and bitumen. Non-Marking tyres are still made of solid rubber but do not leave any marks on the floor, making them perfect for protective floor coatings. You can read more information about the tyre options on forklifts here.
5. Which attachments are required?
Various forklift attachments are available to help make your forklift more versatile. Attachments such as Jibs, Bin Tippers, Rotators, Fork Positioners and Safety Cages can all be added to improve your forklifts capabilities. You can read more about our forklift attachments here.
Need more advice? Contact our friendly sales team and they will be able to run you through the best options for your application.