Raw Materials
The telescoping boom rough terrain forklift's cab, body, boom and frame are generally made by a forklift manufacturer. Steel is the most popular materials used to make these because they have tremendous strength. Sometimes aluminum or steel forgings are used also. It is common for non-metallic materials like nylon plastic blocks to be utilized as guides in the boom assembly. The other parts are usually purchased as finished products and the lift truck maker installs them.
Several of the pre-assembled bought products include the seat, transmission, axles, engine, hoses, tires and wheels, backup-alarm, lights, hydraulic cylinders and gauges. Usually, some materials such as the lubricants and hydraulic fluid and fuel are bought in bulk. These liquids are added as required once the machinery is assembled and has passed the meticulous testing sessions.
Design
The common design that is most standard of telescoping boom rough terrain forklifts is a long and narrow design which has a set of wheels at the front of the unit and another set located towards the rear of the equipment. The boom part of the model is mounted at the forklift's rear off of a pivot feature that is raised 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 situated between the tires. The hydraulic fuel tank and the fuel tank are mounted opposite the cab on the right-hand side. Along the vehicle's center-line, the engine and the transmission are mounted inside the frame.
Beyond this basic configuration, different manufacturers have contributed to their own unique design. On the market now, there are numerous options offered. Certain units of forklifts use a single hydraulic cylinder to be able to elevate the boom, and other units use 2 cylinders. Some 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 equipment to compensate for extreme axle articulation. This is used for instance, when the tires on one side of the forklift are located down in a rut and the tires on the other side of the machine are up, situated on a mound of dirt.
Another common design feature includes fork attachments that are capable of swinging up to 45 degrees both right and left, in order to allow precise load positioning.