Types of Tires
Cushion tires are usually considered solid tires with no tread pattern. These tires are designed for indoor smooth and solid surfaces. There are tread patterns available however, that are a lot suitable for different surface environments. The cushion tires are popular on smooth warehouse floors and in similar applications.
Pneumatic tires on the other hand will need air and are made specifically for uneven ground and loose surfaces. The pneumatic tire provides a higher ground clearance over solid tires. This raises the center of gravity of the forklift and really reduces its rated lift capacity. More often than not, pneumatic tires are utilized in rough terrain surroundings due to their ability to negotiate uneven surfaces in a smoother manner. Lots of mining or agricultural applications and construction sites depend on these tires to be able to make certain the equipment can travel as safe and carefully as possible.
Lift height and Lift Capacity
It is vital to understand the maximum dimensions and weight of the loads you would be handling in order to determine the capacity of the vehicle needed. As well, you must know the maximum fork height required to be able to stack or rack the loads. These factors, the load size and the lifting height, really affect the lift capacity of the truck. A bigger size load could move the vehicle's center of gravity and change the load combination. This reduces the equipment's lifting capacity as well as affects the height and the load being lifted. Using various attachments could also affect the truck's overall capacity.
Mast Options
On the market today are various choices of forklift masts. These include: single, double, triple and quad masts. The number indicated the amount of sections on the mast. In different circumstances, you would not be needed to make any choices since the lift height will dictate the kind of mast you will get, although, in trucks with very high lift heights, you may have a choice.