Tire Types
Normally, cushion tires are solid tires that have no tread pattern. They are mostly designed to be used on solid and smooth surfaces, typically indoors. There are tread patterns available however, which are more suitable for different surface environments. The cushion tires are popular on smooth warehouse floors and in similar applications.
Pneumatic tires however will need air and are designed particularly for uneven ground and loose surfaces. The pneumatic tire provides a higher ground clearance over solid tires. This raises the forklift's center of gravity and greatly lessens its rated lift capacity. More often than not, pneumatic tires are used in rough terrain surroundings due to their ability to navigate uneven surfaces in a smoother fashion. Many construction sites and agricultural or mining operations depend on these tires in order to make certain the machine can travel as carefully and safe as possible.
Lift Capacity and Lift Height
In order to determine the capacity of the vehicle needed, it is essential to know the maximum weight and dimensions of the loads you would be handling. Additionally, you must know the maximum fork height needed to be able to rack or stack the loads. These factors, the load size and the lifting height, really affect the truck's lifting capacity. A bigger size load could move the vehicle's center of gravity and change the load combination. This reduces the machine's lifting capacity as well as affects the load being lifted and the height. Utilizing different types of attachments could also affect the truck's overall capacity.
Mast Options
On the market these days are several different choices of forklift masts. These consist of: single, double, triple and quad masts. The number indicated the amount of sections on the mast. In a variety of circumstances, you will not be required to make any choices as the lift height will dictate the kind of mast you will get, however, in trucks with very high lift heights, you could have an alternative.