Raw Materials
The cab, body, boom and frame of a telescoping boom rough terrain forklift are normally made by a lift truck manufacturer. The most popular material for these subassemblies is steel, due to its incredible strength. Sometimes aluminum or steel forgings are also used. It is common for non-metallic materials like nylon plastic blocks to be used as guides within the boom assembly. The other components are typically purchased as finished products and the forklift maker installs them.
Pre-assembled purchased products can include several of the following: seat, transmission, axles, engine, 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 needed when the machinery is assembled and has passed the meticulous 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 situated towards the back of the equipment. The boom part of the unit is mounted at the forklift's rear off of a pivot feature which is elevated a few feet above the frame's level. Usually, the cab is mounted on the left-hand side of the frame structure. Normally, the cab's bottom half is low and located 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 within the frame.
Various manufacturers have contributed their own unique designs beyond this basic configuration. Now, there are many different options offered on the market. Some models of forklifts utilize a single hydraulic cylinder to be able to raise the boom, and other models make use of 2 cylinders. Some models use a side-to-side hydraulic frame leveling capability. This feature allows the frame to tilt up to 10 degrees relative to the axles so as to allow the machinery to compensate for extreme axle articulation. For instance, this is utilized when the tires on one side of the forklift are situated down in a rut and the tires on the other side of the equipment are up, situated on a mound of dirt.
Fork attachments are another popular design feature capable of swinging both left and right up to forty five degrees, that improves the precise load placement.