Raw Materials
The telescoping boom rough terrain forklift's cab, body, boom and frame are usually produced by a forklift maker. Steel is the most popular materials used to make these as they have incredible strength. At times aluminum or steel forgings are also utilized. It is common for non-metallic materials like nylon plastic blocks to be utilized as guides in the boom assembly. The other parts are normally bought as finished products and the forklift maker installs them.
Pre-assembled bought products can include several of the following: transmission, seat, engine, axles, hoses, tires and wheels, backup-alarm, lights, gauges and hydraulic cylinders. Usually, certain materials like the fuel and lubricants and hydraulic fluids are bought in bulk. These liquids are added as required once the machinery is assembled and has passed the rigorous testing sessions.
Design
The common design that is most standard of telescoping boom rough terrain forklifts is a long and narrow design that has a set of wheels at the front of the unit and another set situated towards the rear of the machine. The boom portion of the model is mounted at the forklift's rear off of a pivot feature that is raised several feet above the frame's level. Usually, the cab is mounted on the left-hand side of the frame structure. Typically, the bottom half of the cab is low and located between the tires. The fuel tank and the hydraulic fuel tank are mounted on the right-hand side, opposite the cab. Along the center-line of the vehicle, the engine and the transmission are mounted inside the frame.
Different manufacturers have contributed their own unique designs beyond this basic configuration. Nowadays, there are numerous options offered on the market. Certain models of forklifts make use of a single hydraulic cylinder in order to elevate the boom, and other models utilize 2 cylinders. Several models utilize a side-to-side hydraulic frame leveling capability. This feature allows the frame to tilt up to 10 degrees relative to the axles in order to enable the machine to compensate for extreme axle articulation. This is utilized for example, when the tires on one side of the lift truck are situated down in a rut and the tires on the other side of the equipment are up, located on a mound of dirt.
Another common design feature comprises fork attachments which are capable of swinging up to 45 degrees both right and left, in order to enable accurate load positioning.