Tire Types
Cushion tires are normally considered solid tires with no tread pattern. These tires are designed for indoor smooth and solid surfaces. There are tread patterns available however, which are more suitable for various surface environments. The cushion tires are common on smooth warehouse floors and in similar applications.
Pneumatic tires on the other hand would 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 forklift's center of gravity and greatly lessens its rated lift capacity. Most often, pneumatic tires are used in rough terrain surroundings because of their ability to negotiate uneven surfaces in a smoother fashion. A lot of construction sites and agricultural or mining applications depend on these tires so as to make sure the machinery is able to travel as carefully and safe as possible.
Lift Capacity and Lift Height
It is vital to understand the maximum weight and dimensions of the loads you would be handling in order to determine the capacity of the vehicle needed. In addition, you will need to know the maximum fork height needed in order to stack or rack the loads. These factors, the load size and the lifting height, greatly affect the truck's lifting capacity. A larger size load can move the vehicle's center of gravity and change the load combination. This reduces the machine's lifting capacity and affects the height and the load being lifted. Using different attachments can also affect the overall capacity of the truck.
Mast Options
On the market nowadays are various choices of forklift masts. These consist of: quad, triple, double and single masts. The number indicated the amount of sections on the mast. In a variety of circumstances, you will not be needed to make any choices since the lift height will dictate the type of mast you would get, although, in trucks with very high lift heights, you could have an alternative.