A scheduled maintenance routine for your forklifts is critical to operator protection and operational efficiency. Like your own car or truck, there are parts on your lift trucks that need to be serviced periodically to maintain performance and avoid systematic problems.

There are some forklift parts that naturally receive unrelenting use, or are more vulnerable to degradation over time. Rubber parts and flexible hoses should be preemptively replaced on a planned maintenance schedule before they start leaking or fail altogether.

Swapping out parts before they deteriorate or fail can prevent far more expensive repairs in the future. As is often said, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Lift truck parts that need to be replaced on a regular schedule are:

• Power Steering Hoses & Rubber Parts: Every 4,000 hours or 2 years
• Reservoir Tank Hose: Every 2 years, or 4,000 hours
• Wheel Cylinder Rubber Parts: Every 1,000 hours or annually
• Master Cylinder Rubber Parts: Every 1,000 hours or annually
• Hydraulic Hose: Every 2 years, or 4,000 hours
• Lift Chain: Every 3 years, or 6,000 hours
• Swing Lock Cylinder: Every 10,000 hours

There are other parts that may also need regular replacement, including:

• Lift truck battery: lead acid batteries generally have a lifespan of at least 5 years, and with proper care they can last much longer. However, from time to time they may need replacement.
• Forklift tires: once tires erode further than the 50% line, have tearing or cracking issues, or develop flat areas, they should be swapped out right away.
• Bearings: any worn out bearings should be attended to right away to continue smooth function of the lift truck.

Forklift Maintenance

Regular forklift maintenance plans should address the following:

• Lubrication: all moving parts or joints should be lubricated on a predetermined schedule.
• Fluids: Forklift battery water and hydraulic fluids should be monitored on a regular schedule.
• Charging: A methodical charging routine is vital for your lift truck’s battery life and performance.
• Instrument Inspection: as a basic safety measure, all instruments and gauges should be checked on a regular basis. This is not just a suggestion, it’s also mandated by OSHA within the compliance section 1910.178(q)

Forklift Safety

The federal government has a number of rules addressing lift truck upkeep, and any truck that is considered to be unsafe must be removed from service until all issues can be resolved. How do you know when a vehicle is not safe to operate? These are some of the conditions that could easily justify removing a lift truck from service:

• Tires with missing chunks or gouges
• Weld failures on the frame or mast
• Damaged or missing bolts anywhere on the forklift
• Broken gauges or instruments
• A compromised overhead guard

Forklift Parts Near Me

To obtain parts for any forklift manufacturer, contact a parts professional at Raymond West today.

Raymond's Portland service operation includes all of Western Oregon and Southwest Washington, including Portland, Beaverton, Tigard, Hillsboro, Forest Grove, Sherwood, Tualatin, Wilsonville, Oregon City, Gladstone, Clackamas, Milwaukie, Happy Valley, Gresham, Troutdale, Woodburn, Salem, Vancouver, Ridgefield, Longview, Kelso and surrounding areas.

Raymond West | Portland Forklift Dealer

3148 NE 181st Ave
Portland, OR 97230
(800) 675-2500