Moffett Fork Truck
It’s almost summer, a season when the maintenance of your forklift becomes an important factor than any other time of the year! As you read on below, you will learn more about some cool tips that will keep your Moffett fork truck engine working throughout the hot season.
If you are a forklift operator or driver in the summer period, this is definitely the time of the year that should be one your favorites. While others relax in their office, you get to drive around on your lift truck in the scorching heat. Driving your forklift truck also comes with some dangers in summer days, and you need to be aware of these. When the temperatures are quite high during summer, the unbearable heat could make it quite difficult for you to work, especially when it’s humid.
With constant heat around the lift truck, you may suffer from dehydration, extreme fatigue, and even a heat stroke. This is not only dangerous for you, but also for people around you. To top this up, summer heat could cause damage to your lift trucks, especially if you are not careful.
Here are some tips to help ensure that you properly “summer-proof” your lift trucks.
Well Being of Your Workforce:
Right before getting onto forklifts themselves, it is important that all operators should take the best precautionary measures to stay hydrated and cool. Without the right measures in place to prevent it, exhaustion, stress, and heat could cause some real health risks for forklift operators, especially all those who work long shifts in hot conditions.
You need to consider rescheduling some tasks so that you can carry them out during a cooler part of the day, and you should set up the fan equipment in various parts of the warehouse, where most work will take place. Make sure that you as the operator carry enough bottles of water to keep yourself well hydrated, get water breaks, wear light clothing, and use the right mechanical aids to reduce any form of physical exertion. Proper operation training and instructions from OSHA will help you to follow the right beneficial tips.
Inspect the Belts, Fans, and Engine:
Overheating in the engine could result in a common problem, especially during warmer summer months, all due to the low coolant level, or the use of an incorrect coolant in use. You need to make sure that you replace the coolant of the engine whenever necessary and in cases where the coolant levels are quite low, you should check for any form of cracks before you decide to add the fluid.
Make sure that when you choose a Moffett Truck, you check for holes, cracks, or any loose connections before the refilling of the tank and ensure the coolant is appropriate for the specific model of forklift. You need to check the engine fan for any form of debris or damage, as a fan in the right working order will be critical for maintaining low engine temperature and avoid any meltdown. In addition, maintaining the belt of the engine is important for regulating the temperature, if the belt is a worn out one, this will cause a reduction in the flow of air, as well as coolant flow, causing the temperatures in the engine to spike.
Battery Checks:
Even though you check the battery of your forklift, which is a part of daily maintenance, this becomes vital in summer days. This is because the heat can cause corrosion and low fluid levels. In cases of extreme heat, this causes evaporation of the batter fluids, which may shorten the lifespan of your forklift. Ensure that you have the right water levels in the battery cells, and if the levels of the battery fluid are low, make sure you refill it with enough water, with the right pH for your battery.
Engine Checks:
Usually, overheating is often a major problem especially during summer days, and if the radiator is in the right working order, this should help your forklift from any form of meltdown. Note that if the coolant is quite low, you should check for the signs of any cracks before you fill or add more fluid. Inspect the cracks, holes, and connections before you decide to refill the tank and ensure that you use the right type of coolant for your forklift model. This will also serve as the right opportunity to ensure that the screen of the radiator is free from any debris.
Check the Oil Levels:
You also have to ensure that you have the appropriate oil for your forklift model, which is essential for its functionality. Similar to other engine powered machines, you need to be sure that the change of oil is something you carry out on regular basis. A lack of the right engine oil will cause the wear down of your engine and it may possibly lead to engine failure.
Summer can be a dreadful period for your forklift if you have no clue on how to care or maintain it during this time. However, with these few check tips, you are sure to have a safe operating experience.
