When it comes to keeping your facility running, your forklifts are likely an essential part of that process. In fact, forklifts may be such an integral part of your daily work routine, that you may not know what to do when something goes wrong with one of them. So what do you do if you need emergency forklift repairs done, so you don’t have too much downtime for your business?
Your first instinct should be to call our experts here at Sam’s Mechanical. If it is truly an emergency, our forklift maintenance technicians can be at your facility for immediate on-site services to get you up and running again.
While we’re always happy to help and answer any questions about your forklift, we understand that you’ll also want to prevent any problems in the future. In this post, we’re going to discuss the three most common reasons we’ve run into for forklift repairs and tips on how to prevent them.
Repair Small Problems Early
When it comes down to it, your forklift is a vehicle. And just like a vehicle, it needs taken care of on a routine basis. Just think about how your car would run if it didn’t have its annual inspections or oil changes!
Depending on the age of your vehicles or what material handling they do on a daily basis, forklifts may need even more attention. It sounds like a lot, but doing a few necessary maintenance checks on a routine basis will keep you from running into any forklift emergencies. Here are a few we recommend doing:
- Check fluid levels (oil, hydraulics, coolants, etc.) regularly to keep all of the parts of your forklift moving efficiently.
- Check your tire pressure to avoid safety hazards, possible blowouts, and even downtime in your facility.
- Keep parts lubricated to avoid unnecessary wear and tear from friction between moving parts of your vehicle.
Even if you do routine maintenance to your lift truck, unfortunately, things can still go wrong.
Lifting Problems
When a forklift doesn’t lift, well, that’s a problem! The mast of your forklift, or the part that lifts and tilts, is the part of your machine that gets the most use. So really, it’s no wonder that we often get so many calls for forklift repairs due to a poorly functioning mast.
If you’re noticing slow or jerky movements with your lift, make sure you check your hydraulic fluids first. You could have a leak or simply be running low on fluids, which is a reasonably simple fix most of the time. Also, double-check that you’re not overloading your machine and that your forklift attachments are put on correctly. Overloading can overheat your vehicle and cause unnecessary forklift repairs down the line.
Trouble with Steering
Forklifts are not the easiest of machines to maneuver, which is why they require a special license and certification to operate. When a forklift can’t make the tight turns in and out of all of the places you need it to, this can cause some serious safety concerns.
Similar to any lifting issues with your forklift, double-check on your steering fluids before you call Sam’s Mechanical for forklift repairs. If the problem is apparent or your fluids don’t appear to be low, don’t wait for it to get worse! Gears could be wearing out or completely worn out, so give us a call to come and take a look at it and practice forklift safety.
Issues with Starting
No matter what machine or vehicle it is, when it doesn’t start like it’s supposed to, it causes annoyance and hassle. Especially when it comes to keeping your facility running and reducing downtime, your forklift should always turn on as expected. When it doesn’t, it could be a few things.
As with cars, make sure you check the battery in your forklift if you have an electric one. If you have a gas-powered machine, the problems could be much more complex. Has your fluid been sitting too long during the offseason, is there too much build of debris, or once again, could your fluid levels be too low? No matter the issue, we’re here to help.
Need Help with Your Forklift Repairs?
The first step to avoiding unnecessary forklift repairs is to utilize proper forklift maintenance. Not only can Sam’s Mechanical help out with the emergencies, but we can also be there for your routine repairs and maintenance.
Don’t want to deal with the hassle of your own forklift? Try renting one of ours for reliable machines that will do all the work for you.