Lift Truck Components in More Detail
A forklift is constructed from thousands of parts. The main components which make up a forklift truck are the truck frame, the engine components, the overhead guard, the wheels and the tilt cylinders. Moreover, a forklift consists of a variety of attachments. All the parts making up a forklift are of equal importance because they work together to make the functions of the equipment possible. The following paragraphs describe in detail a few of the forklift components.
The Overhead Guard - The overhead guard is really the forklifts metal roof, which sits atop the operator cab. It's job is to protect the operator whilst they are utilizing the machinery. The overhead guard ensures that nothing falling from above onto the truck will harm the driver or damage the controls inside the cab. The overhead guard is vital to the frame assembly on several units.
The Mast - Mounted either to the front axle or the forklift frame, the mast is the vertical forklift part made of interlocking rails. The mast enables the forks to move upwards and downwards whilst providing lateral stability. The interlocking rails may either have rollers or bushings as guides. There are two ways the mast can be operated: hydraulically by one or more hydraulic cylinders or chain operated with motive power provided by a hydraulic motor.
Forklift Carriage - The carriage is the part that the forks and other kinds of attachments are mounted to. Actually, the carriage is directly attached to the hydraulic cylinder and is connected by chains. To be able to allow the forks to be raised and lowered, the carriage may have either bushings or rollers to guide it in the interlocking mast rails.
Load Back Rest - a back rest is a metal rack that keeps a load from falling backwards while the carriage is lifted to its full height. The back rest is either welded or bolted on to the carriage.
Lift Truck Attachments - There are various kinds of attachments which can be fixed directly to the forklifts carriage. Forks are the most common kind of attachment. Moreover, there are rollers, rotators, L-shaped members, pole handlers, roll clamps and so on. These various types of attachments are handy for transporting different types of loads.