Raw Materials
The cab, body, boom and frame of a telescoping boom rough terrain forklift are generally made by a forklift manufacturer. The most popular material used for these subassemblies is steel, due to its amazing strength. At times aluminum or steel forgings are also used. It is common for non-metallic materials such as nylon plastic blocks to be utilized as guides within the boom assembly. The other components are typically purchased as finished products and the lift truck manufacturer installs them.
Some of the pre-assembled purchased products consist of the seat, transmission, engine, axles, tires, wheels and hoses, backup-alarm, lights, gauges and hydraulic cylinders. Most often, certain materials such as the lubricants and hydraulic fluid and fuel are purchased in bulk. These liquids are added as required when the equipment is assembled and has passed the meticulous testing sessions.
Design
The long and narrow design of the telescoping boom rough terrain forklift is most common, with a set of wheels at the front of the unit and another set situated towards the back of the machinery. The model's boom is mounted at the forklift's rear off of a pivot feature which is raised several feet above the level of the frame. Normally, the cab is mounted on the frame structure's left-hand side. Normally, the cab's bottom half is low and situated between the tires. The fuel tank and the hydraulic fuel tank are mounted opposite the cab on the right-hand side. Along the vehicle's center-line, the engine and the transmission are mounted inside the frame.
Different manufacturers have contributed their own unique designs beyond this basic configuration. Today, there are numerous options offered on the market. Certain models of forklifts use a single hydraulic cylinder to be able to raise the boom, and other units utilize 2 cylinders. Several units make use of a side-to-side hydraulic frame leveling capability. This feature enables the frame to tilt up to 10 degrees relative to the axles in order to allow the equipment to compensate for extreme axle articulation. Like for instance, this is used when the tires on one side of the forklift are located down in a rut and the tires on the other side of the equipment are up, located on a mound of dirt.
Another popular design feature includes fork attachments that are capable of swinging up to 45 degrees both left and right, in order to allow precise load positioning.