Forklift Components in More Detail
There are hundreds of parts that make up a forklift. The forklifts major parts consist of the truck frame, the engine parts, the overhead guard, the tilt cylinders and the wheels. Moreover, a lift truck has various kinds of attachments. All the components which make up a forklift are all important because they work together to make the functions of the machinery possible. The next paragraphs describe a few of the lift truck parts in detail.
The Overhead Guard - this guard forms the lift truck's metal roof. It sits above the cab area and protects the machinery operator while she or he is sitting and driving. The overhead guard makes sure that nothing falling from above onto the truck will damage the controls inside the cab or injure the operator. The overhead guard is vital to the frame assembly on various models.
The Mast - the mast is a vertical assembly made of interlocking rails and mounted either to the forklift frame or the front axle. The mast provides lateral stability and enables the forks to move up and down. The interlocking rails may either have bushings 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.
Lift Truck Carriage - The carriage is the component which the forks and different other attachments are mounted to. The carriage is in fact directly connected to the hydraulic cylinder and is attached by chains. In order to allow the forks to be raised and lowered, the carriage may have either rollers or bushings to guide it in the interlocking mast rails.
Load Back Rest - a back rest is a metal rack that prevents a load from falling backwards when the carriage is raised to its full height. The back rest is either bolted or welded on to the carriage.
Lift Truck Attachments - a variety of attachments may be fixed to the front of the lift truck. The most common attachment is forks. In addition, there are L-shaped members, rollers, rotators, pole handlers, roll clamps and and all that. These various types of attachments are really useful for transporting different kinds of loads.