Forklift Components in More Detail
A forklift is constructed from many components. The major parts which make up a forklift truck are the truck frame, the engine components, the overhead guard, the tilt cylinders and the wheels. What's more, a lift truck has various kinds of attachments. All the parts making up a forklift are all important because they work together to make the functions of the machinery possible. The subsequent paragraphs describe some of the forklift parts in detail.
The Overhead Guard - this guard forms the forklift truck's metal roof. It sits above the cab area and protects the machine operator whilst he or she is sitting and driving. The overhead guard makes sure that nothing falling from above onto the truck will harm the driver or damage the controls inside the cab. The overhead guard is integral to the frame assembly on various 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 bushings or bushings as guides. There are two ways the mast could be operated: chain operated with motive power provided by a hydraulic motor or hydraulically by one or more hydraulic cylinders.
Lift Truck Carriage - the forks and other attachments are mounted to the carriage. The carriage is connected to the mast directly to the hydraulic cylinder or it is connected by chains. In order to enable the forks to be lowered and raised, 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 when the carriage is lifted to its full height. The back rest is either bolted or welded on to the carriage.
Forklift Attachments - a variety of attachments can be fixed to the front of the lift truck. The most common attachment is forks. What's more, there are L-shaped members, rotators, rollers, roll clamps, pole handlers and and all that. These different attachments are useful for moving different kinds of loads.