Raw Materials
The cab, body, boom and frame of a telescoping boom rough terrain forklift are generally made by a lift truck manufacturer. The most common material utilized for these subassemblies is steel, because of its incredible strength. Sometimes steel forgings or aluminum are also used. It is common for non-metallic materials like nylon plastic blocks to be utilized as guides in the boom assembly. The other components are usually purchased as finished products and the forklift maker installs them.
Pre-assembled purchased products can consist of some of the following: transmission, seat, engine, axles, wheels, hoses and tires, lights, back-up alarms, gauges and hydraulic cylinders. Usually, certain materials like the hydraulic fluid and fuel and lubricants are purchased in bulk. These liquids are added as required when the machine is assembled and has passed the meticulous testing sessions.
Design
The common design that is most standard of telescoping boom rough terrain forklifts is a long and narrow design which has a set of wheels at the front of the model and another set situated towards the rear of the machinery. The boom part of the unit is mounted at the forklift's rear off of a pivot feature which is elevated a few feet above the level of the frame. Generally, the cab is mounted on the frame structure's left-hand side. Typically, the cab's bottom half is low and situated between the tires. The fuel tank and the hydraulic fuel tank are mounted on the right-hand side, opposite the cab. Along the vehicle's center-line, the transmission and the engine are mounted in the frame.
Beyond this basic configuration, different manufacturers have contributed to their own unique design. On the market nowadays, there are numerous options available. Some models of forklifts use a single hydraulic cylinder to be able to raise the boom, and other units utilize 2 cylinders. Some models utilize a side-to-side hydraulic frame leveling capability. This particular feature enables the frame to tilt up to 10 degrees relative to the axles in order to allow the machine to compensate for extreme axle articulation. This is used for instance, when the tires on one side of the forklift are located down in a rut and the tires on the other side of the machinery are up, located on a mound of dirt.
One more popular design feature comprises fork attachments that are capable of swinging up to 45 degrees both left and right, in order to enable precise load placement.