Raw Materials
The telescoping boom rough terrain forklift's cab, body, boom and frame are generally made by a forklift manufacturer. Steel is the most common materials utilized to make these as they have incredible strength. At times steel forgings or aluminum are also utilized. It is common for non-metallic materials like nylon plastic blocks to be utilized as guides within the boom assembly. The other parts are usually purchased as finished products and the lift truck maker installs them.
Pre-assembled purchased products could include several of the following: transmission, seat, axles, engine, hoses, tires and wheels, backup-alarm, lights, gauges and hydraulic cylinders. Normally, certain materials like the hydraulic fluid and fuel and lubricants are purchased in bulk. These liquids are added as needed when the machinery is assembled and has passed the rigorous testing sessions.
Design
The narrow and long 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 located towards the rear of the machine. The boom part of the model is mounted at the back of the forklift off of a pivot feature that is elevated a few feet above the level of the frame. Normally, the cab is mounted on the left-hand side of the frame structure. Usually, the cab's bottom half is low and located between the tires. The hydraulic fuel tank and the 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 within the frame.
Various manufacturers have contributed their own unique designs beyond this basic configuration. Nowadays, there are many different options offered on the market. Some units of forklifts utilize a single hydraulic cylinder in order to elevate the boom, and other units utilize 2 cylinders. Some units make use of a side-to-side hydraulic frame leveling capability. This feature allows the frame to tilt up to 10 degrees relative to the axles in order to enable the machinery to compensate for extreme axle articulation. This is utilized for example, when the tires on one side of the forklift are situated down in a rut and the tires on the other side of the equipment are up, situated on a mound of dirt.
Fork attachments are another popular design feature capable of swinging both left and right up to 45 degrees, which improves the accurate load positioning.