Raw Materials
The telescoping boom rough terrain forklift's cab, body, boom and frame are usually produced by a forklift manufacturer. Steel is the most common materials used to make these as they have tremendous strength. Sometimes steel forgings or aluminum are used too. It is common for non-metallic materials like for instance nylon plastic blocks to be utilized as guides within the boom assembly. The other components are typically purchased as finished products and the forklift maker installs them.
Pre-assembled purchased products may consist of several of the following: transmission, seat, axles, engine, hoses, tires and wheels, lights, back-up alarms, gauges and hydraulic cylinders. Normally, some materials such as the fuel and lubricants and hydraulic fluids are bought in bulk. These liquids are added as required when the equipment is assembled and has passed the meticulous testing sessions.
Design
The common design that is most typical of telescoping boom rough terrain forklifts is a long and narrow design that has a set of wheels at the front of the unit and another set situated towards the back of the equipment. The boom part of the unit is mounted at the rear of the forklift off of a pivot feature which is raised a few feet above the level of the frame. Usually, the cab is mounted on the frame structure's left-hand side. Usually, the cab's bottom half is low and situated between the tires. The hydraulic fuel tank and the fuel tank are mounted opposite the cab on the right-hand side. Along the center-line of the vehicle, 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 now, there are many different options offered. Some models of forklifts use a single hydraulic cylinder in order to elevate the boom, and other models make use of 2 cylinders. Several models use 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 equipment to compensate for extreme axle articulation. This is utilized for instance, when the tires on one side of the lift truck are situated down in a rut and the tires on the other side of the machine are up, located on a mound of dirt.
Fork attachments are another popular design feature capable of swinging both left and right up to forty five degrees, which improves the precise load placement.