Raw Materials
The cab, body, frame and boom of a telescoping boom rough terrain forklift are usually made by a lift truck manufacturer. The most common material for these subassemblies is steel, because of its amazing strength. Sometimes steel forgings or aluminum are also utilized. It is common for non-metallic materials like nylon plastic blocks to be used as guides in the boom assembly. The other parts are typically bought as finished products and the forklift manufacturer installs them.
Some of the pre-assembled bought products include the transmission, seat, axles, engine, wheels, hoses and tires, backup-alarm, lights, gauges and hydraulic cylinders. Usually, some materials like the fuel and lubricants and hydraulic fluids are purchased in bulk. These liquids are added as needed once the equipment is assembled and has passed the meticulous testing sessions.
Design
The common design which is most standard of telescoping boom rough terrain forklifts is a narrow and long design which has a set of wheels at the front of the unit and another set located towards the rear of the machine. The model's boom is mounted at the forklift's rear off of a pivot feature which is raised a few feet above the level of the frame. Usually, the cab is mounted on the left-hand side of the frame structure. Normally, the cab's bottom half is low and located 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 within the frame.
Beyond this basic configuration, different manufacturers have contributed to their own unique design. On the market these days, there are numerous options available. Certain models of forklifts utilize a single hydraulic cylinder in order to elevate the boom, and other models make use of 2 cylinders. Several models utilize a side-to-side hydraulic frame leveling capability. This particular feature allows the frame to tilt up to 10 degrees relative to the axles so as to allow the machinery to compensate for extreme axle articulation. This is used 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.
Another popular design feature includes fork attachments which are capable of swinging up to 45 degrees both right and left, in order to allow accurate load placement.