Raw Materials
The telescoping boom rough terrain forklift's cab, body, boom and frame are usually produced by a forklift maker. Steel is the most popular materials utilized to make these because they have tremendous strength. At times aluminum or steel forgings are used as well. It is common for non-metallic materials like nylon plastic blocks to be used as guides within the boom assembly. The other components are usually purchased as finished products and the lift truck maker installs them.
Some of the pre-assembled purchased products comprise the transmission, seat, axles, engine, hoses, tires and wheels, backup-alarm, lights, hydraulic cylinders and gauges. Usually, some materials like the fuel and lubricants and hydraulic fluids are bought in bulk. These liquids are added as needed when 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 that has a set of wheels at the front of the unit and another set located towards the rear of the machinery. The boom part of the model is mounted at the rear of the forklift off of a pivot feature that is raised a few feet above the level of the frame. Generally, the cab is mounted on the left-hand side of the frame structure. Typically, the bottom half of the cab 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 center-line of the vehicle, the engine and the transmission are mounted within the frame.
Beyond this basic configuration, various manufacturers have contributed to their own unique design. On the market these days, there are numerous options available. Some units of forklifts make use of a single hydraulic cylinder to be able to raise the boom, and other models utilize 2 cylinders. Some units 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 allow the machinery 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 machinery are up, located on a mound of dirt.
Fork attachments are another common design feature capable of swinging both right and left up to 45 degrees, that improves the accurate load placement.