Forklift forks are one of the most important functional parts of a forklift. Forklift forks do not exactly come with a standard requirement as each forklift is unique in its own way. If you’ve found this article that means your forklift forks are already broken or are going to break soon. You are looking for forklift fork replacements and you need them fast!
Do not fret, as we are here to tell you what to look for in the best forklift forks. Here are some things you will have to check in your forklift forks.
Inspecting Your Forklift Forks
Look at the following forklift forks pointers for inspection to see if you need a change first.
1. Blade and shank angle
The forklift’s forks have to be at 90◦ angles. Every forklift forks have to be at that angle, but if it is bent by a bit it’s still all right. What’s not all right when the forklift’s forks exceed 93◦. Too bent towards the front or back can tip over and mess up the forklift’s balance.
If the forklift’s forks are bent, do not bend them back to their regular position. Do not bring it to an inexperienced repair shop to bend it back. Bring it to an experienced forklift repair shop to have it mended and bent to its regular angles.
2. Check the blades’ straightness and the shanks
This is pretty self-explanatory. If the forklift’s blades are bent, then how else is it going to be useful for you? A bent blade will not be able to help you transport any items from one point to another, much less carry anything else for use. With that being said, if your forklift’s blades are bent, bring it to an experienced forklift repair shop to have it repaired or replaced.
3. Check for any fork cracks
This is similar to checking your forklift forks for any bents. If you see any cracks, then quickly have it repaired as soon as possible. This is much worse than having a bent forklift because cracked forks can one day break away from the main fork. You don’t have to wait until having to carry heavy objects. As soon as you see a tiny crack, have the entire fork replaced.
4. Measure the thickness of forks
Probably not a lot of people know this but when you’ve worked around or with forklifts long enough you’ll understand this part. Forklift forks can be worn down over periods of time. It’s normal because people often use forklifts to lift heavy and rough objects. It’s only natural that over time the heavy objects wear out the forklift forks. Again, this is replaceable with new ones at an experienced forklift repair store or a forklift spare parts store.
What To Choose For Your Forklift’s Forks
Having talked about inspecting your forklift forks, here are what you should choose to replace it. Check through the following mini list of items that you should consider for your forklift forks.
Forklift fork capacities
The types of forklift forks you need depend on the size of your forklifts. Typically, for obvious reasons the bigger your forklifts are, the bigger and heavier forks you are going to need.
For example, your forklift’s load capacity is 3 tons, then it’s only natural that you fit your forklift with 3 tons load capacity. There is no way you will fit a forklift with a lesser ton capacity on to one that comes with a heavier load capacity. If you do this, it’s retrospectively an accident waiting to happen.
With that being said, please do not fit the wrong load capacity forks on your forklifts. If you are unsure which fork capacities to attach, check with your forklift spare part stores for further advice.
What Type of Forks Do You Need?
This is among many common questions and considerations. The type of forks typically refers to the forks’ “shape”. Heavy load forklifts usually use pin forks, however, there are also other different kinds:
- FEN
- DIN
- Terminal West
- SVGV Forks
- Bolt-On Forks
Again, check with an experienced forklift repair person for further understanding.
Forklift’s Carrier Height
Your forklift’s carrier height is a good indicator of what types of forks you should fit on it. This applies especially to people who choose FEM and DIN forks. Your typical FEM forks come in 5 different carriage heights. Each carriage height also comes in 2 different clearances.
These are the main differences from the inside of the bottom fork hooks to the ground. For any non-standard FEM and DIN forks, you will need to take into consideration the dimensions of the carriage and the ground clearance.
Other specific requirements related to your forklift forks
Other than all that we have listed above, there are a few more items you should consider when inspecting your forklift forks for replacements. They may not be as important as the above-mentioned areas, but they are noteworthy so to speak.
Look into the following areas before finalizing your forklift fork replacement choices:
Anti-skid coating: this is where your forklift is used to work in a damp environment and situations. Having an anti-skid coating will reduce, if not entirely eliminate the chances of your forklift skidding. If you are scared that your forklift forks will get scratches, then it’s great to install a layer of scratch-resistant anti-skid rubber fork protectors.
Shock-absorbing pads: The shock-absorbing pads are great for situations where you’ll have to handle fragile goods. It’s to prevent and/or reduce the chances of the good getting damaged when being carried around.
Telescopic forks: telescopic forks are for when you are looking to load 2 wooden pallets simultaneously. It is also for when you wish to stock a wooden pallet with double-depths without having to switch forks. Then you’ll need a telescopic fork.
Conclusion
Having the correct forklift forks is especially important when it is in operation. Having the wrong forklift forks installed may mean there’s a possibility for the forklift driver to get into an accident. Or it may damage whatever goods it is carrying at that point in time. Consult a forklift spare parts store to determine what kind of forklift forks are the best for your forklift.