Raw Materials
The telescoping boom rough terrain forklift's body, cab, boom and frame are normally made by a forklift manufacturer. Steel is the most common materials used to make these since they have tremendous strength. At times aluminum or steel forgings are used as well. It is common for non-metallic materials such as nylon plastic blocks to be used as guides in the boom assembly. The other components are usually purchased as finished products and the forklift manufacturer installs them.
Pre-assembled purchased products can consist of several of the following: transmission, seat, axles, engine, tires, wheels and hoses, lights, back-up alarms, hydraulic cylinders and gauges. Normally, certain materials like for example the fuel and lubricants and hydraulic fluids are purchased in bulk. These liquids are added as needed when the equipment is assembled and has passed the rigorous testing sessions.
Design
The long and narrow 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 model's boom is mounted at the forklift's back off of a pivot feature that is elevated several 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 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 inside 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 units of forklifts make use of a single hydraulic cylinder in order to elevate the boom, and other units use 2 cylinders. Several models make use of a side-to-side hydraulic frame leveling capability. This particular 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 example, when the tires on one side of the forklift are located down in a rut and the tires on the other side of the equipment are up, located on a mound of dirt.
Another common design feature includes fork attachments which are capable of swinging up to 45 degrees both right and left, in order to enable accurate load placement.