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Hyster H400A 40,000 Lb Forklift

J-Head

Hot Rolled
Joined
Oct 1, 2006
Location
Massachusetts
I thought I would share some photos of our 1960's vintage Hyster H400A and what I use it to move. It has a 4-71 Detroit diesel coupled to a 3 speed Allison automatic. Tires are 28 ply and it has forks that are 12" wide and 4" thick. The machine weighs about 65,000 lbs.

The steel ring on the right is an example of what I use it to move. The ring weighs exactly 40,000 lbs, but the load center is more than 36 inches, so I added the 4,000 lb block on the back. I originally thought it might affect the steering, but you don't even know the additional weight is back there.

Any one else have some large forklifts?
 

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Nice toy! But I really want to know what that ring is for. Doesn't look like a structural part of a building or machine, but whoever commissioned it wanted it beefy. Ship part?
 
That's a beauty. Having a Detroit in it is pretty cool.

That one makes mine look like a toy, but I've got a 25k Hyster, about as old. The counterweight it's lifting only weights 17,500. Heaviest thing I've picked up with it.

7419616963dae6bdf1d62529a2aef748.jpg
 
It has a 4-71 Detroit diesel coupled to a 3 speed Allison automatic.

My scrapper friend has one like this,, he set a little 2000 lb load on my trailer with it...

Thought I was gonna get run over by a city bus with that 4-71 running, coming at my little truck and trailer.

Very nicely controlled though.

He mentioned getting it cheap because it wouldn't move, found a simple shaft coupling
in the transmission was broken, all is well now.
 
Seems like a lot of the bigger ones are like that.
Taylor is another brand that does that.

The overhead guard does function as a support for the mast tilt cylinders. When I was preparing to overload the machine by lifting at capacity beyond the load center, I was a little concerned because if the structure failed I would be crushed. I notice the newer forklifts all have tie bars going from the mast tilt cylinders back to the counterweight. I often wonder if there were some failures of the overhead guard structure.
 
Detroits in forklifts - all I can picture is a lot of yelling "WHAT?" while loading a machine. :)

Absolutely.
2 way radios are useless.
I have to remind that the ONLY way I can hear in the cab is when you stand up on the running board and YELL into the window.
If you're on the ground and 5ft or more away.......forget about it.

Not to mention it's carefully designed so the forks are completely obscured when in the operators seat.
:rolleyes5:
 
Absolutely.
2 way radios are useless.
I have to remind that the ONLY way I can hear in the cab is when you stand up on the running board and YELL into the window.
If you're on the ground and 5ft or more away.......forget about it.

Not to mention it's carefully designed so the forks are completely obscured when in the operators seat.
:rolleyes5:

This is 100% true.

People on the ground can't understand why I can't hear them in the cab with no doors.

The only way to see the tips of the forks when unloading a truck is to raise the forks above the load, line them up and then lower them and drive under load.

Moving the forks also takes some effort. We use another 5000 lb truck to position the forks.
 
This is 100% true.

People on the ground can't understand why I can't hear them in the cab with no doors.

The only way to see the tips of the forks when unloading a truck is to raise the forks above the load, line them up and then lower them and drive under load.

Moving the forks also takes some effort. We use another 5000 lb truck to position the forks.

Yes, yes, & yes.

Moving the forks is a major PITA. I use 2x6's to pry, and a 4000lb Yale with chains to push or drag them if needed.
Any machine in this size class should come standard with
Fork Positioning.
If it was my machine, it would have some sort of positioning cylinders on it, and a camera or 2 to see the forks with, as
they are cheap enough these days.
 








 
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