I am going to look at/buy old Clark forklift tomorrow.

[mark_b]

It will not get used much here so I do not want to much money into it.
This one seems like a great fit.

He just told me that that when he drove it today it had a bad steering bearing.
He thinks it happened on a trip on a rollback. He took steering apart and found the bad bearing. He has to order it and install it.
He wanted to know if I was still interested.

Yes, I still want it but it looks like I will not get it tomorrow. Bummer.
I realize it is not a new lift and stuff happens.
Hopefully the deal still happens. As I have learned the deal is not done until it is in my driveway.

 

[mark_b]

I would be ALL over that for $2k. If you are mechanically inclined at all, I don't think you can go wrong.
Even if it has some issues, I have been told Clark is really good about parts availability.

I have a 10K car lift and have rebuild a handful of motors.
I had my son help rebuild the motor in his first car 96 SC2 Saturn.
I really like that parts are out there. I saw even some cheaper aftermarket parts.

 

[Ironhead52]

Nice looking lift. I have a service manual and some other info for a C-500 on PDF if will help you out. PM me. Good luck sealing the deal!

 

[mark_b]

Nice looking lift. I have a service manual and some other info for a C-500 on PDF if will help you out. PM me. Good luck sealing the deal!

That would be awesome. Thank you so much!

 

[wheelieking71]

It will not get used much here so I do not want to much money into it.
This one seems like a great fit.

He just told me that that when he drove it today it had a bad steering bearing.
He thinks it happened on a trip on a rollback. He took steering apart and found the bad bearing. He has to order it and install it.
He wanted to know if I was still interested.

Yes, I still want it but it looks like I will not get it tomorrow. Bummer.
I realize it is not a new lift and stuff happens.
Hopefully the deal still happens. As I have learned the deal is not done until it is in my driveway.

Well, if that is all true on his end, he sounds like an honest guy. That goes a long way in my book!
If you can pop in for a visit while he is performing this repair to confirm no shenanigans, just buy it.

 

[true temper]

The little Clark forklift I had used a long skinny 12 volt battery like the old John Deere’s used.

 

[Scruffy887]

Check if it burns oil. Then check if it has oil. My old Towmotor went many many years without burning oil. Then one day we checked and put some in. Then it burned oil and smoked up the shop. It had long lost its brakes and we used the forward/reverse rocker pedal to stop it. I had a brand new Cat on the way and sent it off to scrap.

 

[mark_b]

Well, if that is all true on his end, he sounds like an honest guy. That goes a long way in my book!
If you can pop in for a visit while he is performing this repair to confirm no shenanigans, just buy it.

He is remolding a restaurant and is super busy. I offered to just get a discount for the bearing issue. I finish the work and I would just buy it now.
I have not heard back yet.

 

[ShaunM]

We bought our 1979 C300-40 LP probably 20 years ago as a wore-out machine and it is still used weekly with very, very little maintenance (maybe one oil change in that time?).Not something we're proud to admit, but it's a testament to the neglect these things will take. Ours is stored inside 100% of the time, however, so that likely helps. To my knowledge it has never had brakes so we take it slow and it hasn't caused an issue on our smooth, level concrete.

Side shift and a triple stage mast are great features if it’s got them. But at $2k it’s a good deal with or without. Fork extensions are also handy for the extra reach if needed and removable so you aren’t constantly trying to maneuver around with 6-8’ forks.

Watch Wes Work on YT (ewesley on PM) has a couple videos of servicing/repairing his C300 and I would assume the C400 would similar. He’s also got some good videos on rebuilding continental engines if yours is in need of an overhaul.

 

[mark_b]

Thanks for the YT advice. That is great to know how durable Clark lifts are.
I was already looking at making fork extensions. They look very useful.

I actually watch a couple of his forklift repair videos when I was thinking about getting one.
Just to make sure I thought I could work on one myself. I hate to have other people work on my stuff.

 

[kustomizer]

I have been using 2 x 6 x 1/8 wall tube for extentions on mine, it is a 6k but looks about the same. I find if mine sits outside in wet weather the brakes don't work too good for a while but come back after a bit of use. The battery in mine looks like one for a small import car about 6 x 9 x 6 tall. I bought mine with around 4000 hours showing 20 years ago and have used the hell out of it with very little problems, it still has around 4000 hours on it but you were warned about that above.

 

[mark_b]

I just talked to him in phone. The brakes work good. He said it has a little seepage at the main cylinder not really dripping.
It has the back wheels off so he will just finish the repair. I am still up for getting it he said maybe Sunday.

 

[Strostkovy]

I found a service note entered on my old lift that it had an oil change at 8500 hours. It had 7000 hours on it when I bought it. It ran absolutely perfectly.

 

[mark_b]

We bought our 1979 C300-40 LP probably 20 years ago as a wore-out machine and it is still used weekly with very, very little maintenance (maybe one oil change in that time?).Not something we're proud to admit, but it's a testament to the neglect these things will take. Ours is stored inside 100% of the time, however, so that likely helps. To my knowledge it has never had brakes so we take it slow and it hasn't caused an issue on our smooth, level concrete.

Side shift and a triple stage mast are great features if it’s got them. But at $2k it’s a good deal with or without. Fork extensions are also handy for the extra reach if needed and removable so you aren’t constantly trying to maneuver around with 6-8’ forks.

Watch Wes Work on YT (ewesley on PM) has a couple videos of servicing/repairing his C300 and I would assume the C400 would similar. He’s also got some good videos on rebuilding continental engines if yours is in need of an overhaul.

No side shift but I think it has a triple mast. I really don't need either feature. But you never know once you have it.

 

[gregoryd]

I have a factory overhaul manual for the electric version (EC500 20/30) that I paid $80 for. The back half with the cylinders, steering, and other hydraulics are probably the same. I'd sell it for less than half what I paid for it. Just let me know if interested. If I hear nothing I'll consider you not interested.

From what I understand there are Operator manuals, parts manuals, Preventative Maintenance Manual, and Overhaul Manual.

 

[dalmatiangirl61]

Nice looking lift. I have a service manual and some other info for a C-500 on PDF if will help you out. PM me. Good luck sealing the deal!

I could use a copy of that, mine is a C500Y45, valve cover says "Clark", not sure who made the engine, its burning oil and consuming a little coolant, figure I need to re-torque head, and if that does not help, tear into it.

 

[Garwood]

Regular car battery should do it. I'd bet 20 miles took at least 2 hours, might have included a stop for gas too! For 32 miles, on a machine you don't know yet, pay the wrecker driver. I've driven a loader 10 miles, seem to recall it taking about an hour, almost got hit by a car once, that story also involves a dead skunk, me dry heaving, then stripping down almost naked for a roadside bath.

I drive my Komatsu around my neighborhood regularly. Maybe a 1/2 mile max. I don't like holding it at high RPM that long.

Worst drive I ever had was first time I rented a Telehandler. Rental yard is 1.5 mi away so I struck a deal with the yard $100 for 3 hours. They gave me the shitty old one that was stuck in low gear. With engine on the governor I could walk faster. Took an hour and 20 minutes to drive 1.5 miles. I loaded a machine in 5 minutes, got paid and drove it back another hour and 20 minutes. I tried to take a shortcut through a field and a firefighting test center, but I'd have had to move some big boulders and decided that I'd rather it take forever than have the fire department up my ass.

 

[gbent]

A forklift will lift either axle off the ground. For the front, curl the mast all the way in. Crib the front of the fork mast tight. Now lay the tilt out all the way and the front tires should be off the ground. Crib under the body for safety. To lift the rear axle, get a capacity load and position it about 1/2 way out on the forks. Try to lift and the rear axle will come off the ground. Again, crib for safety. Pretty handy feature.

 

[ShaunM]

No side shift but I think it has a triple mast. I really don't need either feature. But you never know once you have it.

View attachment 316692

The lever to the left of the steering wheel is the transmission - what is the lever to the right? Our C300 has a boss for another lever, but it's plugged off.

 

[bigais]

Oder Clarklift

That would be awesome. Thank you so much!

The Older Clark should be either C500 Y30 or CY30B,depending on age.. I sold a ton of those back when. They were one of the best Models made as they had a longer wheel base, and used the Cont.F163 engine when everyone was stretching out their 2000# trucks and used the Y112.It has a short counterweight and is a good outdoor truck when empty. The early units didn't have power steering and were a bear to steer in tight quarters. You wont find a better 3K truck. Give me the complete ser.# and I will give you the age.