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Picking out a new Forklift

tft1987

Aluminum
Joined
Feb 26, 2014
Location
North Kingstown RI
I’m shopping for a new forklift and was interested to pick your collective brains. Here are my constraints:

Machine weight: 10000lb max
Lift capacity: 4000lb min
Solid Knob tires
4 Wheels
17’ min fork height at full extension
Side shift equipt

So, what would ya’ll recommend? A used unit would be ideal.
 
I picked up a Crown C5 forklift earlier this year. It was a DEMO model so the price was reasonable for a basically new forklift. Crown also has used models they recondition.

20151124_174955.jpg

It's a very comfortable forklift with pneumatic tires and a suspension seat. It weighs approx. 10k pounds and has a 5k lift capacity.

It actually gets some traction in snow too! :)
 
If you don't want to squander aisle space on the ability of a forklift to square up on shelving for picking or placing, seriously consider a "swing mast" unit such as Drexel or Bendi.

I am a past operator of Drexels, and I recall Milacron mentioned Bendi.

54 inches is all the aisle a skilled operator would need to pick or place a pallet in racking, and it makes for easy movement of long pipes, bars, beams, etc. Bendi forklift in narrow aisle.jpg
 
If you happen to change your mind and can go as low as 3000 lbs I have a 2015 Doosan LP 3K cushion with 5 hours (yes, five hours) and a 2006 Komatsu 3K LP cushion with 3,600 hours that appears as new. The Komatsu has 4 valves and forks positioning in addition to the usual side shift. $8,750 for the Komatsu...

Doosan...dunno...about $2000 less than new...with near full warranty remaining. Doosan has optional gray non marking tires, Komatsu has standard black tires. Since you mention "knob" tires, both forklifts have "knobby" tires on front and smooth on rear.

s-l1600.jpg
 
The OP made no mention of a side swing type unit, but
IF that's of interest I'd look at Combi-Lift.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNxJYpIn8eQ
Wonder what the capacity and price is of the one in that video ? Seems like they would be very expensive new and yet very rare to find in the used market. I was once tempted by one of those pivoting body type (Bendi) but ultimately decided it was just too physically long when in straight mode. But that Combi Lift doesn't have that issue...pretty cool.
 
I clicked on the thread, fearing Milacron had judged my suggestion stupid and ill-informed.


Wouldn't be the first time...

Combi-Lift, a ZTR forklift, it seems. That's intriguing.
 
We have more than 200 Raymond Forlifts at work, I've been impressed with their durability. If I had a personal choice it would be Toyota, they feel like Cadillacs.
 
We have a Toyota at the industrial park. It's a 5000 lb model with propane engine. I like the clear view mast. But, the machine we have has a fixed rear axle. Every other truck I have ever seen has a pivoting rear axle like a tractor. On the Toyota, if you get one of the wheels slightly higher than the others, one of the front wheels will spins. It is completely worthless on anything but a glass smooth surface. Even cracks on dry concrete can render it completely immobile.

I have a Clark. I like it. I've driven Hysters that are pretty nice. Cat/Mitsubishi lifts are also nice. Parts are easy to get in the US.
 
First decision; fuel type. LPG: easy to refill, lots of sources. Downside: tune ups, internal combustion engine, CO gas indoors
Electric: clean, cheaper maintenance over life of unit. Downside: costly battery (paying for fuel up front), electrician needed to wire in charger.

Stick with a name brand like Hyster, Yale, Toyota, Nissan. Avoid Chinese units (typically have poor parts support.

Watch your door height. 17’ is 204 inch mast. Check what the collapsed height is on the mast. Masts come in a bunch of different varieties and you’ll have a problem if you have the correct max lift height but the forklift won’t get through your overhead door.

Consider your minimum aisle width. Specifications are published on all forklift manufacturer websites, if you find something used, Google the model for a specification sheet. That spec sheet will indicate the turning radius and minimum aisle width for a 180 degree turn.

If you’re curious about forklift actual weight vs lifting capacity, check out charts here
 
The OP did not mention storage. My desired capacity was pretty much the same, but my biggest issue was that I did not have adequate space for inside storage. That meant the forklift had to reliably run in all kinds of weather and always remain outside. That eliminated LP gas, gasoline and electric as well as most diesel forklifts. I ended up with a German Still model 4002. These are solid tire, 4 wheel, 2 tonne, triple mast with side shift designed for the US ARMY in Europe (NATO). They are equipped with 3 cyl. Deutz air cooled diesels and are 12V. I bought mine surplus for $4000 and spent a few hundred more sorting out small repairs and repainting. These things are bullet proof. They always start and run no matter what the weather. They can stand for 6 months without use and fire up without issues. I do use a battery tender though. These things weigh about 6,000 pounds. Parts are readily available.
 
Some of the Toyota's have the steer axle pivot controlled by a hydraulic cylinder and controller.
For added roll over stability.
 
Some of the Toyota's have the steer axle pivot controlled by a hydraulic cylinder and controller.
For added roll over stability.

Whatever it is it sucks ass. They took something super simple and made it complicated and now it doesn't work.
 
a couple years ago we picked up a 2013 Nissan 50 off lease for about half new price. Cushion tires, side shift, about 15' lift... I don't know what options they have.
It's only "rated" at 4300 due to side shift and lift height, but I have lifted 6,200 with it
(at only about 12" out"
I have been super happy with it. had a hyster as a rental for a few months till this one got here. No comparison in my book for maneuverability and comfort.
 
I really enjoy our Linde, it makes everything else I've ever driven seem, well, almost barbaric? People seem to be afraid of them, so they're not bad price-wise on the used market.
 
Are you dead set on 17' lift height? The reason I ask is most lifts you'll find on the used market will be 15' max lift. A 17' lift height is more or less a custom order.

Have you thought about a telescopic boom lift? They usually have up to 40' lift height and will travel over some pretty nasty ground. The only down side is they are bigger physical size than a standard forklift.
 
You can buy used late model, high hr, 10k and under lifts for almost scrap price. Most of these lifts run production in factories and although they are high hr, they've had rigorous maintenance schedules. They are more than good enough for occasional use around the shop.
 
Just keep in mind that nothing gets beat on like a forklift. Guys the government won't let drive a car drive forklifts all day, every day. They are treated worse than the toilets.

I worked in a foundry for a while. We would buy a new lift once a year or so. 2 weeks in the foundry and they looked just like the lifts that had been there for years. The guys mostly bounced them from guard rail to guard rail. Add in some core sand and salt in the parking lot and they didn't last long.
 








 
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