I'm designing a forklift chassis. Firstly I'm thinking of creating a rectangular prism, then i ll clear out places (for battery,axle etc.). Could you please inform me as detailed as possible about the points that I should pay attention or any suggestions for beginning of the design.
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Forklift Chassis Design Criterias
- Thread starter Kaang
- Start date
- Replies 16
- Views 2,635
dkmc
Diamond
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2002
Begin with a solid one piece forging. Remove all metals in spaces that don't look like a forklift chassis.
Illinoyance
Stainless
- Joined
- Aug 24, 2015
Find the ANSI standards that apply. Follow them.
john.k
Diamond
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2012
- Location
- Brisbane Qld Australia
very little ever goes wrong with a chassis,because they are made so massive.....only fail I can recall was Mitsubishi 8 tonners were too weak over the steer wheel arch ,and used to crack right where the counterweight mounted .....welded up a few of them......In fact forklifts are over engineered to take the worst abuse a brain dead operator can apply........freight depots prefer the brain dead ,they work cheap.
Peter from Holland
Diamond
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2005
- Location
- The Netherlands
You can design a forklift chassid massifly because there are no weight restrictions
You have to ad weigt anyhow
Peter
You have to ad weigt anyhow
Peter
Bill D
Diamond
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2004
- Location
- Modesto, CA USA
Make the rear heavier then the back. Place the engine and transmission to the rear for extra weight back there. Checker cars were designed by going to the junk yards and finding parts that had no demand because they did not break then using those designs. A arms from one make, rear end from another etc.
Bill D
Bill D
Cole2534
Diamond
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2010
- Location
- Oklahoma City, OK
Are you, though?
I thought we are.....
dkmc
Diamond
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2002
I've got an etch-a-sketch around here somewhere....
Actually, you don't want the engine in the back. To have the most compact design, you need the engine as far forward as you can get it, and save the back for counterweight. Versa-Lift perfected this by putting the engine beside the operator, and the back is all counterweight. By putting the operator beside the engine, it also lowered the overall height, which helps getting in tight spots.
Forklift design is a good topic, but the OP's questions are so basic and vague that there is no way to cover such a broad subject.
john.k
Diamond
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2012
- Location
- Brisbane Qld Australia
After WW2 here ,a government body was formed ,to collect up each and every forklift ,own and operate them at very high hourly rates .....a government monopoly.......Forklifts were unobtainable new ,parts were unobtainable ,in the years immediately following WW2......To get around this ,people made their own forklifts from old truck pieces,and even car pieces .....the counterweights were nearly always concrete cast in moulds ,cast around the steel frame that came from a truck or car......A heavy hit on the counterweight would result in a big lump of concrete falling off.
Bill D
Diamond
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2004
- Location
- Modesto, CA USA
I remember first trip to car junk yards with my older brother. in then 70's. They had big cadilacs with a cable crane welded into the trunk.
engineeric
Plastic
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2019
If you're looking for design input I would suggest visiting a qualified rigging company that uses forklifts every day. I was with a So Cal rigging company for 13 years and we ran a large fleet of several types of forklifts from 6k capacity to 140k capacity mostly hyster and versa-lifts. The lifts were used and abused on a daily basis. The forklift is a riggers primary tool today and they should have a sense of what would be a good design.
In my experience our team had a good idea of what would make a good forklift. For example; for rigging purposes the guys preferred the older hyster lifts over the newer ones because the clutch was way easier to engage on older machines making for smoother action especially when handling heavy machinery in all types of conditions.
We performed most of our maintenance in house and modified them where possible for that type of work such as adding hang on counterweights, mounting points for dollies, heel bars etc. The mechanics had a good handle on the maintenance issues and would know what is problematic.
Hope this helps.
In my experience our team had a good idea of what would make a good forklift. For example; for rigging purposes the guys preferred the older hyster lifts over the newer ones because the clutch was way easier to engage on older machines making for smoother action especially when handling heavy machinery in all types of conditions.
We performed most of our maintenance in house and modified them where possible for that type of work such as adding hang on counterweights, mounting points for dollies, heel bars etc. The mechanics had a good handle on the maintenance issues and would know what is problematic.
Hope this helps.
Strostkovy
Titanium
- Joined
- Oct 29, 2017
Keep the contact patch of the front tires as far forward as physically possible.
