Maintenance Section
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Inspection, Maintenance and Repair of Lift Truck Forks
The following section gives practical guidelines for
inspection, maintenance and repair of lift truck forks. It
also provides general information on the design and
application of forks and the common cause of fork
failures.
Lift truck forks can be dangerously weakened by
improper repair or modification. They can also be
damaged by the cumulative effects of age, abrasion,
corrosion, overloading and misuse.
A fork failure during use can cause damage to the
equipment and the load. A fork failure can also cause
serious injury.
A good fork inspection and maintenance program along
with the proper application can be very effective in
preventing sudden failures on the job.
Repairs and modifications should be done only by the
fork manufacturer or a qualified technician who knows
the material used and the required welding and heat
treatment process.
Users should evaluate the economics of returning the
forks to the manufacturer for repairs or purchasing new
forks. This will vary depending on many factors including
the size and type of fork.
Forks should be properly sized to the weight and length
of the loads, and to the size of the machine on which
they are used. The general practice is to use a fork size
such that the combined rated capacity of the number of
forks used is equal to or greater than the “Standard(or
rated) Capacity” of the lift truck.
The individual load rating, in most cases, will be
stamped on the fork in a readily visible area. This is
generally on the top or side of the fork shank.
z
A fork rated at 1500 pounds at 24 inch load center
will be stamped 1500X24.
z
A fork rated at 2000 kg at 600 mm load center will
be stamped 2000X600.
The manufacturer identification and year and date of
manufacture is also usually shown.
Some countries have standards or regulations which
apply specifically to the inspection and repair of forks.
Users may also refer to the International Organization
For Standardization - ISO Technical Report 5057 -
Inspection and Repair of Fork Arms and ISO Standard
2330 - Fork Arms-Technical Characteristics and Testing.
While there are no specific standards or regulations in
the United States, users should be familiar with the
requirements for inspection and maintenance of lift
trucks as provided by the 29 Code Federal Register
1910.178 Powered Industrial Truck, and ANSI/ASME
Safety Standard(s) B56.1, B56.5 or B56.6 as applicable
to the type of machine(s) in use.
Environment Protection
When servicing this lift truck, use an authorized
servicing area and an approved container to collect
coolant, oil, fuel, grease, electrolyte and any other
potential environmental pollutant before any lines,
fittings or related items are disconnected or removed.
After servicing, dispose of those materials in an
authorized place and container. When cleaning the lift
truck, be sure to use an authorized area.
https://www.forkliftpdfmanuals.com/
