What Forklift Spare Parts Should I Keep on Hand?

Since a forklift is an essential piece of equipment for any commercial or industrial business, it is always a good idea to keep plenty of forklift spare parts stored on the premises. The brakes in particular seem to fail more than anything on most models, so having multiple sets in stock is smart. Different kinds of forks, poles, and broom attachments that your company uses would also be a wise investment for spare parts, as would a few spare tires, the internal gears, and a good forklift jack. Some businesses even buy older junk forklifts just to have access to an additional transmission, load apron, or lift structure; most of the parts are usually interchangeable between several types of forklifts.

Many businesses do not even think about forklift spare parts until their shipping department suddenly comes to a standstill. Even though most models are extremely durable, servicing a forklift and inspecting it regularly for abnormal wear should always be a priority of someone on the company's staff. Keeping a basic inventory of the internal gear mechanisms and lubricants is also a very good idea since many of the items are not carried by local repair stations. If any one of these items happens to fail during the course of a workday, having forklift spare parts on hand will make the difference between a quick repair and a three-day shutdown.

Other forklift spare parts that are essential to keep on hand are the actual brakes, tires, and the various lift accessories. All of these forklift parts are known to fail somewhat frequently as well, so there is little reason not to have them on hand. Sometimes removing forklift parts and replacing them can take as little as a few minutes if you have the right parts on hand.

Some additional forklift spare parts that you may want to consider stocking up on would be the heavier gear like the transmission or the load structure. Although these items are made to last ten to 20 years inside an industrial setting, exceeding the maximum lifting weight will eventually lead to unexpected damage to the major parts. In other situations, a perfectly-solid load apron could suddenly become unusable for no reason at all. Even though your forklift may be under warranty, it makes little sense to wait for weeks while the vendor repairs it.