Here at Murray MH, we offer some fantastic warehouse shelving. Pretty much all shelving , storage, and loading equipment needs can be met with the help of our high quality products. But unless you plan on doing a lot of carrying, you’re going to need something to haul your cargo around.
For heavy objects and high storage, nothing beats a forklift. It’s why much of our shelving is designed around working with forklifts. But with all the options, picking a forklift can be tricky.
So we’ve compiled a guide to make it easier for you. Here it is
Tips on Forklifts
Buy, Lease, or Rent
Maybe you just occasionally need a fork lift for some heavy lifting or a special event. Purchasing one might not be the best idea. After all, forklifts can be expensive. There’s a good chance you can rent one somewhere in your area from either a machine equipment distributor or possibly a lumberyard.
If you need one on a regular basis, there is the option to buy or to lease. This once again depends on how much you will be using it. What also might factor in is how nice of a forklift you need.
A heavy duty forklift might be what you need, but it could also be out of your price range. If that’s the case, it might be better to just lease a forklift.
Also, if you’re business is relatively new, it might not be a bad idea to either rent or lease until you figure out how much you’ll need it and what you can afford.
Electric or Internal Combustion
Either your forklift is going to be powered by an onboard battery or it’s going to have an engine. There are benefits and drawbacks to both. Let’s start with Electric Forklifts
1. Electric Forklifts
Electric forklifts are generally better suited for indoors. You can use them outside as long as there is no rain and the ground is well paved. Since they’re electric, you don’t have to worry about any fumes. Also, you’ll be saving on gas money since charging them is very inexpensive.
Other benefits include the fact that they last longer and they are very quite.
On the downside, they typically cost more. Also, while you can get about a day’s worth of use out of them, they take quite a while to charge. Once they are charged, the battery needs time to cool down. The solution to this is to either have multiple forklifts or more practically, multiple batteries.
2. Internal Combustion Forklifts
These forklifts obviously have gas powered engines, either using unleaded, diesel, liquid propane gas, or compressed natural gas. Because they use gas, they can be refilled on the fly, always for continuous operation as long as you have gas.
IC forklifts are also more powerful, able to lift heavier loads and cross rougher terrain. They’re typically best served in outdoor environments.
Tires, Tires, Tires
Forlifts have different tires for different environments. They are:
1: Cushion Tires (or Solid Tires)
Typically found on electric and indoor forklifts, these tires are made of solid rubber.
2: Pneumatic Tires
These are inflated tires that can handle the unevenness of outdoor terrain. For areas where sharp objects are abound, there are solid pneumatic tires. These cost more, but are very puncture resistant.
In Closing
These are the main options you’ll find across almost all forklifts. There are different abilities and traits you can find that may or may not apply to your business. The best way to know for sure is to do your research and don’t simply buy the first forklift you see.
And if you need shelving to hold what you’re hauling around or a forklift ramp to drive up, don’t hesitate to contact us.
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