Forklift Components in More Detail
A forklift is made of thousands of components. The major parts that make up a forklift truck are the frame of the truck, the engine components, the overhead guard, the tilt cylinders and the wheels. Also, a forklift has various kinds of attachments. All the parts which make up a lift truck are all essential as they work together to make the operation of the machinery possible. The next paragraphs describe a few of the lift truck parts in detail.
The Overhead Guard - this guard forms the forklift truck's metal roof. It sits above the cab area and protects the machine operator while she or he is sitting and driving. The overhead guard ensures that nothing falling from above onto the truck will injure the operator or damage the controls inside the cab. The overhead guard is integral to the frame assembly on several models.
The Mast - Mounted either to the front axle or the forklift frame, the mast is the vertical forklift part made of interlocking rails. The mast allows the forks to move up and downwards while providing lateral stability. The interlocking rails could either have rollers or bushings as guides. There are two ways the mast could be operated: chain operated with motive power provided by a hydraulic motor or hydraulically by one or more hydraulic cylinders.
Lift Truck Carriage - The carriage is the component that the forks and various other kinds of attachments are mounted to. Actually, the carriage is directly attached to the hydraulic cylinder and is connected by chains. In order to enable the forks to be lowered and raised, the carriage can have either bushings or rollers to guide it in the interlocking mast rails.
Load Back Rest - While the carriage is lifted to full height, there is a back rest made of metal which prevents a load from falling backwards. The back rest is either bolted or welded on to the carriage.
Lift Truck Attachments - a range of attachments can be fixed to the front of the lift truck. The most common type of attachment is forks. Also, there are rollers, rotators, L-shaped members, pole handlers, roll clamps and so forth. These various attachments are very useful for moving different kinds of loads.