Forklifts For Sale In Dallas Fort Worth

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) defines a forklift, also called a powered industrial truck (PIT), as a vehicle used to tier, stack, pull, push, carry, or lift materials. Other names are lift truck, pallet truck, rider truck, lifttruck or forktruck. Before going out shopping for forklifts for sale in Dallas and in Fort Worth, TX, it is a good idea to make sure you know all the different classes of forklift to make sure you get the right one for your uses.

Powered industrial trucks are inherently dangerous, no matter what class they are in. Every year, nearly 100 operators lose their lives as the result of an accident at work, while more than 30,000 end up in the emergency room before they get a chance to clock off for the day. Because of the specific nature of most of these accidents, experts have concluded that most, if not all, could have been prevented had the operator been properly trained and certified. Many fatalities are caused by people being crushed under their fork lift as they jump off while it is tipping over. Many other fatalities and serious injuries occur when pedestrians are hit by lift trucks.

Forktrucks may be powered by an internal combustion engine running on LPG, diesel or gasoline. Other classes of lift truck have battery-operated electrical engines. Within these categories, pallet trucks are further classified based on whether they use pneumatic tires or solid (cushion). In general, pneumatic tires, i. E., the kind you put air in like automobile tires, function best on difficult or uneven surfaces. Cushion tires work better on smooth surfaces.

Classes I, II, and III are battery powered machines with electric motors. Class I are called electric motor ricer trucks. The rider sits inside the vehicle. Because electric motors are not prone to giving out poisonous fumes, this class of lift truck is often used in enclosed spaces where air quality is a safety issue. These vehicles may be equipped with either cushion (solid) or pneumatic tires.

Class II forktrucks have incorporated design features that make them suitable for situations where the aisles are narrow. Because they are powered by electricity, they are also useful where air quality and noise levels need to be considered.

Class III is the designation for electric motor hand trucks or hand/rider trucks. In these trucks, the tiller is mounted on the side and all of the controls are located on the tiller. They are designed to enable the operator to walk at the front of the truck, similar to walking a bicycle.

Class IV forktrucks are powered by an internal combustion engine and use solid (cushion) wheels. These are used on dry, smooth floors to move materials between the loading dock and the storage area. Lower to the ground than trucks with pneumatic tires, these lifts are useful in low-clearance environments.

Like Class IV trucks, those that fall into Class 5 have internal combustion engines and run on LPG, diesel or gasoline. There are also some that use compressed natural gas, or CNG. These are the most versatile and the most popular type of lift truck. Trucks that are used in rough terrain are in Class VI.