Types of Tires
Cushion tires are generally considered solid tires with no tread pattern. These tires are designed for indoor solid and smooth surfaces. There are tread patterns available however, that are more suitable for different surface environments. The cushion tires are popular on smooth warehouse floors and in similar applications.
Pneumatic tires on the other hand will require air and are designed specifically for uneven ground and loose surfaces. The pneumatic tire provides a higher ground clearance over solid tires. This raises the center of gravity of the forklift and really lessens its rated lift capacity. More often than not, pneumatic tires are used in rough terrain surroundings because of their ability to navigate uneven surfaces in a smoother fashion. Many mining or agricultural operations and construction sites rely on these tires so as to make certain the machinery could travel as safe and carefully as possible.
Lift height and Lift Capacity
It is essential to understand the maximum dimensions and weight of the loads you will be handling in order to determine the capacity of the vehicle needed. In addition, you must know the maximum fork height needed in order to rack or stack the loads. These factors, the lifting height and the load size, greatly affect the lift capacity of the truck. A larger size load could move the vehicle's center of gravity and change the load combination. This reduces the lifting capacity of the equipment and affects the load being lifted and the height. Utilizing different attachments can also affect the overall capacity of the truck.
Mast Options
There are lots of different choices of masts existing on the market. For example, there are quad, triple, double or single, the numbers indicate how many sections or stages the mast has. In different circumstances, you would not be required to make any choices as the lift height will dictate the type of mast you would get, although, in trucks with really high lift heights, you could have a choice.