Should You Ever Install Used Forklift Forks In Indiana?

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Every day at your warehouse, your forklift forks accumulate more wear and tear. You soon notice you've worn them down to a place where it's not safe to transport loads. Forks with excessive wear run the risk of damaging customer merchandise or other equipment. Loads slipping off of bad forks can even injure the forklift operator or another employee.

It may seem like a frugal idea to switch out the broken forks with a set of used ones. After all, they may seem like they are in good shape. But should you ever install used forklift forks in Indiana?

When to Switch Out Your Forklift Forks?

Whether you own a new forklift or an aging truck, your forklift forks require regular inspections to check for damage. A quick scan of your forks should be part of your daily maintenance checklist, but a more in-depth assessment should happen at least quarterly. Here are common signs of wear on your Indiana forklift forks:

  • Blade and shank angle: The angle of your forks should never exceed 93 degrees; if it does, they need to be replaced. A bent fork usually occurs when you transport loads past capacity.
  • Cracks and tip damage: You see cracks mainly in the heel and weld areas. The fork tips should be able to slide easily in and out of pallets, and each tip should rest parallel with one another.
  • Thinning fork thickness: This can be verified using a fork arm wear caliper. You should no longer use forklift forks that have lost more than 10 percent of their thickness. Waiting could result in further damage to your forks, boosting the risk of equipment and load damage.
  • Hooks and locks mechanics: You can use calipers to make sure hooks and positioning locks aren’t bent or cracked. You can safely use them as long as they open and close without difficulty.

How Were My Forklift Forks Damaged?

You usually damage your forks by picking up objects beyond load capacity or too close to the tips. However, general wear-and-tear can happen. Every time you lift a load, it puts some strain on a fork. Enough hours of sliding out pallets and hauling loads will thin -- and possibly bend -- your forks to where then need replacements.

Should You Ever Install Used Forklift Forks In Indiana?

If you find damaged forklift forks, it's unwise to try to repair them. Rebending forks will significantly reduce their load capacity. Welded cracks can cause the forks to snap while hauling a load. And there's not much you can do for thinned-out forks.

For the same reasons, you shouldn't install used forks on your forklift. Used forks may change your forklift's integrity and could result in severe injury or death, or damage to equipment and inventory. Instead, have forks replaced by a certified forklift technician, who will ensure that new forks are installed accurately. You may even want to see if an attachment or modification will better fit your needs -- which definitely should be done by a certified technician.

Tynan Can Help Replace Your Forklift Forks

If you need help replacing worn forklift forks, ordering replacement forks, or need advice on what forks are right for your Indiana business, give the experts at Tynan a call. Our certified technicians specialize in maintenance and upgrades, and our advisors can make recommendations on which forks are best suited for your needs. Give us a call us today at (317) 597-4003 for more information

Keep the integrity of your forklift in tact by properly maintaining its forks.

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