Raw Materials
The telescoping boom rough terrain forklift's cab, body, frame and boom are usually made by a forklift maker. Steel is the most common materials used to make these because they have tremendous strength. Sometimes steel forgings or aluminum are also used. It is common for non-metallic materials like nylon plastic blocks to be used as guides in the boom assembly. The other parts are normally purchased as finished products and the forklift maker installs them.
Pre-assembled bought products may include some of the following: transmission, seat, axles, engine, wheels, hoses and tires, backup-alarm, lights, gauges and hydraulic cylinders. Normally, certain materials like the lubricants and hydraulic fluid and fuel are bought in bulk. These liquids are added as required once the machinery is assembled and has passed the meticulous testing sessions.
Design
The narrow and long design of the telescoping boom rough terrain forklift is most common, with a set of wheels at the front of the unit and another set located towards the rear of the machinery. The boom part of the model is mounted at the forklift's back off of a pivot feature which is elevated several feet above the level of the frame. Normally, the cab is mounted on the frame structure's left-hand side. Typically, the cab's bottom half is low and located between the tires. The fuel tank and the hydraulic fuel tank are mounted on the right-hand side, opposite the cab. Along the center-line of the vehicle, the transmission and the engine are mounted in the frame.
Beyond this basic configuration, different manufacturers have contributed to their own unique design. On the market nowadays, there are numerous options available. Certain units of forklifts use a single hydraulic cylinder to be able to raise the boom, and other units utilize 2 cylinders. Several models utilize a side-to-side hydraulic frame leveling capability. This particular feature allows the frame to tilt up to 10 degrees relative to the axles in order to enable the machine to compensate for extreme axle articulation. This is utilized for instance, when the tires on one side of the forklift are located down in a rut and the tires on the other side of the machine are up, located on a mound of dirt.
One more popular design feature comprises fork attachments which are capable of swinging up to 45 degrees both right and left, in order to allow precise load placement.