Raw Materials
The cab, body, boom and frame of a telescoping boom rough terrain forklift are normally manufactured by a lift truck manufacturer. The most common material for these subassemblies is steel, because of its incredible strength. At times aluminum or steel forgings are used also. It is common for non-metallic materials like for instance nylon plastic blocks to be used as guides in the boom assembly. The other components are normally purchased as finished products and the lift truck maker installs them.
Several of the pre-assembled purchased products include the seat, transmission, axles, engine, hoses, tires and wheels, backup-alarm, lights, gauges and hydraulic cylinders. Most often, certain materials like the hydraulic fluid and fuel and lubricants are bought in bulk. These liquids are added as needed once the machinery is assembled and has passed the rigorous testing sessions.
Design
The common design that is most standard of telescoping boom rough terrain forklifts is a long and narrow design which has a set of wheels at the front of the unit and another set located towards the back of the machine. The unit's boom is mounted at the rear of the forklift off of a pivot feature which is raised several feet above the level of the frame. Normally, the cab is mounted on the left-hand side of the frame structure. Usually, the bottom half of the cab 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, various manufacturers have contributed to their own unique design. On the market these days, there are numerous options available. Some units of forklifts make use of a single hydraulic cylinder in order to elevate the boom, and other models utilize 2 cylinders. Several models make use of a side-to-side hydraulic frame leveling capability. This feature enables the frame to tilt up to 10 degrees relative to the axles in order to allow the equipment to compensate for extreme axle articulation. This is utilized for instance, when the tires on one side of the lift truck are situated down in a rut and the tires on the other side of the machine are up, situated on a mound of dirt.
One more common design feature comprises fork attachments which are capable of swinging up to 45 degrees both left and right, in order to allow precise load positioning.