Forklift Parts in More Detail
A lift truck is made of numerous components. The key parts which make up a lift truck are the truck frame, the engine parts, the overhead guard, the tilt cylinders and the wheels. Also, a lift truck consists of various kinds of attachments. All the parts that make up a forklift are of equal importance since they work together to make the operation of the machine possible. The next paragraphs describe some of the forklift parts in detail.
The Overhead Guard - this guard forms the lift truck's metal roof. It sits on top of the cab area and protects the machine operator while she or he is sitting and driving. The overhead guard ensures that nothing falling from above onto the truck will damage the controls inside the cab or harm the operator. The overhead guard is integral to the frame assembly on several models.
The Mast - Mounted either to the front axle or the forklift frame, the mast is the vertical forklift component made of interlocking rails. The mast allows the forks to move up and down while providing lateral stability. The interlocking rails may either have rollers or bushings as guides. There are a couple of ways the mast can be operated: hydraulically by one or more hydraulic cylinders or chain operated with motive power provided by a hydraulic motor.
Forklift Carriage - the forks and other kinds of attachments are mounted to the carriage. The carriage is attached to the mast directly to the hydraulic cylinder or it is attached by chains. To allow the forks to be raised and lowered, the carriage could have either rollers or bushings to guide it in the interlocking mast rails.
Load Back Rest - a back rest is a metal rack that keeps a load from falling backwards when the carriage is raised to its full height. The back rest is either bolted or welded on to the carriage.
Lift Truck Attachments - a variety of attachments could be fixed to the front of the forklift truck. The most common kind of attachment is forks. Also, there are L-shaped members, rollers, rotators, pole handlers, roll clamps and and all that. These different kinds of attachments are really useful for moving different types of loads.