Lift Truck Parts in More Detail
There are many components that make up a lift truck. The forklifts main parts consist of the frame of the truck, the engine components, the tilt cylinders, the overhead guard and the wheels. Also, a lift truck has various types of attachments. All the components making up a lift truck are of equal importance because they work together to make the operation of the machine possible. The following paragraphs describe in detail several of the lift truck parts.
The Overhead Guard - this guard forms the lift truck's metal roof. It sits above the cab area and protects the machinery operator while she or he is sitting and driving. The overhead guard makes sure that nothing falling from above onto the truck will injure the driver or damage the controls inside the cab. The overhead guard is vital to the frame assembly on various models.
The Mast - Mounted either to the front axle or the forklift frame, the mast is the vertical lift truck part made of interlocking rails. The mast enables the forks to move up and downwards while providing lateral stability. The interlocking rails could either have bushings or bushings as guides. There are two ways the mast could 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 various other kinds of attachments are mounted to the carriage. The carriage is connected to the mast directly to the hydraulic cylinder or it is connected by chains. To enable the forks to be raised and lowered, the carriage may have either rollers or bushings to guide it in the interlocking mast rails.
Load Back Rest - a back rest is a metal rack which keeps a load from falling backwards when the carriage is raised to its full height. The back rest is either welded or bolted on to the carriage.
Forklift Attachments - There are numerous attachments which can be fixed directly to the forklifts carriage. Forks are the most common type of attachment. In addition, there are L-shaped members, rotators, rollers, pole handlers, roll clamps and and all that. These various attachments are very useful for transporting different kinds of loads.