Types of Tires
Cushion tires are generally considered solid tires with no tread pattern. These tires are made for indoor solid and smooth surfaces. There are tread patterns available however, that are more suitable for various surface environments. The cushion tires are popular on smooth warehouse floors and in similar applications.
However, pneumatic tires require air and have been specifically made for outdoor use on loose surfaces and uneven ground. Pneumatic truck tires have higher ground clearance also. This raises the center of gravity of the forklift and greatly reduces its rated lift capacity. More often than not, pneumatic tires are utilized in rough terrain environments because of their ability to navigate uneven surfaces in a smoother manner. Many construction sites and mining or agricultural applications rely on these tires to be able to make sure the machine can travel as safe and carefully as possible.
Lift Capacity and Lift Height
In order to determine the capacity of the vehicle needed, it is important to know the maximum dimensions and weight of the loads you will be handling. Furthermore, you should know the maximum fork height needed so as to stack or rack the loads. These factors, the load size and the lifting height, really affect the lift capacity of the truck. A larger size load can move the center of gravity of the vehicle and change the load combination. This decreases the lifting capacity of the machine as well as affects the load being lifted and the height. Using various attachments can also affect the overall capacity of the truck.
Mast Options
On the market nowadays are various options of forklift masts. These include: single, double, triple and quad masts. The number indicated the amount of sections on the mast. In a variety of circumstances, you will not be needed to make any choices as the lift height would dictate the kind of mast you will get, although, in trucks with really high lift heights, you could have an alternative.