Components and Attachments

Knowing your way round a fork lift truck and its various components and attachments is one of the first lessons a novice operator should learn; get a head start by reading through the information below.

The essential components of a typical counterbalance fork lift truck used in warehousing, logistics and storage include;

Truck frame; the essential base of the fork lift to which everything else attaches, often fuel and hydraulic tanks are built into the frame assembly.

Counterweight; this is a heavy mass attached to the back of the fork lift truck frame, sometimes just the battery acts as the counterbalance in electric lift trucks; it prevents the truck from tipping over when lifting very heavy loads.

Truck cab; where the operator sits, can be open or enclosed but always covered with an overhead guard assembly; includes all operating controls.

Overhead guard; a metal roof supported at each corner of the cab to protect the operator from any falling objects.

Power source; typically a gas /diesel powered engine or, in the case of electric fork lifts, a battery or fuel cells which can be either DC or AC.

Tilt cylinders; these are hydraulic cylinders mounted to the truck frame and mast, they pivot the mast to assist in picking up and putting down loads.

Mast; the vertical assembly that does all the lifting and lowering work, made up of interlocking rails driven along rollers or guides by hydraulics the mast can be mounted to the front axle or frame of the lift truck.

Carriage; the component that forks or other attachments mount to, this is the part that moves up and down the mast rails along rollers or guides.

Load back rest; an extension welded to the carriage to prevent loads from shifting backwards when at full height.

Attachments; all fork lift trucks can have their forks removed and a wide range of other attachments fitted to carry out specific tasks, a few of these include;

Dimensioning devices for space utilisation
Sideshifter moves forks laterally
Rotator allows forks to be rotated
Fork positioner moves the forks together and apart
Roll and barrel clamp holds rounded loads
Pole attachments for carpet rolls or metal coils
Multipurpose clamp allows the truck to squeeze loads like boxes
Slipsheet pulls and pushes slipsheets on and off forks
Drum handler with spring loaded jaw to grab large drums
Man basket for hoisting and lifting people
Telescopic forks enabling double deep stacking of loads
Scales enable weighing of loads and objects