Forklift Parts in More Detail
A forklift is made of many components. The key components that make up a forklift truck are the frame of the truck, the engine parts, the overhead guard, the wheels and the tilt cylinders. In addition, a forklift has a variety of attachments. All the parts which make up a lift truck are of equal importance as they work together to make the operation of the machine possible. The following paragraphs describe a few of the forklift parts in detail.
The Overhead Guard - The overhead guard is actually the forklifts metal roof, which sits atop the operator cab. It's job is to protect the operator whilst they are utilizing the machinery. The overhead guard makes sure that nothing falling from above onto the truck would harm the driver or damage the controls in the cab. The overhead guard is vital to the frame assembly on some units.
The Mast - Mounted either to the forklift frame or the front axle, the mast is the vertical lift truck component made of interlocking rails. The mast enables the forks to move upwards and down whilst providing lateral stability. The interlocking rails can either have bushings or bushings as guides. There are a couple of ways the mast can be operated: chain operated with motive power provided by a hydraulic motor or hydraulically by one or more hydraulic cylinders.
Lift Truck Carriage - The carriage is the part that the forks and various other kinds of attachments are mounted to. The carriage is in fact directly attached to the hydraulic cylinder and is connected by chains. To allow the forks to be raised and lowered, the carriage could have either bushings or rollers to guide it in the interlocking mast rails.
Load Back Rest - a back rest is a metal rack that prevents a load from falling backwards while the carriage is lifted to its full height. The back rest is either bolted or welded on to the carriage.
Lift Truck Attachments - There are various kinds of attachments that could be fixed directly to the lift truck's carriage. Forks are the most common type of attachment. Also, there are rollers, rotators, L-shaped members, pole handlers, roll clamps and and all that. These different attachments are helpful for transporting various kinds of loads.