Is It Time for a New Forklift? 3 Ways to Know

Knowing when to retire a forklift can be a tough call. You don’t want to get rid of equipment that still has plenty of life remaining. But a forklift that is slow or frequently in need of repair causes your business to be less productive and can frustrate staff.

When is it time to retire your old forklifts and invest in something new? Here are 3 ways to know when to replace. Click To Tweet

When is it time for a new forklift?

Even the highest quality, best-engineered machinery has an economic useful life. If your lift trucks are creating more of a problem for your business than they are solutions, it may be time to seek new equipment.

  1. Safety Features Are Outdated
  2. Excessive Downtime
  3. Dangerous Equipment Failures

1) Safety Features Are Outdated

If you have an older forklift, it could pose a safety risk to drivers and those around them. Traditionally, an internal combustion, torque-converter driven forklift will start requiring significant repairs at around 10,000 hours. When your forklift begins to reach the end of its useful life, you’ll want to look into replacing it before certain features begin to malfunction.

2) Excessive Downtime

A forklift that’s consistently being scheduled for maintenance and repairs could be costing you more than it’s worth. Each hour that your equipment is down means lost productivity for your business. If a lift truck has more downtime than uptime, it’s definitely time for retirement.

3) Dangerous Equipment Failures

If your forklifts are intermittently breaking down, losing power, dropping loads, or have fluid leaks, it’s time for immediate repair or possible replacement. Buying new equipment will ensure that warehouse employees are safe from dangerous failures that could lead to serious injury.

Conclusion

Purchasing a new forklift for your business might make sound financial sense. Additionally, operators will benefit from the latest ergonomics, truck management technology, and your operation will suffer less downtime, resulting in greater productivity and throughput.

Contact us to learn more about the benefits of New Equipment.

Start a Conversation with HTX