Lift Truck Parts in More Detail
A lift truck is made of many components. The key parts that make up a forklift truck are the truck frame, the engine parts, the overhead guard, the wheels and the tilt cylinders. In addition, a lift truck has different types of attachments. All the components making up a forklift are of equal importance as they work together to make the machine's operation possible. The next paragraphs describe several of the forklift parts in detail.
The Overhead Guard - this guard forms the lift truck's metal roof. It sits over the cab area and protects the machinery operator while he or she is sitting and driving. The overhead guard ensures that nothing falling from above onto the truck will damage the controls in the cab or hurt the driver. The overhead guard is integral to the frame assembly on several models.
The Mast - the mast is a vertical assembly made of interlocking rails and mounted either to the front axle or the forklift frame. The mast provides lateral stability and allows the forks to move upwards and down. The interlocking rails can either have bushings or bushings as guides. There are a couple of ways the mast could be operated: hydraulically by one or more hydraulic cylinders or chain operated with motive power provided by a hydraulic motor.
Lift Truck Carriage - The carriage is the part that the forks and other kinds of attachments are mounted to. The carriage is in fact directly connected to the hydraulic cylinder and is connected by chains. To allow the forks to be raised and lowered, the carriage may have either bushings or rollers to guide it in the interlocking mast rails.
Load Back Rest - While the carriage is lifted to full height, there is a back rest made of metal that keeps a load from falling backwards. The back rest is either welded or bolted on to the carriage.
Lift Truck Attachments - There are numerous types of attachments that can be fixed directly to the forklifts carriage. Forks are the most common attachment. Also, there are L-shaped members, rollers, rotators, roll clamps, pole handlers and so on. These various attachments are handy for moving various types of loads.