Electric Forklift Maintenance: How, Why, and When

Reading time: 4 min 30 sec.

Summary

If you are responsible for the maintenance of a forklift, then you know how important it is to keep it in good condition. Forklifts are a critical part of many businesses, and if they are not properly maintained, they can cause big problems. This blog post will discuss how to perform preventive maintenance on your electric lift truck. We will also talk about why it is important to do regular maintenance and how often you should perform it. Finally, we will recommend some forklift parts that you should have on hand so that your maintenance goes smoothly.

Table of contents

1. Benefits of Forklift preventive maintenance
2. How to perform preventive maintenance to an Electric Forklift?
3. How often should a forklift be serviced?
4. Looking for Electric Forklift Parts? Find them at Lift Parts Warehouse
5. Takeaways

Benefits of Forklift preventive maintenance

The benefits of preventive maintenance on your forklift are:

• Extend its lifespan.
• Reduce downtime and repair costs.
• Improve the productivity, safety, and cleanliness of your business. An electric-powered forklift that has been properly maintained is more reliable than one neglected. This means fewer delays in work due to mechanical problems, which can be costly.
• Preventive maintenance is also essential because it helps you avoid the need for major repairs later on down the road. If your forklift isn't adequately maintained today, then tomorrow could lead to expensive repair bills when something breaks or becomes damaged beyond repair.

How to perform preventive maintenance to an Electric Forklift?

To perform preventive maintenance on this forklift type, you need some essential tools and a few parts. It would help if you also had some time, so make sure you have plenty of it before doing any work. Check our blog Forklift inspection checklist - What must be done daily before using a forklift?

Check the battery fluid levels

The first thing you should do is check the battery. Ensure the water is always at the right level, so you can avoid overheating in this way and ensure the long lifespan of your battery. If you add water immediately before charging, spillage can occur, and this happens due to the water expanding during charging. So it is recommendable to top off your battery with water once it has been charged rather than before.

So it is recommendable to top off your battery with water once it has been charged rather than before. We also recommend distilled water, which is water-free of impurities. See below video about Forklift Battery tips for proper watering:

To know how often your battery's water level needs to be checked, you can see your forklift operating manual. Another option is to follow a common rule of every 10 charges; as older is your machine, the checking interval could decrease up to every 5 charges.

Scheduled cleaning

A good cleaning is always recommended for your forklift, but you may not be aware that it should also be done regularly.

A clean forklift looks better, extends its components' life span, and improves the working conditions of operators and co-workers by reducing the release of toxic gasses.

Some of the areas you should focus on when cleaning your Electric Forklift include:

• The battery and charging area
• All electrical connections
• The engine compartment
• The chassis

Other maintenance as others forklift types

There are other maintenance areas that all forklift types have in common, such as: Checking of steering, brakes and forks alignment, tires inspections, etc. These items also need to be checked and maintained on an electric-powered forklift. Having the right forklift parts is vital for this maintenance, so you can avoid a lack of equipment when performing it. Check our blog: Forklift inspection checklist.

How often should a forklift be serviced?

How often should a forklift be serviced? There is no definitive answer to this question. The frequency of service will depend on the make and model of the forklift, as well as how often it is used. According to most experts, internal combustion forklifts need service every 250-300 hours and electric ones every 500 hours.

• You must ensure your operators know the proper way to care for their batteries. This will help them stay in good condition and keep our vehicles running smoothly!
• Take note of the heat source. Electric lift trucks can overheat, damaging battery life and safety in general, so make sure it doesn't get too hot for your machine.
• You can't afford to run your forklift battery out. Always connect it when you see 25%.

Looking for Electric Forklift Parts? Find them at Lift Parts Warehouse

The parts of this forklift type are a critical component for a safe and efficient operation for any equipment. It is vital for businesses that operate all kinds of forklifts to have a reliable source to solve any forklift failure. Lift Parts Warehouse carries a wide selection of parts for electric-powered forklifts from the top manufacturers in the industry.

Our staff can also help you decide what forklift parts you need as stock for emergencies, other important parts to check for a specific problem, and much more. Our technicians are experienced in the proper care and maintenance of electric lift trucks, and we can help you keep your forklift in good condition and prevent more expensive repairs in the future.

If you are looking for parts for preventive maintenance services or major repairs, contact Lift Parts Warehouse today. We are here to help you; some of the forklift parts that you can find here are:

• 26038-IS : Electric Pump Motor (24 V). It is a brand new and high-quality product that is perfect for various forklift models and brands.
• Motor Brush For Toyota: 14181-11480-71. This component is responsible for transferring electricity from the battery to the motor, and if it isn't in good condition, your forklift won't run properly. These brushes are made specifically for Toyota forklifts.

You can also check our vast catalogs for forklift parts by clicking here.

Takeaways

As a business owner, it is vital to keep your forklift in top condition so that you can avoid costly downtime and ensure the safety of your employees. The preventive maintenance tips we have provided should help you get started. However, if you have any questions or need assistance with servicing your electric-powered forklift, please don't hesitate to contact us. We are happy to help!