

With current supply chain constraints, it might not be a bad idea to keep a few lift chains on hand in your spare parts inventory, especially if you have several vehicles that use the same chain. A failed lift chain is not a pretty sight and can lead to injuries, fatalities, and damage to product and equipment. Some manufacturers recommend replacing lift chains every three years or after 6,000 hours of service.

Brakes should be inspected regularly and replaced as soon as their efficiency diminishes or if showing visible signs of damage or excessive wear. Brakes – Your forklift can’t go if it can’t stop, and stopping a 2,000 lb.Fuel hose for IC forklift – This hose should be inspected regularly and replaced every two years.Replacement hydraulic fluid, filters, and system cleaner – When replacing parts of the hydraulic system, the system should be cleaned and refilled with fresh fluid.It’s a good idea to keep a stock of hydraulic system seals, gaskets, and bushings for both regularly scheduled replacement–typically one year or 4,000 service hours–and for failures, which always occur at the most inconvenient times. Hydraulic System Rubber Parts – These critical parts are also subject to damage and degradation, which can cause leaks and a dangerous reduction of a forklift’s lifting and driving capacity.Power steering hoses, reservoir tank hoses, brakes hoses, and hydraulic lift hoses should all be kept in your parts inventory. Generally, manufacturers suggest replacing hydraulic hoses every two years or 4,000 hours of service. But the connecting hoses of that system are vulnerable to accidental damage and degradation. Hydraulic Fluid Hoses – Your forklift’s hydraulic system provides the power that allows your forklift to lift, steer and stop.Those parts should form the base of your forklift spare parts inventory. There are a number of forklift parts that manufacturers recommend be replaced on a scheduled basis to ensure maximum uptime for your forklifts. 10 Critical Forklift Parts to Keep in Your On-hand Inventory The following list of the most commonly serviced and replaced parts will help you decide what inventory is best to stock in-house to protect against downtime and help you weather any future supply chain or operational uncertainties. However, too large an inventory of forklift parts can tie up dollars that could have more productive purposes - it’s a trade-off. This is why it’s important to keep an organized collection of spare parts. Warehouse managers might not face such dire consequences because of the lack of spare forklift parts, but a situation where a forklift goes down waiting for a replacement part can cause operational delays costing thousands of dollars in lost productivity.

“A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse,” so said Shakespeare’s Richard III, as he went on to lose the battle and his life for the lack of an item. Know the Most Frequently Replaced Forklift Parts to Keep in Stock –
