If you rely on your forklift to do the heavy lifting in your warehouse, you may expect your equipment to work well and without issues. But if your forklift doesn't lift or lower all the way, call a forklift repair company fast. Your forklift may have a damaged mast to repair. Learn more about masts and how to repair your forklift's mast below.
What's a Forklift Mast?
Your forklift's mast, or upright, is perhaps the most critical part of the machine. A mast's main function is to lift and lower the forks on your machine. Warehouses typically use four types of masts for their forklifts, including three- and four-stage masts. If you're like most warehouses and factories, your forklift comes with a three-stage mast.
A three-stage mast comes with features that allow it to lift a machine's forks high into the air. The features also allow the mast, and the forks connected to it, to bear the weights or loads of extremely heavy objects, such as pallets filled with lumber or automotive parts. Although three-stage masts can perform well under stress, the parts can potentially fail if they:
- bend, crack, or warp from overuse
- develop faulty electrical wiring
- leak fluids and overheat
A damaged mast will cease to lift or lower a machine's forks properly. If you don't repair your lift's mast soon, you may lose valuable time and money in your warehouse.
How Do You Repair a Forklift Mast?
First, contact a forklift repair contractor and request a service call to your warehouse. A contractor will need to run an assessment on your entire forklift before they repair your mast. A broken or damaged hydraulic system, forks, and motor can also prevent your forklift from working properly. A contractor must rule out anything and everything that could potentially make your equipment malfunction.
If the mast is behind your forklift's problems, a contractor will do a number of things to repair it. For example, a contractor may lubricate the mast to keep it from overheating and shutting down. Masts require oil and other lubricants to keep them from running hot during the day.
A contractor may also need to replace the mast itself to solve your lift's issues. If you need a replacement mast, ask a contractor to install a four-stage mast on your forklift. Your current mast may not be strong enough for your forklift.
For more information, contact a company like RDS Equipment, Inc.
