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tery-powered electrics have caught up to IC trucks in
terms of productivity, power, and lifting capacity. Many
are equipped with outdoor-friendly pneumatic tires too.
This transformation is driven by the growing number of
customers looking for cleaner, higher-ca-pacity trucks that can handle heavy lifting
and perform just like an IC truck, Seager
says. The manufacturers are paying attention: All of the companies we spoke to for
this article offer sit-down electric forklifts
with big batteries, powerful motors, and
pneumatic tires, including some models
that can carry loads of up to 11,000 or
12,000 pounds.
Protection against debris and wet weath-
er. All lift trucks that regularly spend
time outdoors—from sit-down models
to pallet jacks—are at risk of damage
from wet weather, dirt, dust, and other
contaminants. Adequate ingress protec-
tion (IP) against fluid and contaminants entering the lift
truck’s components is therefore a must, says Rob Smith,
senior manager, U.S. sales, for forklift maker UniCarriers
Americas. Ingress-protection (IP) ratings will indicate how
well electrical components and mechanical casings are pro-
tected against the entry of moisture and solids. (Search “IP
ratings” online for more information.)
Dealers can recommend protective devices for lift trucks
that operate outdoors or in messy conditions, Smith notes.
These include such things as an underbelly
screen to keep the cooling system from
sucking in debris, protective covers for
hydraulic lifting or tilt cylinders, elevated
air intakes, and a precleaner to keep dirt
and other contaminants out of the engine,
he says.
Other examples mentioned by the
experts we consulted include specially
sealed wiring, “washdown” packages that
offer protection against moisture ingress
for trucks that must be hosed down, and
using extra air filters in the filter housing.
Length, width, and height. There are
size differences between sit-down trucks
designed for indoor use and their outdoor
counterparts. For example, pneumatic-tire trucks usually
have longer, wider chassis; have a higher ground clearance;
and, because the tires are larger, have a larger area of contact with the ground than cushion-tire trucks do, Toyota’s
Faiman says. An electric truck designed for outdoor use
LANDOLL
CORPORATION
MATERIAL HANDLING
PRODUCTS GROUP 800-428-5655 forkliftsales@landoll.com landoll.com/mhp
®
• Stacks Standard Pallets Double
Deep from 8’ ( 2. 5 M) Aisles
•;Lift Heights to 425” ( 10. 8 M)
•;3,000 lb. ( 1,361 kg) Capacity
in Second Deep Position
•;Side Shifting and
Tilting Fork Carriage
•;Camera for Viewing Forks
from Operator Compartment
•;No Lower Beams Required
for Outrigger Legs
•;Reach Attachment Integrated
Into Inner Mast Channels
B40AC-DR
AND
B50AC-DR
DEEP REACH
NARROW AISLE
FORKLIFT
Booth S3908
