3 Tips to Avoid Overspending on Forklift Service

The first thing that goes through an individual’s head when they feel that something is wrong with their forklift, is the sheer cost in fixing it. This is why it is commonly said that when a forklift has a downtime in operation, there is money lost on two avenues. First, the heavy cost of the repair and second, the amount of productivity that is lost due to an unforeseen amount of downtime. Here, we will talk about how you can avoid spending your hard earned profits on exorbitant forklift repairs.

The best way to avoid expensive forklift service is to address any potential issues before they become highly expensive endeavours that end up costing you in the 1000s of dollars. In fact, it has been proven that scheduled and regular maintenance can have a significant effect on reducing your downtime by up to 50%. Furthermore, it can extend the longevity and overall lifespan of your forklift by almost 40%. No doubt, your company must have made a significantly heavy investment when they purchase the forklift. As such, it would make little sense to be negligent with such an expensive and highly valuable piece of equipment.

With scheduled maintenance, you can stay ahead of these problems and can give yourself the peace of mind that your forklifts will not break down when you need them the most while ensuring that you get the highest possible value on your investment.

The savings on cost can be best explained through a simple example. If you were to hire a highly skilled technician to inspect your forklift and provide scheduled maintenance, then you would be spending more than a few hundred dollars. However, if your forklift were to scramble and break down unexpectedly, then you can expect to pay thousands on repairs, while also losing significant revenue because of downtime. It makes little sense to take chances with highly valued equipment that plays a vital role in your operations.

In fact, many business owners who have tried to save money by avoiding a forklift service have suffered in the long run. This is because:

• There was a significant buildup of dust and debris on the brakes of the forklift, which eventually settled on the drums.
• A lack of adequate forklift maintenance lead to a complete failure of the forklift radiator.
• Slow tire leaks soon turned into flats and ended up causing a broken axle.

All these problems can be avoided with comprehensive and regular forklift maintenance.

What if you are looking for more methods to further reduce your repair expenses?

Then, there are two solutions that can benefit you in the long term.

1. Old Forklifts

If you have a forklift in your operation line that has been ageing for some time now, then it is a given that the forklift is at risk of a breakdown and your operations could face some severe downtime. This is because older forklifts, if not well maintained, tend to break down a lot faster. Furthermore, it can be quite an expensive endeavour to find parts for older forklifts, as they usually stop production when newer models come out. It also becomes increasingly difficult to find those parts. This is why it is better to have a fleet of forklifts, that have varying ages. This is where leasing a forklift can be a highly cost effective method to add new equipment.

However, if you have older forklifts, that are not showing any operational issues, then you don’t necessarily need to retire the same. You can simply use it for non essential tasks, or even as a backup.

Ideally, one should avoid any forklifts that have experienced more than 8000 hours of run time.

2. Sign Up For A Service Plan

When you sign up for a forklift service plan, then your forklift maintenance is managed at timely intervals, thereby preventing any unexpected problems. With the right service, your forklift rotator clamp, and any other forklift extensions can be thoroughly inspected at regular intervals to ensure that they do not unexpectedly go out of operation. Furthermore, many service providers can also help you with certain forklift accessories that can help increase the longevity of your forklift, without you having to pay more than a fraction of the amount you would on forklift repairs