Tire Types
Cushion tires are generally considered solid tires with no tread pattern. These tires are made for indoor smooth and solid surfaces. There are tread patterns available though, that are a lot suitable for different surface environments. The cushion tires are common on smooth warehouse floors and in similar applications.
On the other hand, pneumatic tires need air and have been specially made for outdoor use on uneven ground and loose surfaces. Pneumatic truck tires have higher ground clearance also. This raises the forklift's center of gravity and greatly lessens its rated lift capacity. More often than not, pneumatic tires are used in rough terrain surroundings due to their ability to negotiate uneven surfaces in a smoother fashion. Numerous construction sites and agricultural or mining applications rely on these tires so as to make certain the machinery could travel as safe and carefully as possible.
Lift Capacity and Lift Height
In order to determine the capacity of the vehicle needed, it is essential to understand the maximum dimensions and weight of the loads you will be handling. As well, you must know the maximum fork height required to be able to stack or rack the loads. These factors, the lifting height and the load size, greatly affect the lift capacity of the truck. A bigger size load can move the center of gravity of the vehicle and change the load combination. This reduces the equipment's lifting capacity as well as affects the height and the load being lifted. Using different attachments could also affect the overall capacity of the truck.
Mast Options
There are a lot of different choices of masts existing on the market. Like for example, there are single, double, triple and quad, the numbers indicate how many stages or sections the mast has. In a variety of circumstances, you would not be required to make any choices as the lift height would dictate the type of mast you will get, although, in trucks with really high lift heights, you may have an option.