It is important to consider where the forklift will need to go and to get a forklift with a collapsed height lower than the shortest entry. Whether there are doorways in your warehouse or the truck enters freight trailers or shipping containers, make sure to know the lowest height required and the collapsed height of the forklift you are considering purchasing.
For your reference, here are some standard heights to consider when purchasing:
Standard Freight Trailer (used to carry most common freight)
40’: 92” door height
43’: 92” door height
48’: 98” door height
53’: 94” door height
Shipping containers: (used to transport freight internationally)
Evergreen has each and every forklift it sells inspected and repaired before it is available for sale. We do not sell forklifts “as-is.” We want to make sure you have a forklift that will work well the moment you press the pedal.
Ultimately, there is no substitute for a 6-hour load test when determining if a battery will last for an entire shift. While there are a few ways to see if a battery is BAD, the load test is the only reliable method of confirming if a battery is GOOD. Some indicators of a bad battery include:
Significant variance in open circuit voltage of the cells. If you are seeing open circuit voltages vary by more than .03 volts (i.e. 2.05, 1.93, 2.03, 1.96…), then there is a problem. Those lower voltage cells will be the first cells to fail under load.
Extremely low voltage. A fully discharged battery will read approximately 1.90 volts per cell when it is sitting and not under load or on charge. If the battery is showing voltages of 1.50 volts or less, you should be concerned that the battery is severely discharged.
Excessive corrosion on top of battery. Some minor corrosion is acceptable and is fairly common. However, if the battery is caked with inches of corrosion, it is a clear sign of abuse. Furthermore, it can cause short circuiting which can lead to permanent failure.
Bone dry. If you open up the vent caps and it looks like the Mojave Desert inside, you’ve got a problem. Lack of watering can cause permanent cell failure, so be on the lookout for this.
Luckily, Evergreen Industrial Batteries provides a complete test report with each battery. If you buy an electric forklift from Evergreen, you will get a full warranty and the peace of mind that comes with reliable power.
It depends on whether the unit is electric or internal combustion. If it is electric, there are several hour readings – key hours, traction motor hours, hydraulic motor hours, and steering motor hours. When you turn on the forklift, you will see the hour readings cycle through. The most telling indicator of usage is the traction hour reading. Traction hours relate to how long the forklift has been moving forward or backwards, and is the best overall guage of wear on the forklift. Be careful, however, if you see a very low hour reading. It is possible that the meter has reached its limit and has turned over and started counting from zero again. For internal combustion trucks, there is only one hour reading because the motor is always running even while the truck idles.
The number of stages refers to the number of vertical components on each half of the mast. Some forklifts only have two components – the base and one section that extends – while others have up to four such segments. There is a tradeoff between lift height and visibility when considering which stage mast to get. The obvious drawback of the two-stage mast is that it can only extend so far. However, it provides great visibility since there is very little metal in the operator’s field of view. On the other hand, while the four-stage mast can reach great heights, all of that metal greatly reduces operator visibility. The most common mast configuration is three-stage, offering a combination of lift height and visibility.
