If you are in the market for a new forklift, it can be confusing trying to figure out the various features and what you need to look for. This article will explain various important Hangcha forklift specifications to help you out. Click on each of the following sections to learn more.
If you are looking for a high-quality, incredibly affordable Hangcha forklift, contact us.
Hangcha Forklift Specifications
1. Load Capacity
Load capacity refers to the maximum load or weight that your forklift can safely carry. You need to purchase a forklift that can handle the weight of loads that you need it to.
Every forklift is designed with a specific lifting capacity and exceeding that capacity can have dangerous consequences. There are, however, a number of factors that can reduce your forklift's load capacity.
Higher Lift Heights: Your forklift's load capacity will decrease at higher lift heights. Since you need a multi-stage mast to reach higher lift heights and because of the construction of a multi-stage mast, your load capacities will go down.
Lifting loads that are too heavy at higher heights could damage your equipment, cause it to malfunction, and even result in a serious accident.
Adding Attachments: If you add an attachment to your forklift after you purchase it, that attachment will have its own rated maximum capacity.
Adding attachments can affect your load capacity
The maximum capacity that your forklift can carry is determined by the lowest maximum capacity of your components.
For example, if your attachment has a capacity of 5,000 lbs but your forklift has a capacity of 6,000 lbs, then you can only lift 5,000 lbs.
Longer Load Centre: If you are lifting a load that has a longer load centre, then your load capacity will also be decreased. You need to know what your load center dimensions are and the maximum rated capacity for them.
Make sure you reduce your load weights when your load centres are larger than usual.
2. Pneumatic and Cushion Tires
Another one of the Hangcha forklift specifications you might be wondering about is the types of tires listed. The two main types of tires are pneumatic and cushion.
Pneumatic Tires
Hangcha forklift specifications: Pneumatic tires work well on uneven, rough surfaces.
Pneumatic forklift tires are very similar to car tires. They have a very thick tread that will give you great traction over uneven or loose surfaces.
There are basically 2 types of pneumatic tires: air-filled pneumatic tires and solid pneumatic tires.
Air-filled Pneumatic Tires: An air-filled pneumatic tire has an airtight inner core filled with pressurized air and covered by a tread that is usually reinforced with steel belting or other materials. They give you a more comfortable ride, so they are a good choice if your operators are working long shifts.
Solid Pneumatic Tires: Solid pneumatic tires, on the other hand, are made of solid rubber or sometimes filled with foam instead of air. This makes them more puncture-proof and durable than air-filled tires, but they don't give you as smooth of a ride.
Solid pneumatic tires are a good choice if you are using your forklift on rough surfaces such as on a construction sites or in a lumber yard where your tires could get damaged easily.
Cushion Tires
Cushion tires are made of solid rubber.
Cushion tires are quite different than pneumatic tires and are better suited to different applications.
Solid rubber: Cushion tires have a smooth outer surface and are made of solid rubber that is formed around a metal band. They are your best option for use on smooth surfaces found in warehouses and retail settings. Their hard exterior makes them resistant to chipping.
Smaller & Easier to Maneuver: Cushion tires are smaller than pneumatic which makes them easier to maneuver. They can fit on a smaller forklift frame and have a much tighter turning radius, so you can use them in narrower aisles. In addition, they have lower ground clearance.
Less Expensive: Because cushion tires are smaller than pneumatic tires, they don't require as much material to make. That is why they are usually cheaper to purchase. They will also usually last longer than pneumatic tires, especially if you keep your floors clean and avoid using your forklift outside on rough terrain.
3. Types of Masts
The mast is the part of your forklift that is made up of your forks and an elevation mechanism that is operated by a hydraulic system. There are 4 different types of forklift masts to choose from: simplex, duplex, triplex, and quad.
Simplex or Single-Stage
The simplex or single-stage mast is a standard type of mast that uses a stationary outer rail and sliding inner rail with chains to lift the carriage and forks. The height that you can lift is limited by the maximum extension of the inner rails.
This type of forklift is typically used for lower lifting heights such as lifting cargo onto the back of a truck.
Duplex or Two-Stage
A duplex, also known as a two-stage mast, is designed with a hydraulic cylinder in the middle of the mast assembly. It helps to push your load up while the mast itself stays stationary. When the carriage gets to the top of its inner rails, there are two supporting side rails that help to complete the lifting.
A duplex mast is a great choice for applications such as double stacking your loads, freight cross-docking, and manufacturing component delivery.
Triplex or Three-Stage
A three-stage mast has 2 sliding rails.
A triplex or three-stage mast has two sliding rails and a single stationary rail. It is designed with a large hydraulic ram in the middle of the mast assembly that does most of the lifting.
It also has secondary hydraulic cylinders that lift the center sections and a chain system that pulls the inner section when the mast is fully extended.
You often see triplex masts on reach trucks. This design lets the forklift reach and extend to greater distances.
Quad or Four-Stage
A quad, also called a four-stage mast, has four sets of rails and chains to raise and lower its loads. They can reach much higher heights and require advanced training to operate them.
A quad mast works similarly to a triplex mast, but it has a powerful hydraulic secondary cylinder rail that gives it even more extension.
4. Opportunity Charging
Opportunity charging is great if you run continuous shifts.
Opportunity charging refers to charging your forklift battery for short periods of time throughout the day instead of charging it to its full capacity all at once. In essence, you are charging the battery whenever you get the "opportunity."
Times when you can use opportunity charging include:
During shift changes
During your operator's lunch or coffee breaks
During other pauses in the workday
There are many great benefits to opportunity charging. Opportunity charging lets you continuously use the same battery throughout multiple shifts.
If you have a multi-shift operation, then opportunity charging will allow you to keep running without having to stop to charge or swap your batteries. This means that you won't have to purchase extra batteries, or set aside extra downtime for charging, and you can use the same forklift for multiple shifts.
Lithium batteries do not need to be fully charged.
While you can do opportunity charging with some types of lead acid batteries, Lithium-ion batteries are better suited for this practice.
This is because, unlike lead-acid batteries which need regular full charges to prevent sulfation, lithium-ion batteries don't need to get a full charge and there is no risk of sulfation.
In fact, lithium-ion batteries actually do better and have a longer lifespan when they are not fully charged.
5. Soft Landing System
A soft landing system is one of the great Hangcha forklift specifications.
Hangcha's soft landing system will automatically reduce the lowering speed of the forks when the height from the ground to the forks is less than 100mm.
This is an effective and safe way to protect both your load and your forklift from hitting the ground too hard and causing damage.
Questions about Hangcha Forklift Specifications? Contact Wayco
If you have any questions about Hangcha forklift specifications, we’d be happy to help. We are your Hangcha forklift experts in the Kitchener region.
You can only get Hangcha products in Canada from a registered Hangcha distributer. Wayco is a proud dealer of Hangcha forklifts in Southwestern Ontario.
High quality and affordability are extremely important to us, so that is why we have teamed up with Hangcha to bring you the best forklift equipment at a significantly lower price than what you will pay with the competition.
If you are in the market for a forklift, contact Wayco. We have:
The best-priced forklifts in the industry
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As a full-service forklift dealer, we can provide you with:
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Contact us today to book an appointment.
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