Common Factors That Lead to Forklift Overheating
It is not easy to run a material handling company. You must keep an eye on your products, sales, and employees. But you also need to make sure your forklift fleet runs at its maximum capacity. Overheating or malfunctioning forklifts will increase your operating costs and cause costly repairs. What should you do if your forklifts are still heating up despite following all forklift maintenance recommendations? These are the three possible areas that could be causing your forklift to heat up:
• ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AIDS IN REDUCTION of OVERHEATING
It is the most important area to inspect and fix. Are routine forklift maintenance tasks being done correctly? Forklifts can overheat due to low coolant levels and worn hoses. Your forklift could become choked by thick, dusty air if your tech on-site exceeds parts’ optimal use, like clogged filters. High temperatures can be caused by damaged radiators or worn fans. Forklift Training Brampton
• ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ON FORKLIFT
Give your forklifts frequent breaks and ensure they have enough fluid. Are you using paved or packed dirt in your work yard? Forklifts can be made more difficult by excessive dust, debris, or rough terrain. This can lead to unexpected maintenance issues. This can also be caused by the outside temperature if it is a regular summer problem. Forklift workers who work in hot temperatures should follow the same advice: Give them breaks frequently and ensure that their fluids are properly topped up. You should inspect your area if your forklifts are heating up indoors. Are the floors dirty or dusty? Is there paper, pallet wrap, or other debris lying on the floor that could clog filters? These issues can be identified and addressed to optimize your work areas to avoid damage.
• PROFICIENT OPERATIONS TO PREVENT OVERHEATING FORKLIFTS
You should check the way you drive the equipment to determine if it isn’t maintenance or environmental problems that are causing the overheating. Overloading your forklift with too many loads can lead to overheating, which can result in product damage or accidents. Do you drive forklifts at high speeds all the time? High heat can also result from this.
Many IC forklifts have an inching pedal that you can use to maneuver your forklift and raise the mast to retrieve loads. It can cause problems if you “ride” the pedal while driving. Only use the inching pedal to retrieve loads.
After you have identified the root cause and implemented a solution, it is time to ask why the problem arose. Do you have high expectations and are you working too hard with forklifts? Do you need to add floor maintenance to your existing maintenance plans? Do more than just fix the problem. You must find a way to prevent it from happening again.
Your employees should inspect your forklifts before every shift to ensure that they are in good condition. Are your employees keeping an eye on the forklift’s performance once work begins?
Overheating a forklift is a sign that there is a problem that must be addressed immediately. Your lift truck could sustain damage if it is not addressed immediately. Do forklift maintenance and inspection of forklift batteries regularly.
Possible causes of an Overheating Forklift Engine
If your forklift is overheating (in “Red Zone”), stop and tag it. You should immediately stop using your forklift if it is heating up or running hot. It should be marked as “out of daily production” until the problem can be addressed.
1. Low Fluids
Your engine could be overheating because it doesn’t have enough coolant. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, fluid levels should be checked daily. This includes water, hydraulic fluid, and oil. Check coolant levels on your shift inspection checklist. A flow control valve may be required if your forklift is equipped with attachments that have low flow requirements. Keeping the fluid level topped up is one part of the forklift maintenance.
2. Debris in the radiator
Forklifts are often used in dusty environments. Do you have dirt, dust, and pebbles on your worksite? This debris can get stuck in your forklift’s radiator or filter and cause it to overheat.
You can remove large pieces of debris from the area and then use compressed air to break down smaller ones. Move the forklift outside or to an area that isn’t likely to be hit by flying debris. Make sure you clear the area as much as possible and then spray it from several directions. Remember to spray the radiator’s edges and corners.
3. Improper use
Although forklifts can be powerful tools, they also have their limitations. Forklifts can overheat if workers drive fast through your facility or around your property, or if they are used to carrying large loads over multiple trips.
You might consider holding a training session for your workers or raising the issue with them. Find the speed and load that is most productive for your job but does not put trucks at risk of burning.
4. Your Fan or Fan Belt May Be Broken
Your forklift’s engine can heat up if it has a broken fan or fan belt. The fan for your forklift is located under your seat near the back of your truck. Sometimes items can fall through cracks under your truck’s hood and get caught in the fan belt or fan belt. This can cause damage.
Papers placed behind the operator’s chair can easily slip through cracks and catch in the fan. You might also find other materials on the warehouse floor that can get caught in your fan, causing it to break or corrode.
Even if your fan isn’t broken completely, it may still be causing your forklift to overheat. If your fan is worn out, it won’t be able to cool down your lift truck properly. It will need to either be replaced or repaired.
5. Your Coolant Levels Are Too Low
Low coolant levels can cause your forklift to overheat. Keep your fluid levels up especially in summer when temperatures rise and can cause forklifts to heat faster than normal.
6. Your water pump may be damaged
Your water pump’s job is to draw coolant through your radiator to cool your engine. You may experience excessive heat if your pump is damaged or has a leak.
Your Hoses are damaged or worn Leakage fluids could occur if the hoses in your engine are worn out or damaged. Your engine might not be cooling as it should.
You are using the Forklift above its capacity level every forklift has a maximum load rating. Your forklift may heat if it is being used to lift more than its maximum load capacity. It can cause serious damage to your forklift and be dangerous.
We can help you ensure that your forklifts run smoothly. Forklift Training Brampton offers the best training courses that cover all the necessary information about safe operations and forklift maintenance.
