Tire Types
Usually, cushion tires are solid tires that have no tread pattern. They are mainly designed to be used on solid and smooth surfaces, usually indoors. There are tread patterns available however, that are more suitable for different surface environments. The cushion tires are popular on smooth warehouse floors and in similar applications.
Pneumatic tires however would need air and are made specially for uneven ground and loose surfaces. The pneumatic tire provides a higher ground clearance over solid tires. This raises the center of gravity of the forklift and really reduces its rated lift capacity. More often than not, pneumatic tires are used in rough terrain environments because of their ability to negotiate uneven surfaces in a smoother fashion. Many mining or agricultural operations and construction sites depend on these tires in order to make sure the equipment can travel as safe and carefully as possible.
Lift height and Lift Capacity
It is important to know the maximum weight and dimensions of the loads you will be handling in order to determine the capacity of the vehicle needed. In addition, you should know the maximum fork height needed so as to stack or rack the loads. These factors, the lifting height and the load size, really affect the truck's lifting capacity. A bigger size load could move the center of gravity of the vehicle and change the load combination. This decreases the lifting capacity of the equipment and affects the load being lifted and the height. Utilizing different attachments could also affect the overall capacity of the truck.
Mast Options
On the market nowadays are various choices of forklift masts. These consist of: quad, triple, double and single masts. The number indicated the amount of sections on the mast. In various circumstances, you will not be required to make any choices because the lift height will dictate the kind of mast you will get, however, in trucks with really high lift heights, you may have an alternative.