Operation Section
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¥ Repetitive Overloading
Repetitive cycling of loads which exceeds the
fatigue strength of the material can lead to fatigue
failure. The overload could be caused by loads in
excess of the rated fork capacity and by use of the
fork tips as pry bars. Also, by handling loads in an
manner which cause the fork tips to spread and the
forks to twist laterally about their mountings.
¥ Wear
Forks are constantly subjected to abrasion as they
slide on floors and loads. The thickness of the fork
blade is gradually reduced to the point where it may
not be capable of handling the load for which it was
designed.
¥ Stress Risers
Scratches, nicks and corrosion are points of high
stress concentration where cracks can develop.
These cracks can progress under repetitive loading
in a typical mode of fatigue failue.
4. Overloading. Extreme overloading can cause
permanent bending or immediate failure of the
forks. Using forks of less capacity than the load or
lift truck when lifting loads and using forks in a man-
ner for which they were not designed are some
common causes of overloading.
Fork Inspection
Establish a daily and 12 month inspection routine
by keeping a record for the forks on each lift truck.
Initial information should include the machine serial
number on which the forks are used, the fork man-
ufacturer, type, original section size, original length
and capacity. Also list any special characteristic-
sspecified in the fork design.Record the date and
results of each inspection, making sure the follow-
ing information is included :
¥ Actual wear conditions, such as percent of original
blade thickness remaining.
¥ Any damage, failure or deformation which might
impair the use of the truck.
¥ Note any repairs or maintenance.
An ongoing record of this information will help in
idenitifying proper inspection intervals for each
operation, in identifying and solving problem areas
and in anticipating time replacement of the forks.
First Installation
1. Inspect forks to ensure they are the correct size
for the truck on which they will be used. Make sure
they are correct length and type for the loads to be
handled.
If the forks have been previously used, perform the
Ò12 Month Inspection.Ó
If the forks are rusted, see ÒMaintenance and
RepairÓ
2. Make sure fork blades are level to each other
within acceptable tolerances. See ÒForks, Step 4,Ó
in the Ò2000 Service Hours or 1 YearÓ in
ÒMaintenance Intervals.Ó
3. Make sure positioning lock is in place and work-
ing. Lock forks in position before using truck. See
ÒForks, Step 7,Ó in the Ò2000 Service Hours or 1
YearÓ in ÒMaintenance IntervalsÓ.
IA3M3028
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