It's common sense; be prepared and you'll be in a better position to endure winter's rage, incur less downtime and burn less fuel. Generally winter will have you burning more fuel due to cold starts and increased idling to warm up the engine.
Recently I spoke with Stärke Material Handling Group's Technical Advisor, Arnold Poulsen on how to prepare a forklift for the wrath of winter, and keep it working efficiently. Arnold advises the following:
- Use of block heaters for ease of starting and minimal warm-up time conserves fuel
- Store forklifts indoors for warm starting conditions…conserving fuel
- Ensure engines are properly maintained and tuned-up; ready for winter and quick start-ups
- Use proper oil for your environment. Recommend 15W-40 in moderately cold temperatures to -15 degrees C. For extreme cold over -15 degrees C he recommends a 5W-20 grade. Consult with your forklift technician for an oil that suits your application.
- If your forklift has a cabin; make sure that your wiper(s) are in good condition, your heater is functioning properly and that the seals on the cabin are keeping cold air out.
With regards to winter tips, keeping your forklift running and safe; a blog post by Jason Fancy of Forklift Central really states things best. You can see this article here.
For more information contact your local Stärke Material Handling Dealer located near you - Starke Forklifts
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