Whether you have a single forklift in your care or you’re operating with an entire fleet of them, you’ll need a forklift repair service at some point. Reliability, convenience, and speed are vital when repairing forklifts. With the right team on your side, you can access all three of those qualities without sacrificing your company’s day-to-day operations.
In this blog post, we’re reviewing why forklift maintenance is so significant and how having a reliable repair service ready to go will make a major difference to your business.
The Significance of Forklift Maintenance
Forklifts play a major role in many different industries. They’re the lynchpins of material handling solutions, the workhorses, the machines delivering both power and precision on the warehouse floor. To ensure these vital assets are operating at peak performance, you have to make sure you’re having them regularly maintained. And that goes beyond having your forklift serviced regularly.
Much like putting off a doctor’s appointment, delaying a necessary forklift repair will only make the problem worse. Wait too long, and you’ll lose one or more of these vital machines to what otherwise looked like a small repair.
Luckily, accessing forklift repair services is easy when you have the right company on your side. Promptly jumping into a forklift repair can keep your forklifts (and, therefore, your warehouse) running in peak condition. No more stretched deadlines, no more unexpected stops, just smooth operations every day of the year.
How Forklift Repair Services Ensure Reliable Performance
When you take your car in to be serviced, fix a cracked windshield, or patch a tire, you’re taking it in for a vital repair. Without that repair, your vehicle won’t continue running the way you need it to, severely hampering your ability to get around.
The same is true for your forklift fleet. From routine inspections to complex issues, access to reputable forklift repair services ensures your fleet is ready to go, no matter the season. Let’s review some of the most common services we help our customers with.
Scheduled Maintenance
Regular maintenance is the cornerstone of a reliable forklift fleet. Getting your forklift serviced regularly is like going to the doctor for annual physical check-ups. You can get ahead of small problems before they grow into major issues, meaning they’ll cost much less, your crew will have less downtime, and you can reduce stress.
The name of the game is proactivity, ensuring your forklifts stay operational when needed to keep your workflow as seamless as possible. In New Zealand, we recommend having your forklifts serviced every 250-300 pedal hours (hours the forklift is actually switched on). This can vary depending on the brand and type of forklift, so make sure to check in with your supplier.
Scheduled maintenance can also include planned refurbishments to improve the staying power of your forklifts, thus keeping them up to date with the latest technology.
If you’re operating with a fleet of forklifts, you can also access fleet maintenance management plans to keep all the lifts in your rotation in peak condition. Work with NFL, your forklift maintenance company, to create a schedule and budget that suits your needs.
Off-the-Cuff Repairs
When things break unexpectedly, that can put a real damper on productivity. Whether it’s a punctured tire or a hydraulic issue, your forklift is responsible for moving hundreds of kilograms’ worth of valuable products. Not only does it need to be repaired quickly, but that repair needs to stand up to hours and hours of heavy work. Therefore, it’s important to have it seen by a professional servicing company as soon as possible.
Some of the repair services you might need over the course of operating a forklift fleet include, but are not limited to:
·    Emergency breakdowns – get a qualified team out to your warehouse to get a forklift up and running after an unexpected malfunction.
·    Hydraulic system maintenance – ensure your forklift can keep up with heavy loads by keeping the hydraulics in check.
·    Battery and electrical system checks – batteries are at the heart of a forklift; when they fail, you need a team to check for damage and repair or replace the battery.
·    Tire inspection and replacement – tires designed for heavy loads can puncture or deflate, meaning they need a qualified hand to patch or replace them.
·    Transmission – whether you’re running an electric or petrol drivetrain, quickly repairing a damaged transmission will prevent further widespread damage to the forklift.
No matter what, it’s important to make sure that you’re getting professional help when repairing a forklift. While it can be tempting to minimise costs by finding temporary solutions or repairs, the longer a necessary repair is left, the more likely it will be to escalate.
Finding an in-house solution is, in most cases, a temporary fix. By seeking professional assistance with your forklift repair, you can ensure your forklift receives the comprehensive care it needs. This reduces the likelihood of unexpected breakdowns and the associated downtime.
A functioning forklift fleet is at the top of the priority list to keep your warehouse, agricultural facility, or construction site running in tip-top shape. They’re simply indispensable. Luckily, it’s easy to source expert forklift repairs when you have the right team to help.
Keep your forklifts in tip-top shape with the team from NFL Forklifts.
Ready for top-notch performance? Contact us for expert forklift repair services and enjoy uninterrupted operations.