About to buy Forklift -- Advice needed

[pkirby]

Hey guys,
I'm about to buy my first forklift and would appreciate any advice you might have because I've never owned one before. I'm mainly looking into buying one for between $3,000 and $5,000 from a private seller (I've never been a fan of retail ). It needs to be capable of lifting pallets of plywood. Here are my main concerns:

1) Is there any brand / model to stay away from?
2) Is there any brand that's considered low cost to service when stuff breaks?
3) Is it feasible for me to fix things myself on it or is it highly specialized?

Thanks,
Paul

[fredtoo]

Get a green or orange tractor with a bucket and forklift attachment. Tote your plywood AND grade the back forty.....

[pkirby]

I was tempted to get a bobcat with forks on it but it wouldn't be able to manuever that well in my small shop

[Brady Watson]

Paul,
You're at the lower limit of what your money will buy in the $3-5k range. If you are buying from a private seller, don't dicker on price & see if he is willing to do service on it from time to time or as required. There are guys out there that scoop up used or broken lifts & fix/refirb them and flip them to make extra cash. These guys are usually better to deal with than a larger company that didn't go over the machine before you bought it or just ran it into the ground & put it up for sale. I found mine on CL.

Also consider how much it is going to cost you to get it to your shop. A regular auto roll-back tow truck is not suited for towing a 6,000 pound lift because it concentrates the weight in a small area...I got a rigging company to deliver it 50 miles for $165.

1) Is there any brand / model to stay away from?
2) Is there any brand that's considered low cost to service when stuff breaks?
3) Is it feasible for me to fix things myself on it or is it highly specialized?

1 - No.
2 - No.
3 - Yes - but this depends on how mechanically inclined you are. If you're comfortable changing out alternators, water pumps, radiators, engines and transmissions...then yes. If not...

I bought a used Toyota. It has a side shift on it - try to get one that has a side shifter as it makes it much easier to load stuff into racks. Mine runs on propane & I get 6-8hrs of run time out of it before I need to re-fill @$35 a pop. I would avoid the battery powered ones because the batteries are really expensive & heavy...The only way you are going to get the battery out is with another lift.

As with anything else...you have to use it year round. Start it up at least once every two weeks to charge up the battery (or trickle it) and to keep things from stagnating.

A decent tractor with a front loader and fork attachment is OK...but it can be dicey to maneuver in the shop. Plus, you'd be hard pressed to find a decent one for $3-5k.

-B

[pkirby]

Thanks Brady for the advice. I've done engine swaps, head gasket replacements, etc. so I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty to fix things. I'm basically looking for a forklift that is comparable to a 1970s Chevy 1/2 ton pickup. It won't be that pretty or fancy, but it will get the job done and if it breaks, it's cheap and easy to fix

[dlcw]

Another thing to be concerned with, will you floor support that much concentrated weight. The weight per square inch on a forklifts small tires is HUGE. I would not run one on my shop floor even though it is 5" concrete with embedded fiberglass and design for 5000 PSI weight. Plus I have radiant floor tubing in my floor.

Just some thoughts.

[pkirby]

That's a good point Don. I should be okay because I'm currently renting space in an industrial park and the neighbors beside me use forklifts.

[jerry_stanek]

You may be better off with a stand up unit.

[nat_wheatley]

You may want to check to see if parts are available for anything you're considering. I was in a pinch when I bought mine (a 1960(ish) Towmotor). It's built like a tank, but when the radiator failed, it was next to impossible to find a replacement.

I'm currently wrestling to remove the bolts that hold the water pump on, which I'm fairly certain haven't been touched in 50+/- years...

[pkirby]

What do you guys think of this forklift I found? It's a 1994 Toyota with a 5,000# capacity and trucker's mast (lift 8' high). It has 15,000 hours on it and is priced at $2,500

Toyota Lift.jpg