What influence does the temperature have on the functioning of my lift truck?

Cold, warm, cold ... Did you ever consider that the temperature has an influence on the functioning of a lift truck? No? Don't panic: below you can find a short overview of common situations during the winter and summer months.

Cold, colder, coldest

Situation 1: your lift truck doesn't start.

Cause: gas can freeze due to the cold temperatures. 

Our tip: store your lift truck indoors. Moisture, in combination with cold temperatures, can cause condensation inside the ignition mechanism, causing your lift truck not to start.

Situation 2: there are problems with the fuel filter. 

Cause: the water can cause the fuel filter to stick together.

Our tip: after you have driven a full day with a diesel truck, it is best to fill the tank completely before you park the lift truck.  Exposing a warm, nearly empty tank to the cold is not a good idea.  While the tank cools down, condensation can occur on the inside. By filing the tank completely, there is no space left for condensation to form on the walls of the tank

Situation 3: the radiator or engine block is frozen. 

Cause: a lack of antifreeze can have major consequences.

Our tip: it is best to schedule an antifreeze inspection before the winter starts. Some common discomforts: seals fail, the water pump and thermostat become stuck, the remaining antifreeze in the engine block freezes, the radiator bursts open ... If you then also try to start the engine in such a situation, things can really get out of hand. Unfortunately this also entails a lot of repair costs.
If you have an electric lift truck, you are lucky in the wintertime: cold has no influence on the functioning of your lift truck. There is however a chance that the capacity of the battery is reduced.

Warm, warmer, warmest

Situation 1: your lift truck leaks oil.

Cause: the warm weather causes a reduction in the efficiency of the seals.

Our tip: store your lift truck in a cool environment.  Both on electric lift trucks and lift trucks with an internal combustion engine, heat causes an extra stress on the hydraulic system. As a result, seals no longer fit properly, as a result of which oil can start leaking.

Situation 2: you have a problem with the battery of your lift truck.

Cause: due to the high temperatures, your battery doesn't recharge fully.

Our tip: make sure that your lift truck can cool down sufficiently. Don't leave your lift truck parked outside in the sun, and use it moderately. High temperatures cause the interior of your battery to heat up, as a result of which the battery can no longer fully recharge.  There's also the risk of another scenario: the overheated battery explodes.

Throughout the seasons: dust is also your enemy

Are you experiencing problems with the printed circuit boards of your electric lift truck? 

Our tip: check the fan and remove the dust. A badly maintained fan can easily burn.

Is your lift truck with combustion engine overheated? 

Our tip: check the fan and remove the dust. In case of a lack of maintenance, dust accumulates against the radiator, effectively preventing the cooling of the lift truck. Result: the lift truck overheats.

Schedule a frequent maintenance of your lift truck, and definitely at the start of a new season. Perform a thorough maintenance and think about the possible causes of an excessively cold/hot environment. Use our checklist while performing your summer maintenance. There's a good chance that you can prevent a number of season-related problems if your lift truck is well maintained. 

Femke, TVH-blogger