WHATS A GOOD FORKLIFT?

[bob vawter]

OK...i need to move my Big Block in and out of my Dually...
PLUS move my Genies here an' there occasionally.....MAX weight....Prolly 3000lbs for the motor!
Does any one know a good pallet lifter or a forklift....i'm looking at a Big Joe battery lift..
any good?
Graingers gottem for about $380....hand pump!

 

[sweendogg]

Bawb... we only buy Caterpillar Forklifts. We've had our current one for about 25 years and are only now considering getting a new battery for it, absolute zero maintenance issues and with all of the carpet, equipment and pallets we have moved in those 25 years..

 

[bob vawter]

'spensive?

 

[sweendogg]

Depends on how NEW you want them!

New.. yes very..

New to you... depends on the deal you find.

But you may find a good propane powered one as well. They have a Heister at the farm that seems to work pretty well for them.

 

[Jim Martin]

Raymond fork lifts are the best...worked on a hand full of different ones in the plant I worked in when I lived in MN...you can beat there dependability..........

 

[bob vawter]

im goin' ta look at a Big Joe electric......says it will lift 5000lbs 72" up.......used

 

[Desk Jockey]

We've bought two of them first boat anchor was $1500.00, worked great but once the batteries went out we scrapped it, lasted a couple of years.

Second one paid $3,500.00 lasted 5-years, had side shift for the forks, not a bad unit. Once the batteries died we had it hauled off and have not had one for at least 10-years. Might have last longer but some dumbass boiled the acid out it at least once. :x Batteries were around $3000.00

They sure are nice for installs, lean forward, slides to the side.

It's the only way Bawb.

 

[bob vawter]

holy mackrel Andy...the guy only wants $150 for it...he SAYS it will pick up a car...
gonna go look tomorrow........

shirts MIGHT go on hold................for a week or so!

 

[TimP]

We've had a clark fork lift. It was pretty good but it was too small for the carpet biz I think it was 2,000 lbs max. They now have a cat fork lift and it's really nice. I think it's 5,000 lbs. Lifts a pallet of thinset no problem. And any pallet of tile we get in. I think they have had it about 5 years now or so and works as good as day one.

As far as the battery thing above you can often times find used batteries or lower capacity amp hour batteries since you wont be running it all day like a big company would. You need to call your local cat fork lift guy or whatever company that sells them and see what used ones they have available. They aren't that complicated so they last a long time. Hydraulics, electric motors, switches a battery, and heavy frame to stay on the ground when lifting. All reliable components.

 

[Dolly Llama]

I drove forks and other equipment at Chrysler .
That's what I did for 8 of the 13 years I was there.
Yale and Caterpillar were clearly the BEST...period

Bob, one of my custys services and sells used lifts....from small to gigundo
You want me to get in touch with him?


..L.T.A.

 

[bob vawter]

sure..thanks!

 

[joeynbgky]

I like the toyota propane ones. Very nice! I rented a brand new one a few weeks ago..


TOYOTA TOYOTA

This one looks expensive, but we can dream

And this is like the one I rented!, No A/c like the one above but nice

 

[bob vawter]

that's sweet!

 

[Jack May]

We run one of these in our shop. not the same model, but same machine, just 8 years old. From my research, CROWN seemed to have one of the best reputations and one of the lowest complaints by users. Toyota gas trucks were also good but not for me.

For low hour use, only get a battery powered truck. Gas/fuel powered trucks will die quick with infrequent and short run times. They'll cost a bit more to buy, but battery are about 1/4 cost to maintain too.

They go for $60 over here, but I picked up a Crown reconditioned unit, 8 years old and approx 5000hrs

John

 

[bob vawter]

SIXTY BUCKS?

 

[Studebaker]

We have a used Toyota. It has run perfect for the last 10 years. I would stay away from used battery lifts very costly to replace.

 

[Jack May]

SIXTY BUCKS?

Opps, typo, try $60k :shock:

John

 

[The Great Oz]

We replaced a 35 year old 2,500 pound Hyster with a three year old 5,000 pounder a few years ago. Paid around $11,000 for it, but today's economy should find you better used deals. Both propane powered with Chevy four cylinders. Used on average one or two times a day. Very little maintenance required, as opposed to our Genie electric manlift that eats batteries and fusable links. The side shifter on the newer one is a nice feature that I'd look for in the future.

The old one still ran, just too small for some of the larger stuff we were doing. Sold for $500.

 

[bob vawter]

i only need to set my Big Block Chevy set-up into my Dually so's i can take it to car shows....
e]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q55FqNICZpce]

 

[Ryan]

Sounds like you just need a good hydraulic pallet jack bawb. KISS!

 

[bob vawter]

Sounds like you just need a good hydraulic pallet jack bawb. KISS!

you mean the one that you pump the handle......?
i can get one at Graingers for $380.00
i THINK i'm gonna pass on the Big Joe electric...
you guys jus MAY have saved me...from being a dumbass...thanks!

Ahh KISS...WTF does THAT mean?
i don swing that way...no matter WHAT Chavez tells ya!

 

[sweendogg]

We've had a clark fork lift. It was pretty good but it was too small for the carpet biz I think it was 2,000 lbs max. They now have a cat fork lift and it's really nice. I think it's 5,000 lbs. Lifts a pallet of thinset no problem. And any pallet of tile we get in. I think they have had it about 5 years now or so and works as good as day one.

As far as the battery thing above you can often times find used batteries or lower capacity amp hour batteries since you wont be running it all day like a big company would. You need to call your local cat fork lift guy or whatever company that sells them and see what used ones they have available. They aren't that complicated so they last a long time. Hydraulics, electric motors, switches a battery, and heavy frame to stay on the ground when lifting. All reliable components.

The company that sold us the forklift.. same company we have dealt with for 40 years... is right down the street from us.

 

[TimP]

KISS = Keep It Simple Stupid

 

[bob vawter]

Sounds like you just need a good hydraulic pallet jack bawb. KISS!

i jus went to Harbor Fright to look at the Pallet jacks....they lift SIX INCHES.......
my truck bed is about 36" off the ground......
back to plan "B" the Big Joe Hilo.....hope the battery is good!
v]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKNR2gq7SdQv]

 

[Ryan]

They make 'em that lift almost 3 foot bawb. I do the vct on a several grocery stores and I use their pallet jacks to unload my auto scrubbers somtimes.

 

[Jamesh921]

I bought a used propane powered Clark that was made in 1954. I paid $1,150.00 for it delivered. It served me for 8 years with very little maintenance at all. I owned a flooring store during that time and used it sporatically. It was a "heap" being that old, but it sure served me well. I sold it for $1,500.00 about 4 years ago to a buddy and it's still going strong. Load limit was 5000lbs.
My buddy bought it from me because the batteries in his lift went bad and it was going to cost him over 3K to replace them.

The next one I buy will definately be a propane unit. Just one important piece of advice, if you buy a propane powered unit, DEFINATELY buy an extra fuel tank and keep it filled. It sucks to be in the middle of a move and run out of gas (not that that ever happened to me but - - - well, OK it did).

Anyway, I like Clark propane lifts. And in the famous words of Forest Gump, "That's all I have to say about that".