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    What is the Average Lifespan of a Forklift?

    Average Lifespan of Diesel, Electric and Gas Forklifts & Reach Trucks“How long should I expect my forklift to last?” should be one of the first questions you ask your friendly neighborhood forklift dealer when planning to make your purchase. Forklifts are expensive, and you want to make sure your investment will stand the test of time.

    So what is the average lifespan of an Electric Forklift? Do diesel forklifts break down faster than their gas-powered reach truck counterparts? How do regular service and maintenance come into play if I want to maximize my ROI? Today in this edition of #DoosanDeepDives, we will take a closer look at the average lifespan of a forklift and show how Doosan stacks up compared to our competitors.

    How do I determine the age of my forklift?

    A forklift’s lifespan is measured in hours of use, not years. We measure forklift lifespans in hours because different business utilizes their machines at different rates.

    Let’s think of it this way if you were looking to purchase a used forklift from a forklift warehouse dealer, which would you rather buy:

    1. A 1-year-old forklift from a significant warehouse company that ran its forklift 8 hours per day, seven days per week. (Approximately 2,912 hours total) OR
    2. A forklift from a small farm that utilized their forklift 12 hours per month for five years. (720 hours total)

    This is why we look at our machinery in terms of hours instead of actual physical age. The stress on a fork lift’s lift mast & the process of lifting and lowering equipment is what causes most forklifts to break down over time, not so much any rubber hoses cracking from age.

    Let’s Set Some Benchmarks: What is average forklift use?

    Before we can determine the lifespan of electric forklifts and reach truck longevities, we must determine what is considered “an average amount of use” for these trucks.

    Most forklifts run approximately 1,000 hours per year or more. Higher quality forklifts such as Doosan’s reach trucks can comfortably run 2,000 hours per year. Keep in mind that this estimation also includes regular maintenance on your equipment as well.

    So how long should I expect my forklift to last?

    According to Refurbished Forklifts’ article: most forklift lifespans can last between 10,000 to 12,000 hours of use. However, Doosan’s forklifts can easily surpass 15,000+ hours even when put under extreme stress. At an average of 1,500 hours per year, that is a comfortable average of 10 years! When you pair that with the fact that our reach forklifts are some of the best prices on the market, you couldn’t expect a better ROI from any forklifts dealer out there!

    The real question when it comes to your reach forklifts’ lifespan is this: at what point will the cost of repairs surpass the cost of maintaining my equipment? Because when you reach the economic lifespan of your forklift, that is the time to let the poor boy retire.

    Did you know Forklift Rodeos are a Thing?

    Forklift rodeo trophy displayed in the image.

    Move over Cowboy, Forklift Rodeos are Here!

    While traditional rodeos have been around since the 1800s, Forklift rodeos are a new phenomenon that has hit the material handling world by storm.

    Let’s face it, safety training isn’t always super entertaining. But what if there was a way to make forklift safety and operation competitive & fun? Enter the Forklift Rodeo!

    The best part is that these lift truck rodeos can be done in any setting where you utilize your reach trucks! Regardless of if you are training your technicians to run their fork lift in a shipyard, warehouse, or even construction sites, holding a rodeo might be a fun way to promote safety & training exercises for your team!

    What are forklift rodeos?

    A forklift rodeo can be anything from an obstacle course that is completed in a single run, to a series of individual tasks that your team can complete individually. It is also important to remember that there are no rules when it comes to these rodeos.

    Reach trucks and fork trucks are perfect competitors for a forklift rodeo. You can also hold your rodeo in any type of environment. But we suggest using material handling equipment and environments similar to where your lift truck technicians normally operate.

    What do I need to hold a forklift rodeo? How do I host a forklift rodeo?

    Not much really! Well, not any more than you already have in your warehouse.

    Obviously, you need a forklift. The rest is up to you depending on what safety key points you want to focus on or skills you want your employees to show off. We do suggest having at least some pallets or boxes that are similar in size to what your technicians normally interact with during their day-to-day jobs. SafetyVideos.com’s list of forklift safety practices is a good jumping-off place to start coming up with ideas!

    What are some ideas for my forklift rodeo obstacle courses?

    First you should think about what areas your employees need additional training in. Are your technicians bumping into shelves? Try running a rodeo that has lots of tight twists and turns! Some other ideas include:

    • Balancing beams across forks of the lift truck and have employees turn corners
    • Placing pallets & boxes inside marked areas
    • Stacking items securely and perfectly in piles
    • Moving a forklift without spilling a bucket of water or dropping balls rolling around on a pallet.

    For even more ideas, check out this amazing rodeo video from SafetyVideos.com!

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