Things to Consider Before Hiring a Forklift
There are thousands of businesses in Australia that rely on the services of trucks and heavy machinery to assist with the day to day running of their operations. Fork lift rentals in particular have skyrocketed over the past few years, as more and more companies are realising the potential of such a versatile vehicle.
Although they might be similar in appearance, different brands and manufacturers offer a range of features and functions within their vehicles and this can complicate the selection process. If you’re hoping to make a purchase, here are a few important factors to consider before deciding on a model for your requirements.
Consider the cost
In most cases, the cost of a vehicle is more than enough to dictate whether or not it is suitable for a business. Unlike cars and vans forklifts are a speciality vehicle; so the better the model, the greater the level of performance is likely to be. With this in mind, it’s a good idea to set aside a decent amount for a truck – otherwise you could end up purchasing one that doesn’t perform as well as intended.
The extra investment can go a long way, especially if you’re planning on keeping hold of the vehicle for the years ahead.
Think about the functionality
When hiring a forklift, it’s not just the base unit that you will want to consider; it’s also the attachments and accessories. A lifting vehicle will only be as good as its tools and depending on your requirements, you may opt to purchase an additional type of fork to aid with particular responsibilities.
From a hinged bucket attachment to help with transporting volumes of sand or similar materials, all the way to carton clamps that are ideal for lifting and carrying boxes and crates – different heads offer different functions and thinking about them ahead of time can be very beneficial.
The warranty
Work vehicles are expected to perform at their maximum capacity and although they are very capable, it’s not unheard of for things to go wrong from time to time. Forklifts rely on hydraulics to aid in their lifting processes and if this system fails, the entire vehicle could end up failing to operate as intended.
When hiring the truck, it’s a good idea to ensure that suitable warranty coverage is offered by the dealer – simply to cater to unprecedented events that may arise. Different providers will extend varying warrantees, with some offering a year’s worth of cover and others up to five. Simply decide on the option that suits your needs the most.
If you’re keen to save a little extra cash, there’s always the option to hire a second hand forklift instead. They might not be in brand new condition, but they can cost thousands of dollars less – money that can be put back into a growing business.