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Types of Used Forklifts: Styles and Sizes for your Warehouse Operation

February 10, 2015

Forklifts are one of the most significant pieces of material handling equipment in most industries. Lifts come in various types and sizes for material handling operations from warehouses, distribution centers, manufacturing plants, and lumber yards to a small business in a garage. The number of hours of daily use and how the vehicle is used in your daily operation is key to what you should consider purchasing.

Purchasing the right used forklift(s) will provide greater flexibility and efficiency. Forklifts are designed to meet specific application needs, weight capacity, lifting heights, loading/unloading trucks, man-up operation for stocking/picking, or just moving loads. Choosing the right forklift or combination of lifts will meet your operational tasks and budget.

A question to be answered is should you buy a new or used forklift? The best answer depends on finding the right forklift that will meet your needs. Used forklift prices typically average more than 50% less than new. If your vehicle usage is 8 hours/day -7 days a week, you should carefully select the best used forklift available or new if it meets your budget. At American Surplus we offer a 30-day guarantee. All vehicles can be viewed on our website or inspected at our warehouse.

Use our forklift guide to narrow your choices to a lift(s) that will meet all your needs. Contact one of our forklift technicians who will assist you in choosing the best used forklift(s) from our fleet.

Attachments/Options
There is an enormous number of attachments and options available for lift trucks. When purchasing used forklifts, the information on the placard must match all the forklift features. Most added attachments will change the capacity of the forklift. Any addition must include a new placard issued by the manufacturer.

A Side Shifter is the most common forklift attachment allowing the forklift carriage to move to the right or left to center the load being positioned for storage. Others include Fork Positioner, Slip sheet, paper roll clamp, drum handling, prongs, forklift extensions, and others. Speak with one of our forklift technicians about your requirements.

Our fleet of forklifts changes daily so ASI recommends that you consult with one of our forklift technicians to discuss your current and future needs.