Discover why you should repair your forklift oil leaks as soon as you find them. Get the reliable forklift service you need now.
Here are 7 good reasons why you should take forklift oil leaks seriously and deal with them as soon as possible.
1. Oil that Has Leaked Out Can Catch on Fire
2. Oil Spills Can Create Safety Concerns
3. An Oil Leak Can Be an Indicator of a Bigger Problem
4. Forklift Oil Leaks Can Cause Overheating
5. Oil Leaks Can Lead to Exposure to Other Harmful Contaminants
6. Forklift Oil Leaks Will Cost You Money
7. Ignoring Oil Leaks Can Cause You Costly Downtime
Continue reading to learn more!
Forklift Oil Leaks
If you think forklift oil leaks are mere nuisances that can be dealt with at some time in the future, think again. Learn why you should repair oil leaks now.
1. Oil that Has Leaked Out Can Catch on Fire
Oil and hydraulic fluids are combustible liquids, which means they ignite easily and burn with extreme rapidity.
If you have forklift oil leaks, then the liquid can spill out onto paper, employees' clothing, or wrapping that is lying around on your warehouse flooring. These items can easily ignite and burst into flames with just the slightest spark or ignition.
If operators or pedestrians smoke close to a forklift that has an oil leak, then they are also in danger of igniting a fire.
Oil that spills out onto paper on your facility floor can easily catch on fire
2. Oil Spills Can Create Safety Concerns
Oil that leaks out onto your facility floor is dangerous for both pedestrians and equipment. Oil is very slippery and can be the cause of slips and falls for your workers, and the loss of control for a forklift operator driving a vehicle over it. This could result in serious injuries and possible high compensation claims.
Another safety concern comes from the oil that escapes through a leak in a hydraulic system. The hydraulic fluid in these types of systems can reach temperatures up to 3000F and can cause severe burns if it comes in contact with anyone.
3. An Oil Leak Can Be an Indicator of a Bigger Problem
Forklift oil leaks are often a sign that there is a bigger problem than a simple leak. A leak will often happen before you have a serious breakdown, that is why it is important to find out the cause of the leak and have it looked after before you are faced with a bigger and probably much more costly repair.
If there is a problem with your transmission, axle, differential or steering gears then you will probably see a thick black or tan oil leak. If you require any of theses types of repairs, you should contact an experienced technician.
It is a good idea to get your forklift oil leak seen to right away before it becomes a more serious problem
4. Forklift Oil Leaks Can Cause Overheating
Overheating can easily destroy the more expensive parts of your forklift such as your pumps. The purpose of your oil is to cool the various moving components of your forklift.
Most forklifts have 4 or 5 extra gallons in reserve. This extra oil is used to cool its moving parts. A continuous leak will deplete these reserves and soon your vehicle will not have enough oil to keep its parts properly cooled.
Just because your mast continues to move up and down its full length doesn't mean that your engine has enough oil. That is why it is a good idea to regularly check your oil levels to make sure that they are topped up.
5. Oil Leaks Can Lead to Exposure to Other Harmful Contaminants
Excess heat is not the only thing that can ruin your engine. Dirt and contaminants can also do a lot of harm.
If you notice oil leaking out of your vehicle, that also means that dirt and other contaminants are able to get into your engine at the spot where the oil is leaking out. This is not a good thing!
These contaminants can clog up your oil filters as well as your spool valves, which will make the clutch packs slip. Contaminated oil will eventually damage your engine as well as other parts of your forklift.
Contaminants can enter into your engine where your oil is leaking and cause serious damage
6. Forklift Oil Leaks Will Cost You Money
If your forklift is leaking oil, you may be tempted just to keep topping it up to keep your vehicle running.
This is only a temporary fix, and if you do this for for an extended period of time, you will be wasting a lot of money in replacing the leaking oil.
It usually costs much more to keep filling up your forklift with oil than to actually fix the cause of the leak.
7. Ignoring Oil Leaks Can Cause You Costly Downtime
If you decide not to repair forklift oil leaks, you will have to periodically stop your forklift, let it cool down, and then refill the oil.
This may not seem like a lot of time, but having to do this day after day can add up in a considerable amount of downtime. If ignoring the leak results in a much bigger repair, your downtime could be much longer.
Making the necessary repair to your forklift as soon as you detect a leak will save you from downtime right from the start.
If you are on too tight of a schedule and can't afford any downtime for repairs, you could consider renting a replacement forklift to use while yours is being repaired.
A reputable service company will rent you a replacement at a reduced rate while they are performing the necessary servicing.
Wayco: You Can Trust Us for All Your Forklift Repairs
You can trust Wayco for all of your forklift repairs, including forklift oil leaks. At Wayco, we will help you with any urgent repairs that you need, and we will make sure that your forklifts are always well maintained.
We can even track and pre-schedule all maintenance work for you so that your equipment is properly serviced in a timely manner. This will help you avoid expensive downtime and you won't have to remember to schedule or book your service work. We'll do it for you.
Wayco also has an incredibly fast response time so you won't have to wait to get your lift trucks back in operation. We can usually have our service tech at your location within 2 to 3 hours and we also guarantee same day.
Wayco Offers Top Quality Service on All Forklift Makes and Models
If you are looking for top quality forklift maintenance and service, contact Wayco. Our fully equipped service and parts department is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Our qualified technicians are capable of properly performing maintenance services and inspections of all types.
Our knowledgeable staff can keep your equipment in top working condition, which means lower repair costs and higher machine efficiency. Contact Wayco today for all of your forklift maintenance and repair needs.
"Our company shopped around for the most competitively priced lift equipment repairs and rental services in the KW region and found Waco Multi Lift Inc. Their repair rates were lower than the other companies out there and the service is prompt and professional for our in house lift trucks…[Read More]”
- CanadianBakeInn
