Key Factors to Evaluate Before Renting a Forklift Truck

With the expansion of your business, you will eventually consider acquiring tools and equipment that will make your operations more efficient. When it comes to moving and transporting heavy loads, getting a forklift truck is essential for this purpose. Purchasing the latest forklift that suits the demands of your business is a great choice, but it may not be the most economical decision.

Rental forklift may be the best option for you if you want to keep your operational costs at a minimum, especially if your need for the truck is seasonal. Renting is a better alternative due to the following factors:

• Affordability – Rental forklift is highly affordable; you can rent a high-capacity forklift at a very reasonable cost. If cutting back on your operational costs is a top priority, renting should be your top choice as it won’t eat up much of your revenue.

• Flexibility – Companies that are growing by leaps and bounds can benefit from a flexible rental arrangement since it allows them to choose the right truck instantly according to their operational requirements at a given period, which means they change the equipment they’re using as needed.

• Short-term requirements – If you only use the equipment to smooth out business operations during busy months or for a limited period, buying a forklift might be too costly. Renting a forklift is more effective.
• First-time users – If it’s your first time to use a forklift, renting one for testing purposes is a great move. If your business requires that you purchase your own equipment, leasing allows you to know the specifications and capabilities of the truck before you buy one.

Whether you have serious stocking jobs to accomplish or you need to rearrange your warehouse based on a new layout, there are different forklift types for various purposes.

1. Narrow-aisle forklifts – Useful for warehouse work and inside operations, narrow-aisle trucks are ideal if you’re operating in spaces under ten feet. They also help mitigate accidents, risks of injuries, and property damage even when working in tight spaces.

2. Electric rider forklifts – These forklifts are available in stand-up and sit-down rider configurations. The former is ideal for applications where the operator must get on and off the truck several times in an hour while the latter provides comfort to the operator.

3. Piggyback lifts – They are designed to lock on the back of delivery trucks for easy transportation to work sites as well as the smooth offloading of products. You can configure piggyback lift trucks to meet your application requirements.

4. Motorized hand forklifts –  These types of trucks can be operated both in stand-up or walking positions. You can set them up with work-saver forks (roughly about 9” wide), and they lift pallets some few inches from the ground.

5. Vertical masted rough terrain forklifts – If you’re looking for a forklift that can be driven on uneven, muddy, or rough surfaces, this is the truck you need. They have large, high flotation tractor drive wheels intended for rough surfaces.

6. Sit-down rider forklifts (with internal combustion engines or ICE)

These forklifts come in two tire types: ICE pneumatic tires which are designed for outdoor use or indoors that have rough surfaces, and ICE cushion tires which are ideal for indoor spaces with concrete surfaces. ICE forklifts can be powered by gasoline, diesel, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

Do you know exactly which type of lift you need for your business? If this is your first time to rent a piece of equipment, you need to consider several factors first before contacting a machinery and equipment provider.

What to consider when renting a forklift for the first time

Make sure to take into account the following factors to make your rental experience convenient and cost-effective:

• The maximum weight you need to lift – weight is the primary consideration you need to think about when looking to rent a lift. You need a truck that can lift and move your cargo. Identify the maximum load weight you need to lift, and rent a forklift that could support such capacity.
• The maximum height you need to raise your load to – Determine how high you need to lift your cargo by identifying the height of your tallest rack. For example, if you think you need to store goods on an eight-metre high rack in a specific corner of your storage house, then you should rent a forklift that can lift your cargo a little above eight metres. Add at least 150 millimetres to your top beam to include the dimension of your pallet.
• The maximum height with respect to the maximum weight – If a forklift can lift a maximum weight of 2.5 tons and has a lift height of up to five metres, it might not be able to lift 2.5 tons up five metres. This because a forklift’s lifting capacity is affected by the dimensions of the load (especially load length), the lifting height, and the attachments used. De-ration or reducing the forklift’s nominal capacity can help get the figures right. Your truck provider can also help you configure the confederate measurements based on your needs.

• Cargo type – You need to consider factors like the packaging of your cargo, the type of pallets used, and whether or not the load has a unique shape. With this information in hand, your forklift supplier can provide you with special attachments or the right fork length to support your cargo.

• How long you will need the forklift – It’s also crucial that you get clear with how long you would use the forklift and if possible, identify the specific dates. Renting the truck for more extended periods may help to maximize the value of your rental and lower the monthly charges. If you’re a new customer, it’s possible that it would take at least a week to get your rental contract approved, so book the equipment days ahead of your preferred schedule of use.
• Where you will use the truck – The environment where you intend to operate the forklift can help you to determine the type of truck you should rent. In considering your environment, you should ask these questions: Will you operate the forklift indoors, outdoors, or both? Are there height restrictions when entering or exiting your facility? What is the minimum aisle width that the forklift will need? What type of surface will you operate the truck on?

• Learn more about your forklift rental provider – Before asking for rental quotes, make sure that the company you are hiring your truck from can be trusted and has a good reputation. In digging around facts about a forklift rental company, some things you might consider are the company’s service level agreements, the age and condition of their forklifts available for rent, as well as the questions they ask to rental enquiries.

Follow this guide to make the most of your forklift rental experience and to get the right forklift for your job. If you are looking for good-conditioned forklifts from a reliable company, contact Ready Machinery Movers. We provide heavy-duty forklifts for moving your cargo. Call us today at 1-800-211-2500 to get a quote or discuss your truck options. You can also visit us at our office located at 8080 Lawson Rd, Milton, ON, L9T 5C4.

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Request a quote by calling our estimators at 1-800-211-2500 or by completing our online quote request form.