How to Prevent Dust from Damaging Your Forklift: A Guide by Heyn Forktrucks

Forklift truck engines naturally accumulate dust and dirt from their surroundings and the floor, leading to poor fuel economy, reduced reliability, and high engine wear. But there are effective measures you can take to combat these issues.

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The Impact of Dust on Forklift Engines

You might not expect something as tiny as dust to significantly impact a forklift, but it can cause serious problems:

Engine Wear A clogged engine wears out faster as millions of tiny particles grind away at the bearings, pistons, cylinders, and valves. This results in more breakdowns, increased downtime, and higher costs for replacement parts. In fact, some estimates suggest that a clean engine can last twice as long as a dirty one.

Oil Contamination Dust mixed with oil prevents the oil from effectively lubricating the engine. Contaminated oil can even accelerate engine damage, further compounding the problem.

Fuel Burning Problems Dust reduces the air intake, affecting the engine’s air-to-fuel ratio. This makes the engine less fuel-efficient and can lead to harmful emissions.

The Cyclone Effect Keeping a forklift engine clean is more challenging than it seems. Engines intake air for combustion and, in the process, can act like vacuum cleaners, sucking up dust and dirt from the floor.

What Can You Do?

To effectively tackle the dust problem, you need a combination of strategies working together:

1. Look for High Air Intakes Choose a forklift with air intakes positioned high above the ground, away from floor dust. This positioning, however, brings them closer to the driver’s ear level, so noise reduction measures are essential.

2. Insist on a Cyclone Air Filter Modern forklifts, like those from Heyn Forktrucks, utilise cyclone technology to clean the air before it’s used by the engine. Unlike conventional filters, cyclone filters don’t clog, ensuring consistent airflow and engine efficiency. They are also longer-lasting, reducing the need for frequent servicing.

3. Ask for Belly Protection A belly plate fitted under the truck is the most effective way to prevent the engine from sucking up dirt from the ground. For optimal results, ensure the rear wheel arches are enclosed as well. Besides protecting against dust and dirt, a belly plate shields the engine from larger debris like pallet fragments and stray shrink wrap, which can cause significant damage.

Forklifts like the Heli Rough Terrain 2T Forklift, available at Heyn Forktrucks, are designed to handle rugged, dusty, or dirty environments with these features standard.

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Action Points

To safeguard your forklift engine from dust and dirt:

• Ensure air intakes are mounted at a high level.
• Use a cyclone filter to clean the air before it’s used by the engine.
• Fit a belly plate with enclosed wheel arches to prevent dust from being sucked up from the floor.

By taking these steps, you can dramatically reduce engine wear and maintain fuel efficiency, ensuring your forklift remains reliable and hardworking. For more information on dust protection solutions for forklifts, visit Heyn Forktrucks.

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