From maneuvering palletized merchandise or products beneath pallet racking to loading and unloading at the shipping docks, if there is one handy tool in the workplace or warehouse setting, it is the pallet jack. This piece of material handling equipment cuts the stress from the major handling tasks on a day-to-day basis, but this also means that these jacks are a little more deserving of your time and attention.
If a pallet jack fails, the cause is often related to the tires and wheels. While the tires on pallet jacks are designed to be tough and sturdy for hefty support, without proper maintenance, they can go bad a lot sooner than their actual service life. Check out these common reasons why pallet jack tires fail faster than they should.
You do not keep the tires clean.
Think about all the things that can end up on the floor in an industrial or warehousing location. The tires of your pallet jacks probably come in contact with everything from small bits of metal and plastic to dust and dirt. What many business owners fail to realize is that this stuff on the floor will get jammed up around the tires of a pallet jack and cause it to roll awkwardly. Plus, small bits of dense material can actually create nicks and dents in the solid tires. Therefore, the pallet jack wheels must be cleaned on a regular basis to help them last as long as possible.
You do not properly maintain the pallet jacks.
A pallet jack consists of several functioning parts that allow it to hold a load and aptly carry it. If one component goes bad, it can throw off the weight distribution of a load of palletized merchandise, which is always hard on the wheels of the equipment. Make sure you immediately tend to any issues with the jacks you use, and you will see the wheels last as long as they should.
You skip the necessary lubrication in the parts that matter most.
There are several moving parts on a pallet jack, but none move more than the wheels, both at the base of the handle and at the ends of the forks. These wheels need regular lubrication with a high-quality lithium grease so they can continue to move freely. Without proper lubrication, the tires will stop rolling smoothly and will break down or become damaged much faster than they should.
