What to check before buying a used forklift

Used can be smart — if the machine is checked properly

For low-duty, non-critical handling, a used forklift can beat a new one on price. The risk is that the machine's real condition differs from the listing. Here is what decides it.

The four checks

• Mast and chain wear: lift to full height slowly. Listen for grinding, watch for jerky travel, check chain for rust and stretch, and look at the mast rollers.
• Hydraulics: check for leaks at cylinder rods, hoses and fittings; test tilt and lift under load if possible.
• Battery age and health: check the date code on the battery; ask for remaining capacity. Battery replacement can cost more than the truck.
• Hour meter: low hours on an old machine is a question, not a selling point. Cross-check wear on the tyres, seat and pedals against the reading.

What a photo cannot tell you

Forklifts are repainted routinely. Paint hides cracks, weld repairs and corrosion. A clean-looking machine in a photo is not evidence of condition — only an inspection is.

Ask for the maintenance record

• Service intervals actually performed
• Battery replacement history
• Any major repair — mast, transmission, motor
• Whether the machine was used indoors or outdoors, and in what application

The reframe

A used forklift is a bet on remaining life. Price the machine, then price the realistic repair and replacement items, then compare that total against a new unit — not against the sticker price of another used unit.

What to confirm in writing

Manufacture year, hour reading, battery date code and measured capacity, and the condition assessment you received. If a seller will not put the condition in writing, treat the listing as unverified.