How many pedals do a forklift have?
In other types of hydrostatic forklifts, there are two accelerator pedals that act like directional controls. The first pedal when pushed moves the forklift forwards, and the other one moves the truck in reverse. The operator shifts his foot from pedal to pedal to drive the forklift in the desired direction.
Additionally, what is the inching pedal used for?
The purpose of the inching pedal is to disengage the transmission without having to shift the gear lever into neutral every time a lift is performed. This pedal allows you to bring the forklift to a stop or to slow it down.
what are the 3 pedals on a forklift for?
To begin with, every forklift comes equipped with an accelerator and a brake pedal. That third pedal is called an Inching Brake. Its function is twofold. It initially acts as a brake and secondly disengages the transmission, allowing the engine speed to increase or decrease without affecting the drive of the forklift.
Forklift pedals explained
Inching pedal
The purpose of the inching pedal is to disengage the transmission without having to shift the gear lever into neutral every time a lift is performed.
To inch (creep) in either direction.
- Slowly push down on the inching pedal. This will gradually disengage drive through the transmission in preparation for a load to be lifted.
- Vary the position of the inching pedal and the accelerator pedal to control the travel speed.
- Pushing down further on the inching pedal will disengage the transmission completely and apply the service brakes fully to stop and hold the lift truck while allowing full engine power for a fast hydraulic lift.
Note: It is strongly recommended NOT to use the inching pedal when creeping into racking with raised loads.
Service Brake pedal
This pedal allows you to bring the forklift to a stop or to slow it down. Additionally, a “hill start” should be performed using the service brake pedal and not the inching pedal.
To stop the lift truck when traveling in either direction.
- Release the accelerator pedal.
- Push down on the service brake pedal and bring the truck to a smooth stop.
- If the need arises to stop on a ramp or slope, the handbrake must be engaged. To drive out of this situation, the service brake pedal should be fully depressed & the transmission engaged, then gently accelerate as the handbrake is released.
Accelerator pedal
This pedal allows you to adjust the rotational speed of the engine. The engine speed changes according to the degree to which the accelerator pedal is depressed.
To increase or decrease travel speed in either direction.
- Push down on the accelerator pedal to obtain the desired travel speed.
- Release the accelerator pedal and push down on the service brake pedal to decrease travel speed.
Forklift pedals warning
Before operating a forklift, read and study the operator’s manual discussion on controls. Locate each control and understand how to use each one.
Inching pedal
Instead, use the brake pedal only to keep the transmission fully in gear and minimize the risk of jerky operation.
A forklift must be stationary when lifting a load.
- DO NOT leave your foot on the inching pedal when driving the forklift.
- DO NOT “ride” the inching pedal.
It will cause the transmission to slip and generate a large amount of heat which may cause the transmission to overheat, wear down in a short time or seize up in the worst case.
Do not release the inching pedal suddenly when engine revs are high as this can cause drive wheel slippage and premature tire wear. Additionally, it can cause loads to shift and become unbalanced and dangerous.
Service Brake pedal
- Do not brake the forklift too hard. Doing so may cause the forklift to become unbalanced or cause loss of load and could result in a serious accident.
- Adjust the braking effort according to the load weight and surrounding conditions.
- Do not leave your foot on the brake pedal while driving. Doing so may cause the brakes to fail because of overheating. Also, it increases brake wear
Accelerator pedal
Do not depress the accelerator pedal quickly. Depress it slowly to prevent a sudden or rapid start, which could make the load unstable or fall.
Forklift Controls levers
Although forklifts are capable of doing many jobs, they are also dangerous and must be safely operated.
How to drive a Forklift?
Forklift safety is of the utmost importance, and driving a forklift improperly presents various risks to both yourself and others, as well as your surroundings and the things you’re lifting.
How to operate a stand-up forklift?
Two main ways of operating a forklift exist. Operating while sitting down, and operating while standing up.