I am going to look at/buy forklift tomorrow.
 

It is a older Clark C500 30 3,000 pound lift.
It has 3100 hours on it. He tells me it runs good and no cylinder leaks.
(I have read the average lifespan of a forklift is 10,000 hours)

It is propane powered. With solid pneumatic tires.
It needs a starting battery.


I need to be able to get steel delivers. My side business is taking a life of its own. I do not really have time to pick up steel. I can cut much thicker steel with my 85 amp cutter.
But I can not lift anything heaver than 1/2" right now. This lift would allow me more options.

I have never owned a forklift any advice looking at it or in general?

Most of the ones that are a decent price have hard tires. I do not have cement everywhere.
This one is a comprise sure bigger tires would be nice but I do not need a very big lift.


https://ecorenovator.org/forum/attac...1&d=1615925870

https://ecorenovator.org/forum/attac...1&d=1615925870

https://ecorenovator.org/forum/attac...1&d=1615925870

I have a rollback lined up to get it home.

Did you get it?

He had it moved on a rollback. They messed up the steering. He is fixing it then I can go try/buy it. He was working on it yesterday hopefully I will be able to see it today or tomorrow.

I have more info brakes work. Tilt cylinders do not leak. Main cylinder seeps some fluid. It spent most of its life at a historic house and grounds. Then a factory that sold burlap bags. Then this guy bought it to open a welding business but now he is going to open a restaurant so he selling welding stuff.

There is a pivot pin in the steering that had a bad bering. It also messed up the pin. He had to take out the whole back axle to get the pin out.
Parts are on order I should be able to get next weekend.

He texted me and said I have been very patient with him and it is mine.
I am excited to get it.

I did not buy this forklift the seller was not honest with the issues it had.
It developed a bad leak on the mast cylinder it looked like that it would need rebuilt and rechromed.
This is about 1,400 at the cheapest shop I could find but the best shop also.
Then the steering he fixed he did a ½ axx job did not replace the bottom bearing and did not cut the grove for the snap ring.
Just tacked welded it. I would have to redo it all. Needed a new started switch everything on it needed adjust or fixed. It had a flat tire with the others were cut.
I am still looking at this point.

I am not sure why people are not honest about condition not like I would not notice when I looked at it. Pictures that were provided were very old.

I once bought a forklift!

But only to strip the guts out of it to built an electric car. :D


Good luck on your search. Nice problem to be busy!



https://ecorenovator.org/forum/attac...1&d=1619460155


https://ecorenovator.org/forum/attac...1&d=1619460232


https://ecorenovator.org/forum/attac...1&d=1619460508




(All the gory details: https://forkenswift.com )

Very cool.

https://ecorenovator.org/forum/attac...1&d=1619461969

It is around 1987 ish These old forklifts are built very solid.

Forklift quest update. I found a local forklift mechanic he found me one that needs work. His shop is behind his house low overhead. he is doing this one like a side job so it will take a little longer to get it.
He found another forklift that had a motor he took out to rebuild for this one.
It is a HYSTER H50XL 5,000 pound lift.

He is rebuilding motor head to machine shop crank to machine shop.
The works oil pump pistons water pump bearings…
Transmission is good but he is rebuilding it while he has motor out.
Tilt cylinders getting rebuilt. Main lift cylinder getting rebuilt. It just had a brake job.
4 new tires. It runs duel fuel but I will just run propane.

Not pretty but it is in my budget and he is giving me a really good deal.
I have actually looked at this one. I wish it was a little smaller but it should do everything I need.

(My forklift lifts to much weight said no-one ever.)

This was my steel pick up last week.
https://ecorenovator.org/forum/attac...1&d=1619461891

Steel has doubled in price since last year. This is $2,500 worth of steel.

I have been making root rippers for subcompact backhoes.
I use ½” steel for the top plate and the blade. I will probably move to 5/8” or ¾” once I have my forklift.
https://ecorenovator.org/forum/attac...1&d=1619462495

Here is one made with 3/4" steel blade for a higher HP tractor.
https://ecorenovator.org/forum/attac...1&d=1619462495

I would like to start cutting 3/4" plate for companies. It is good money you do not have to sandblast or powder coat it.
I can not lift a full 4' x 8' plate 3/4" right now. I can cut it with my setup just not lift it.
This forklift will solve that. I can also load customer trailer of truck with the 3/4" I cut for them.

Not everyone can handle or cut that thick steel that is why there is more money in it.

That's cool. The only problems I see with the propane ones is when they aren't used often. My dad has one and has to fiddle with it every time he wants to use it because it's been sitting for months. Well, that and having poorly tuned ones running in an enclosed warehouse and stinking up the place. Doesn't look like you'll have either of those problems.

The forklift Mechanic told me that if I run diesel then I could have those issues but if I run propane, I won't have those issues.
I will be using it some each week.

The issue I will have is I do not have a good place to keep it under cover.
Maybe under the solar awning.

I got a forklift update today.

They have engine block apart. Parts for cylinders and transmission will be in by the end of the week and tires pressed on either this weekend or first of next week.

I can't wait to get this then maybe I can cater to some corporate customers.

The block/head and crankshaft are all still at machine shop.
As soon as they come back, he can order bearings. Transmission is getting rebuilt this week.
Some hydraulic hoses are being order this week.
Slowly but surely, he is getting there.

He got me a set of 48" forks the forks on this on were 36" forks that is to short for what I need.

The head and crankshaft are still at the machine shop.
I just bought a spare propane tank for the forklift that I don’t have just yet.
I bought a 33 pound forklift tank it is almost full of propane tank.
I got it off marketplace for $65 aluminum tank.
It has a bad date but the place I take it will exchange any tank.

https://ecorenovator.org/forum/attac...1&d=1620860054

We have progress, the head is back. The crank is ready and the rebuild kit is ordered.
They were able the to just polish the crankshaft. So standard bearings were ordered.
The rebuild kit came with new valves.

We are looking at a June 1 to get the forklift. They only think that could mess up the deal is the final price.
He will let me know soon on that. But last time we talked he was still in my budget.

Forklift update.

The price so far is still in my budget. Actually $200 cheaper than we talked about.
The cylinders have sleeves so that is good news. New sleeves, pistons, rings, lifters/cam…
New water pump the radiator is at the rebuild shop.
Everything is coming back this week. If everything goes well, I will have my forklift delivered on the 2 June.
I bought the paint for it today. I am not sure when I will paint it but here is a picture of a forklift someone else painted and I liked the color so I bought the same paint.

https://ecorenovator.org/forum/attac...1&d=1621885231

I hope mine can turn out this good.

My crank shaft for the forklift is back from machine shop.
https://ecorenovator.org/forum/attac...1&d=1621968787

The head is back
https://ecorenovator.org/forum/attac...1&d=1621968752

Now we need the block back from machine shop.

The block is still not back. He has another motor he can put in it until all the parts come in for the one he is rebuilding for me. I wanted to have the lift this week. So he is going to put the other motor in to get the lift to me. Then when the other motor is done he will put it in.

I am keeping back 1k from the cost to keep his interest in completing the project. I need to get steel ordered after the holiday. It will be so nice to have it delivered.

It seems like this has been quite the project!

A very long drawn-out one. If I wanted to spend 5-8K on one I could have one tomorrow.

But I want one that will be dependable but not cost lots of money. This one will be 3K and have a rebuild transmission, motor, tilt cylinders main cylinder. Good brakes and new tires. The 5-8K one would have non of that.

But he is doing it like a side job to keep cost down and it is taking a long time.
I will have to paint it but if it turns out good, I could sell it for 6K. (I am not going to I need it)
So I wait…

This other guy never panned out.
I bought a forklift yesterday,
I picked up a 3,000 pound TCM FG 14 not sure what year.
It was a 4 hour drive one way to get it.
It has a Nissan 4cyl engine. I need to get a fuel pump for it.
It has a electric one but I want to change it back to mechanical one.
The radiator needs some help also. A couple or things but for its age it is very nice.
About 5,200 hours on it.

https://ecorenovator.org/forum/attac...1&d=1648750326

https://ecorenovator.org/forum/attac...1&d=1648750326

New radiator on its way. Changing it over to an all-aluminum one that I think I matched up. New back tires coming the one tire had a back side wall. I ordered a propane conversion kit.
https://ecorenovator.org/forum/attac...1&d=1649196924

I am finally able to get steel delivered by 18 wheeler and unload it with my forklift.
https://ecorenovator.org/forum/attac...1&d=1654096968
I have new back tires. they were split rims so it was simple for me to replace them. I bought a load range better because I plan on keeping it a long time.

I ordered a fuel pump for a Datsun truck and was able to take the new parts and totally rebuild my old pump works good now. I bought a carb for the same truck and that is working good.
my propane kit came in but need time to install it. For now it is running good on gas.
need to install the new radiator soon.
I bought 60" forks for it. much simpler to unload semi as they put the pallets in the center of the flatbed.

need to fix ebrake but normal brakes work.

I found a aluminum radiator on amazon. It is close to old one but I had to modify forklift some to make it fit. Forklift radiators are very expensive this one was very reasonably priced. Saved hundreds it was worth the effort.
Added cheap LED $19 lights to the front Wow they are great. Replaced the alternator with a reasonably priced Datsun pickup one direct replacement.

I used the fork lift so much last week. I tool 15,000 pounds of scrap to the scrap yard. They paid me just under 1K for all of it.

I bought a new seat with a seatbelt from eBay big improvement
Changed the oil and new oil filter.

https://ecorenovator.org/forum/attac...1&d=1658848557

https://ecorenovator.org/forum/attac...1&d=1658848557

https://ecorenovator.org/forum/attac...1&d=1658848557

https://ecorenovator.org/forum/attac...1&d=1658848557

https://ecorenovator.org/forum/attac...1&d=1658848557

It now has a new water pump.
It is running great very useful.
New parts so far.
carburetor
aluminum radiator
spark plugs oil/filter.
LED lights
Seat
Back tires. /lug nuts
60” forks ( This was a must to unload semi truck at my driveway. They load the truck bed in the middle. Shot forks can drag the pallet to the edge to get a full bite on the pallet.)
The fan bolts to a pulley the wrong bolts were used and it oblong the holes. It was making a clanking sound. I cut out a new pulley front out of 11gauge steel.
And welded it on. It is quite now. It is cool to just draw out a part and cut in on my CNC plasma table.