Preventive and corrective maintenance of a pallet jack

Table of Contents

Summary
Preventive maintenance
Corrective maintenance
Takeaways

Summary

Maintenance is necessary to keep your pallet jack in top shape. It'll also increase productivity by reducing the repairs time or maintenance work that needs to be done on them!

A pallet jack can be a valuable tool in any business. It's crucial to maintain the machine and make sure it is working at its peak performance level. It is also easy for anyone with minimal experience or knowledge about pallet jack maintenance! Through this blog, we will let you know about the preventive and corrective tasks to be carried out on your pallet jack.

Preventive maintenance

A regular inspection of your pallet truck is the best way to ensure that it's in tip-top shape and ready for anything! Preventive maintenance avoids unpleasant surprises down the road, like when you need repairs. By keeping an eye on things now (and checking often!)You'll all be able to do your jobs safely every day.

Oil inspection of your pallet jack

The oil used for pallet jacks should generally have a viscosity around 30 cSt (at 40°C). If other fluids are being used, it's possible that pumping the equipment will become difficult due to their thickness - which would cause problems to the equipment. Pallet Jackson recommends that the oil be topped up or replaced every year.

You should check the oil level in your pallet jack every six months. The equipment’s hydraulic unit operates more efficiently with adequate oil, which means that if your machine works with low oil levels, the hydraulic unit will not lift. To know how much oil you need to add, click here.

If you need to top up the oil of your pallet truck, the first thing you need to do is turn the pallet jack on its side, ensuring that forks are lowered. Then, put the drain plug for the hydraulic cylinder at the top and remove the screw plug. Proceed to fill the system with the hydraulic oil until you see that its level reaches the bottom of the filler opening. As a final step, reinstall screws and put the Pallet Jack in an upright position. 

Note: If the Hydraulic unit does not lift, the root of the issue could be related to the air pump or the O-ring in the ram cylinder.

Wheels protection

When you overload your pallet truck, not only can this cause severe damage to the wheels but also make it hard for them to carry weight evenly. It might take just a bit more time than taking everything at once, but in this way, you ensure a longer life for your wheels.

You should always make sure your wheels don't get dirty or stuck by cleaning them before using the pallet jack. So, you can prevent the wheels from wearing faster than necessary!. When you see excessive debris embedded in wheel tread or chunks of the polyurethane tire material missing, there could be an issue. In this case, we recommend the replacement of the wheels. 

There are many wheel types for pallet jack out there, but if you need some help choosing one that's right up your alley, then look no further. Pallet Jackson has the perfect parts and at the best price.

We recommend performing a pallet jack wheel Inspection every six months to ensure that your device is up for the job. 

Lubrication of pallet jack parts

With all of the different components that make up a pallet jack, it's essential to keep them well maintained. You can do this by applying long-life grease once per month to the parts of the device: 

• Bearings
• Axles
• Wheels
• Other fittings

You could perform this lubrication after each cleaning session or when your pallet jack needs it.

Corrective maintenance

Corrective maintenance is a great way to identify and repair any fault that may have been caused by neglect, abuse, or misuse. Corrective measures can include troubleshooting tasks such as adjusting parts to work more efficiently and disassembly to inspect your device for wear and tear from continuous use. 

Hydraulic unit of the pallet jack has problems to lift

Have you found that your pallet jack is not lifting the pallets? This could be due to a problem with its hydraulic unit. The reason could be the following:

• Bubbles in the pump

The forks won't rise when pumping with a lever raised all by itself because the system may become clogged with debris or air bubbles probably formed during transport. Another cause for creating air bubbles is pumping the tiller when the pallet truck is not upright. To solve this issue, follow the steps:

1. Leave the operating lever in the lower position.
2. Move the tiller up/down a couple of times. This will expel air and bleed the pump.
3. Test the pallet jack.
4. Repeat if needed.

Following video shows this procedure:

• Worn O-ring in ram cylinder

When the pallet jack doesn't lift because there is a worn O-ring in its ram cylinder, you have to replace it along with its seals as follow: 

1. With the pallet truck raised, remove the spring pin. To raise the Pallet, use the pumping handle.
2. Once the pump and handle assembly is separated from the equipment, pull the oil plug.
3. Turn the pump cover and pump handle until you empty all the oil in another recipient.
4. Remove plunger piston and/or ram piston.
5. Replace the o-rings and seals with new ones.
6. Reassemble.
7. Fill the tank with new oil (up to 80% capacity).

The fork does not lower

On the other hand, when pumping the handle with the lever in a neutral position, your fork should have no movement. If it moves, then adjust the cam properly:

1. Put the lever in a neutral position.
2. By using the suitable tool, loosen the hex nut.
3. Adjust the socket head cap screw.
4. At the same time as step 3, pump the handle. This step needs to be performed until there is no more movement of the ram.
5. Proceed with the hex nut tighten.
6. Test the pallet jack.

If the pallet jack continues with the issue, there are damaged push rods and/or linkage. It is recommended that an authorized service center replace damaged parts. The worst scenario is cam damage, and it will require its complete replacement.

Takeaways

• Pallet Jacks are a valuable addition to any warehouse or retail store. They must work well and stay safe, but with regular preventive maintenance, you can save time and money in the long run by spotting repairs before they happen. 
• A corrective maintenance plan will help identify faults like neglect, abuse, or misuse, so your business doesn't suffer from their consequences later on. 
• Have you had one of our experts come out for an assessment yet? At Pallet Jackson, we are happy to show you how we can help you keep your equipment running smoothly by providing quality parts today!

• Pallet Jack wheels are a great way to get your pallets moved around the warehouse, but it's important that you check them for cracks and leaks every six months.