Lift trucks: Some like them hot!

You know times are tough when lift trucks become a crook’s tool of choice. Dateline Banks County, Ga.: Two thieves used a lift truck to yank an ATM from the outside wall of The Northeast Georgia Bank. Banks County Sheriff Charles Chapman said the lift truck was hot-wired at a nearby construction site and then driven on State Route 441 to the bank. The story has a happy ending: after it was dusted for prints the lift truck was returned to its owners.

Kind of makes you respect the power of these industrial workhorses, doesn’t it? That said, would you want to put a lift truck that was hot-wired back to work in your facility? There’s a maintenance problem I’ve never heard anyone address. Still, just for the heck of it, I went to the ultimate source for such matters: Google. Would you believe this topic came up in a Yahoo Answers chat?? Under the headline “How to hot-wire forklift” was this query:

I have a 1990 Hyster forklift and lost the key. Does anyone know how to hot wire so I can start it up and move it? I do not have a spare key.

There were two answers from the Yahoo community (and by Yahoo I don’t necessarily mean the website domain.) One was simple: “Buy a spare key from your dealer.” The other answer was both stupid and brilliant at the same time:

“The least wires you have the easiest,” Genius said. “If you have more than 4 wires STOP. If you have 3 or 2 look for a red one, lightly and momentarily touch it to another color–in a fast way to see a reaction, the reaction of running. If it was the wrong one to touch, quickly so you won’t cause damage, do this to others–trial and error.”

Now I don’t know for sure, but it could be that the Yahoo who asked that question was our perp from Banks County. Or maybe that guy was so impressed with himself for boosting a lift truck (and probably laughing all the way to the bank) that he decided to become a consultant (no offense to you folks at the Association of Professional Material Handling Consultants ) and open up shop on Yahoo. Either way, the result’s the same: a compromised piece of equipment that needs expert attention after a harrowing ordeal.

This was a roundabout way to an important conclusion: Never underestimate the importance of a good lift truck maintenance program. I’ve been talking to REAL experts on this topic in preparing my Lift Truck Tips column for Modern’s upcoming July issue, and I thought I’d share with you some GOOD advice from one of MY go-to experts on lift truck care and feeding, Jim Shephard, president of Shephard’s Industrial Training Systems.  He told me that keeping industrial trucks in good repair starts with the operator, supervision, department managers—and a facilities manger who is not afraid to hear what those other people have to say.

“I met such a manager several years ago, and at his Friday morning meetings mobile equipment was the first issue on his agenda,” Shephard told me. “PM cycles, repair cost, new equipment projection, etc, etc, — and you better not be late with his report.  His fleet, was one of the best I have ever inspected. By the way, when it came time to replace his fleet, we suggested that he purchase new attachments and keep his fleet for another 3 years.”

Good advice I’m sure they took to the bank!

Tom Andel
tandel4315@aol.com