Using lifting cushions for safer forklift maintenance

When a forklift or smaller vehicle requires lifting for service and maintenance, there are a number of considerations to optimise the safety of the lifting job.

Pronal lifting cushions can be suitable for forklift maintenance because they are compact, light, and fast — as well as being able to tolerate eccentric loads (such as those imposed by typical diesel, electric and gas forklifts, which have more weight at one end).

In addition, when deflated, an air cushion jack takes up little space around the truck loading depot, warehouse or distribution centre. Depending on the dimensions chosen, the cushion and its accessories (control box, power line and/or handling plate) can be easily stored in a bag.

So, what aspects should be considered for a safe lifting job?

“Naturally, the entire weight of the load to be lifted is a first consideration,” said James Maslin, Product Manager for Air Springs Supply.

“Plus, it is essential to identify the distribution of mass in order to lift a load safely. This criterion will make it possible to define the cushion, which will be powerful enough to lift the load but also its lifting location. If the load is heavier in a certain place, the cushion will have to be positioned in such a way as to avoid any tipping and to lift correctly.”

An example of a lighter uneven lift is provided by a forklift weighing between four and five ton. The most important mass is located at the rear of the vehicle with the engine and the counterweight. From this information, it can be concluded that a heavy-duty cushion is not necessary to raise the front. On the other hand, if it is a question of lifting the sides or the rear of the truck, then an airbag jack with a larger capacity will be needed, and it should be positioned in line with the distribution of the load.

To select the best lifting cushion for the job, it is important to know the lift height required for maintenance. Depending on the existing standard dimensions, the lifting stroke differs. The greater the lifting capacity of the cushion, the greater the lifting height. Sometimes, one is enough to provide the space needed to work, but if an increase in the lift height is desired, there are other possibilities.

First, add one or more lifting plates (or wedges) to save centimetres.

“The number of plates varies depending on the capacity of the used cushion,” Maslin said.

“For example, if you want to fill 600 mm, you can use a Pronal CLT 65 cushion and add a plate. But you can also take a CLT 43 cushion and add two plates, or a CLT 24 with four lifting plates, and so on. (CLT capacities are stated in tons — eg, CLT 65 is a 65-ton lifter, 43 is 43 tons, 24 is 24 tons and so on.)”

Second, users can take advantage of the fact that the CLTs are able to be stacked in pairs to widen the spacing between the ground and the load. As well as straight lifting, they can also be used for pressing, clamping, tilting and guiding.

Pronal equipment can be supplied with trailers, lifting bases and control systems developed to demanding safety standards, including military and civil aviation applications.