Forklift Preventive
Maintenance Program
Manage forklift battery repair costs, minimize downtime and keep employees safe
Forklift battery problems are often the culprit when forklifts fail or don’t run properly. It’s important to stay on top of forklift battery repairs because once you get behind the eight ball, it’s hard to get in front of it. While you can fix small problems relatively cheap, big problems (like cell replacement) typically cost a lot more and may even force you to replace instead of repair batteries.
The solution? A forklift preventive maintenance program from Texas Motive Solutions that optimizes the life and performance of your forklift batteries.
At Texas Motive Solutions, our experienced technicians specialize in the maintenance and repair of Hawker Powersource, Inc. motive batteries and chargers. When you partner with TMS for preventive maintenance, we put an extra set of eyes on your equipment. During convenient, regularly scheduled visits, we can address forklift battery issues early on, keep repair costs in check—and most important—help ensure the safety of your warehouse staff.
Sure, you could provide a forklift preventive maintenance checklist to your forklift drivers, and rely on them to monitor battery health but that scenario usually doesn’t work. We often find forklift drivers don’t follow the preventive maintenance checklist for forklift consistently, remove batteries from the lift as required or understand the many forklift battery issues our technicians see on a daily basis.
With a Texas Motive Solutions preventive maintenance program in place, you’ll have peace of mind that your forklift fleet will run safely, efficiently and on schedule.
Six benefits of TMS’ forklift preventive maintenance program
No. 1: Reduce forklift maintenance costs.
We all know preventive maintenance is something you do ahead of time to protect an investment—whether it’s for a car or your forklift batteries. One of the biggest benefits of preventive maintenance is you pay incrementally, up front and over time for regular service and monitoring, which helps you avoid paying exponentially on the back end, when minor issues turn into big, expensive problems.
No. 2: Improve warehouse operation efficiencies.
Scheduled preventive forklift maintenance helps keep your warehouse operation running more efficiently. When you give your forklift batteries the TLC they need, they will last longer without needing a charge, which means less downtime. Regular and proper maintenance also helps maximize battery life.
No. 3: Best-in-class tech support and detailed follow-up.
When you partner with TMS, our experienced technicians bring issues to you early on and when relevant, making it easier to manage repairs and budget for battery replacements. We also meet with you after each preventive maintenance visit to walk through a detailed maintenance report—line by line—and review recommendations for the next month, quarter and year.
No. 4: Easy-to-read reports that help with budget planning.
TMS color-codes your forklift preventive maintenance reports based on urgency, so you know what to tackle first, based on your budget. This written documentation is also helpful to purchasing agents, who have clear, detailed numbers at their fingertips when it’s time to prepare budgets. It’s also nice to know up front what you will spend on the program each year. You’ll have a better idea of annual maintenance costs and fewer unexpected expenses.
No. 5: Ensure warranty coverage for forklift battery repairs.
Need another good reason to invest in a forklift preventive maintenance program? Preventive maintenance programs help you protect your forklift battery investment and avoid unnecessary service fees. Most forklift battery manufacturers (including Hawker Powersource, Inc.) require companies to keep detailed forklift battery maintenance records, otherwise they could deny warranty coverage.
No. 6: Stay in compliance with OSHA guidelines that keep employees safe.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of the United States and the state of Texas have put safety regulations in place specifically for warehouse environments. Our technicians are trained to look for OSHA violations and other safety issues and will recommend corrective action and forklift safety tips when needed. Every employer wants their employees to make it home safely from work. We can help you accomplish that goal.
How does TMS’ forklift preventive maintenance program work? What are my options?
You may be wondering how Texas Motive Solutions’ preventive maintenance programs works and how frequently we come in to service your forklift batteries. For most applications, we recommend quarterly servicing but we know every warehouse operation is unique. You can feel confident the forklift preventive maintenance schedule we create for you aligns with your operation’s needs.
Prior to recommending a forklift preventive maintenance schedule, we’ll take a close look at your operation and work with you to figure out the right plan for your application. For example, a preventive maintenance program for a single-shift, two forklift operation will look a lot different than a multiple shift, 12 forklift operation. Options for a forklift preventive maintenance program and forklift battery care include:
- Quarterly
- Semi-annual
- Annual
- Custom
Of course, you may still experience a forklift battery repair issue between scheduled maintenance visits. TMS is just a phone call away, and we can typically be onsite within 24 hours, usually sooner.
Forklift battery watering service from TMS
When you partner with TMS for forklift battery watering service, we make sure your batteries get watered properly, routinely and on the days and hours when it makes most sense for your warehouse operation. Our technicians also perform a physical inspection during the service and note when battery components are broken or unsafe.
If you don’t currently have a watering system established, we can analyze your operation and help put one in place. We can also provide watering service on an as needed basis—say an employee is out unexpectedly or taking vacation—just ask. Let us take the responsibility and worries about battery watering off your hands and mind.
Schedule a neutralization service with us to ensure your forklift battery health is intact.
Forklift battery watering FAQs
When do you need to water forklift batteries?
If you use lead-based batteries for your forklift fleet, those forklift batteries typically must be watered and maintained weekly or bi-weekly after an equalized charge. A forklift operator shouldn’t water when it’s convenient for him or her. Battery watering requires a disciplined approach, with battery levels checked frequently and water added as needed.
What happens if you don’t water forklift batteries properly?
Any deviation from the recommended battery watering schedule can result in overflow or lack of fluid, either of which can damage forklift batteries and lead to unnecessary repair or replacement costs. Unfortunately, it’s rare that warehouse operators do a good job handling their own forklift electric battery watering.
Can improper watering turn into a safety hazard in warehouses?
Yes! When acid gets trapped in the battery plates, you can’t maintain appropriate fluid levels. Eventually the fluid overflows, and acid spills on the batteries and floor. When employees water batteries improperly, they can get acid on themselves, which could cause dangerous acid burns.
What if we want to water our own forklift batteries, can TMS show us how?
Absolutely! We understand it makes sense for some warehouse operators to utilize employees to handle battery for forklift watering duties. TMS customers can contact us to schedule complimentary employee training sessions as needed.