Anyone have experience with heavy forklifts? Hyster dual wheel 15k advice needed

[cockeyedMFer]

Just looked at this one last night. Its a clark 13,000lb model. Pretty clean unit. Runs but needs brakes and possibly a tire.
Its at an auction so we'll see if it works out. Might get pricey but its close to home. If it weren't for the brakes I could put a Slow Moving Vehicle sign on the back and hit the road
There's also a 6k hard tire lift that I could use for my storage building off property. That would make life a lot easier!
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[Rmart30]

if you're mechanically inclined the brakes are no big deal on the Clark. They may or may not be "inboard" brakes. On that particular model I do not remember for sure.
You can tell by following the brake line and see if it goes out under the wheels , or if it goes into the axle housing closer to the center of the differential.

if they are inboard they are basically the same as outboard but are inside the axle housing with a smaller drum. The axle housing on each side must be pulled. There are some bolts going in towards the diff, and some studs with nuts going the opposite way.
Tilt the mast all the way back and put some oak blocks under the front edge of it and tilt forward and raise the tires a inch or so off the ground. No jack needed.
Pull the tires and then the axles. All can be done by "manpower" pretty easily. The brake shoes can be relined for about $15-20 each..... WAY less than what the dealer will try to sell you a new set for.

Get a Clark dealer to fax you a parts breakdown of the brakes / axles and you can see what all has to be pulled. If inboard type its usually 3 hours per side to R&R.

 

[cockeyedMFer]

Tilt the mast all the way back and put some oak blocks under the front edge of it and tilt forward and raise the tires a inch or so off the ground. No jack needed.

You sir, are a genius! I did this once with my little Hyster at home but completely forgot about doing it with the Clark. The brakes are outboard and they left just enough room between the backing plate and the chassis to reach in and undo the bolts and bleeder screws.

Stupid question, but why are there two brake pedals? One works by itself and has a separate master cylinder, the other pedal has its own smaller master cylinder, but when its pressed down past halfway, the linkage grabs the other pedal and moves it as well.
Is this setup for separate control of front and rear?

Also, is there anything special that needs to be done when starting an LPG engine that's been sitting for a long time? I'd assume its much simpler since there's no carb or fuel tank to gum up.

 

[Rmart30]

On most both pedals work a single cylinder. The reason they do dual pedal is the left one should have whats called a inching valve or function.
What it does is that you can slight push the left pedal in and the trans will disengage. This allows the operator to rev up the engine and lift or tilt the load quickly while the lift is still moving with out the forklift trying to surge and drive.

The right brake pedal is used for when you are trying to get up close to something and dont want it jumping like if your on a incline... if on a incline and you use the left pedal the trans will disengage and it will roll backwards and ya let it out and it will surge fwd. use the right pedal and the trans is always trying to keep it moving fwd and holds it in place.

On that one if it has dual master cylinders, the left one probably works the inching valve and then when it get pushed farther down there is probably a mechanical stop that starts pushing down linkage for the right pedal and working its brake master cylinder.

Some of the older updraft LPG systems had a manual choke, some had a electric button to press just depending on the system. Most do not have a choke for LPG. Probably on that machine its a Impco system. Pretty cheap to replace both its major components (<$125) if you cant get it to hit on LP you can hold a gas soaked rag over the air filter and make it run. if it still has points in the distributer you can get a Petronix ignition kit and make it pointless for about $100

 

[Bird]

When I was in charge of the police auto pound, we sold an average of 135 cars a week at auction. I had one man whose only job was gathering up vehicles from all over the lot and moving them in line under the auction shed. Of course most of them were wrecked or abandoned cars and could be quite a job to move just with a light duty wrecker, so I got about as big a forklift as I've ever seen; duals on the front of course, and 11 foot forks. I never operated it myself, but my operator could pick up a one ton pickup from either end with it. And now I've forgotten the brand.

 

[cockeyedMFer]

On most both pedals work a single cylinder. The reason they do dual pedal is the left one should have whats called a inching valve or function.
What it does is that you can slight push the left pedal in and the trans will disengage. This allows the operator to rev up the engine and lift or tilt the load quickly while the lift is still moving with out the forklift trying to surge and drive.

Thanks, that's the best explanation I've heard of this system yet.

Unfortunately I was outbid - machine sold for $3700 which was fair, but it had a lot of unknowns and you never really know who you're bidding against on these online auctions.
Also, the auctioneer didn't disclose the inoperative brakes, so I'd assume the other bidders had a higher estimate of the machine's value.