THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HYDRAULIC OIL

One of the indispensable components to help the forklift operate smoothly is forklift hydraulic oil. Using the correct and appropriate hydraulic oil will increase the efficiency and prolong the life of your forklift. Let’s learn about forklift hydraulic oil and how to us it correctly in the below article:

Table of contents:

1. What is forklift hydraulic oil? How important is forklift hydraulic oil?

2. When do you need to change forklift hydraulic oil?

3. A simple guide to replacing forklift hydraulic oil

4. Q&A about forklift hydraulic oil
 

1. What is forklift hydraulic oil? How important is forklift hydraulic oil?

Hydraulic oil is an indispensable product in the machinery industry in general and forklifts in particular.

Whether it is a forklift with an internal combustion engine (diesel, petrol, gas ...), an electric forklift or a hand pallet truck, hydraulic oil is always an indispensable product that plays an important role in the equipment’s lifting mechanism.
 

Hydraulic oil is a combination of base oil and other additives which is produced to transfer energy, minimizing friction, ensuring tightness and cleaning hydraulic systems, usually Pistol Cylinders.

Hydraulic oil plays an important roles in the forklift operation

Besides, the additives also help reduce wear, reduce corrosion and reduce heat generated when operating the powertrain.

2. When do you need to change forklift hydraulic oil?

Hydraulic oil plays an important role in the lifting operation of forklift trucks. It needs to be maintained at a moderate level, too much hydraulic oil will lead to the risk of oil leakage but too little will significantly reduce lifting efficiency. 

Therefore, manufacturers recommend customers to check and replace hydraulic oil periodically, usually about 1,000-4000 working hours (based on your forklift type)

Forklift hydraulic oil needs to be checked and replaced periodically.

In addition, before starting a shift, forklift operators need to perform an overall check procedure, in which it is recommended to check the hydraulic oil fluid level with a level guide. If hydraulic oil is too little or too much, it should be quickly adjusted to ensure forklift performance.

Some other evidences show that hydraulic oil needs to be checked and replaced:

- Unusual noise that appears when operating the truck.

- The hydraulic oil temperature is too high (over 180 degrees).

- Forklift operation is slow, especially hydraulic function.

3. A simple guide to replacing forklift hydraulic oil:

The forklift hydraulic oil replacement is quite simple, even the technicians of  your factory or warehouse can do it themselves. Below are the simple steps that need to be done when replacing the forklift hydraulic oil:

- Make sure the forklift is completely stopped, the forks are in the lowest position, the brakes are engaged, and the vehicle is parked on a flat surface.

- Find the hydraulic oil tank in the engine compartment.

- Remove the drain plug and drain the old hydraulic oil. Clean the tank if necessary.

- Remove the breath valve on the tank and pour in new hydraulic oil.

- During pumping, use a level guide to ensure that the hydraulic oil is not overfilled.

- After finishing the hydraulic oil replacement step, start the forklift and check whether all hydraulic functions are working properly or not.

4. Q&A about forklift hydraulic oil

Recommended type of hydraulic oil for forklifts?

With the Vietnamese climate conditions, choosing the right hydraulic oil is very important to ensure the forklift's performance and longevity. There are 03 common hydraulic oils for forklifts which are commonly used by businesses: Hydraulic oil no.32, hydraulic oil no.46 and hydraulic oil no.68

What are the points that need to be considered when choosing hydraulic oil for second-hand forklift and new forklift?

Second-hand forklifts in Vietnam are commonly used but there is some wear and tear in the hydraulic system that makes the selection of hydraulic oil for them become important.

Typically, new forklifts use hydraulic oil with a viscosity of 32 Cst or 48 Cst while second-hand forklifts should use hydraulic oil with a higher viscosity. Hydraulic oils with a viscosity of 68 Cst will be suitable to ensure the operation of the second-hand truck.

Customers should choose hydraulic oil with higher viscosity for second-hand forklifts
 

However, to know exactly what hydraulic oil your forklift should use, contact your forklift dealer directly for checking and consulting both on the suitable type of hydraulic oil, maintenance procedures and spare parts.
 

Where can you buy the guaranteed forklift hydraulic oil?

Currently, there are many hydraulic oil suppliers with different brands for forklifts. However, to select the suitable hydraulic oil for your forklift, Customers should check your forklift manufacturer's guidance book or contact your forklift distributor directly.

Yale Forklifts Vietnam is the exclusive distributor of the Yale Forklifts (USA) in Vietnam. For more information about suitable hydraulic oil, spare parts for Yale forklifts as well as other brands such as: Komatsu, Linde, Jungheinrich, Mitsubishi, Nissan, TCM, Hyster, Toyota.... Please contact us via Hotline: 0896.461.728 for the most dedicated advice.