On average, the cost to repair a  forklift is four times higher than the cost to properly maintain the equipment in the first place. Just like a car, you need to have a certified technician check your lift every 150 hours at least.

By maintaining your asset, you can prevent expensive, unexpected repairs and avoid downtime. Equipment in good working order is also safer for employees, and a well-maintained lift truck commands a higher resale value. Learn more about planned maintenance (PM) from TMH:

On a forklift, 2000 hours is equivalent to 60,000 miles on a car. Some customers believe the cost of a 2000-hour service is too high, or they don’t want to take the forklift down for a whole day. What they may not realize is the factory-recommend 2000-hour service is vital to keeping the forklift safe and operable and it improves resale value.

This service also prevents major components from failing prematurely which can be very costly. Additionally, if the unit is under warranty, the 2000-hour service keeps there warranty intact.

Learn more about what’s included in a 2000 hour IC forklift service versus a standard planned maintenance service.

How Often Do Forklift Brakes Need Service?*
- Every 250 hours: blowout brake dust
- Every 2,000 hours: inspect brake drums
- Every 5,000-7,000 hours: replace brake shoes

*Basic guidelines only. Environmental conditions and operator behavior determine how frequently forklift brakes need to be inspected or replaced. Consult a certified technician.

As a Product Support Rep (PSR) I hear a lot of horror stories from customers who try to maintain their own forklifts. Even worse: some customers just wait for something to break.

On average, the cost to repair a forklift is four times higher than the cost to properly maintain the equipment. Depending on the repair, the cost can be up to 15 times more expensive than what the customer would have spent on a service plan  once you factor in downtime.

I recently had a customer spend $35,000 on a five-year-old forklift, all because they didn’t maintain it correctly. They only called us for repairs and major failures. This truck moved heavy loads all day and never got more than an oil change.

Toyota Forklifts are built like a tank, but with lack of maintenance any forklift becomes a ticking time bomb. Every machine has its limits. In this post, we’ll talk about:

- what maintenance is okay to do yourself,
- when to call a professional
...and the real way to save money on maintenance and repairs.

Your equipment is an investment and proper maintenance will help you maximize its value. Many problems start out small; catch them early and avoid a big pain in your checkbook. Wait too long and it’s going to cost you: time, labor, and productivity.

But you can benefit from the mistakes of others. Below are a few recent examples - from real TMHNC customers - of four expensive repairs that could have been prevented.