The document inspection comes first
Before you touch the truck, ask for the paperwork: hour-meter records, service history, load-test certificates, and any repair invoices. A used truck with documents is a known quantity with gaps; a used truck without them is an unknown wearing paint. Sellers who resist this request have answered your first question, and the answer is about them rather than the truck. This is the same documents-first discipline that governs buying new — our certifications page states what ships with a new Granvolt — applied to the second-hand market where it matters more.
The mechanical inspection, in order
- Hour meter. Read it, and sanity-check it against the pedals, seat wear and pedal rubber. A 4,000-hour meter on a truck worn like an 12,000-hour truck is telling you something.
- Mast and chains. Extend fully; look for channel wear, chain stretch, scored rollers and hydraulic weep at the seals. Mast repairs are among the priciest used-truck surprises.
- Forks. Calipers at the heel against an unworn section — the ten-percent rule from our fork measurement guide. Cracks, bends and chain-hole wear are immediate retires.
- Hydraulics. Lift a known load; time the lift, watch for drift with the controls neutral, and inspect every hose and fitting.
- Brakes and steering. On a test route with load if permitted: pedal feel, stopping distance, play in the wheel, unusual noises.
- Tires. Section loss, chunking and (on pneumatics) pressure behaviour; tires are a negotiable line but a real one.
- Frame and counterweight. Cracks, weld repairs and collision history at the counterweight tell you how the truck was actually treated.
- Power system. Diesel per the engine layer of the maintenance schedule; electric per battery condition documentation — a lithium pack without cycle records is priced blind, and lead-acid without watering records is worse.
| Check | Walk-away signal | Negotiable signal |
|---|---|---|
| Documents | None offered | Partial, with explanation |
| Mast chains | Cracked links, heavy stretch | Surface wear, recent replacement receipts |
| Fork heels | Beyond ten percent section loss or any crack | Within tolerance, worn tips |
| Hydraulic drift | Visible drift under load in minutes | Slow drift, seal-kit priced |
| Frame | Cracks or undocumented weld repairs | Cosmetic damage, honest disclosure |
| Battery (electric) | No records at all | Records with honest cycle counts |
The test that matters: under load
Every inspection above is static. The decisive test is dynamic: lift a realistic load to a realistic height, travel, turn, stack and return, then re-check for leaks, drift and temperature. Bring your own load if the seller cannot stage one; a truck that performs beautifully empty and poorly loaded has told you the only truth you came for. If you cannot test under load, price the truck as if it needs mast and hydraulic work, because you are buying that possibility.
Pricing what you find
Every finding converts to a quote: seal kits, chains, tires, fork replacements, battery documentation work. A used truck priced fairly is a new-truck price minus repairs minus the value of your inspection time — and the inspection is what makes the negotiation factual rather than theatrical. Buyers who hand the seller a written findings list with repair quotes attached consistently close at better numbers than buyers who negotiate on adjectives.
When new is the honest answer
If the inspection list grows longer than the discount, the used truck is a new truck paid for in instalments of downtime. Our own fleet quotations include full specifications, load charts and the 100 percent load-test statement — and for multi-shift duty, the arithmetic in the TCO guide often shows a new lithium truck beating a tired diesel within the hours a buyer was planning to keep it. The used market is real and useful; it just rewards inspection, not optimism.
Bringing a second person, and why
Run the inspection with two sets of eyes: one on the truck, one on the paperwork and the seller. The second person catches what the first absorbs — the serial plate that does not match the documents, the hour-meter story that shifts between questions, the repair invoice for a truck one serial away from the one on the ramp. Split the checklist: mechanical layers to the technical buyer, documents and history to the negotiator, and a standing rule that neither signs alone. Used-truck transactions reward preparation asymmetrically — the prepared buyer pays for the truck and the truth; the unprepared one pays for the truck and discovers the truth by instalments. Two people, one written findings list, and the discipline to walk away: that is the whole method.
Frequently asked questions
What should I check first on a used forklift?
The documents: hour records, service history and load-test certificates. A seller without paperwork is answering your first question about how the truck was treated.
How do I check fork wear on a used truck?
Measure the heel with calipers against an unworn section — around ten percent section loss retires the fork, and cracks or bends retire it immediately.
What is the most expensive used-truck surprise?
Usually mast and hydraulic work: channel wear, chain stretch and seal leaks are costly to put right and easy to miss without a loaded test.
How do I evaluate a used electric truck battery?
Ask for cycle and watering records. A lithium pack without cycle documentation, or lead-acid without watering records, should be priced as near end of life.
Should I test drive a used forklift loaded?
Yes — under load is the decisive test. Lift, travel, turn and stack a realistic load, then re-check for leaks, drift and heat.