Not trying to tick anyone off.Dealers here want to lock customers in.New fuel system slammed the door.They all do work the same,just like cars.I work on my own transportation car,truck,bike.Because i want to know its right.I also take classes at my cost to keep up.I would gladly pay for training on the fortis line or toyota,ect.But they wont train a Cat tech.I dont think we train other dealers.Why wont they sell software when 95% can be done at dash?Why wont cat sell ours?Great new trucks being built.Bad for the industy when anyone cant fix anything.Takes away choice.I cant spell and dont like spell check.But I can cut and reprogram Honda Ford and Gm ecu's.Be it made in Japan or America they still are basic.
They can and will be changed when there is enough market.

Hi all,

Just got 2 155's in our fleet one week ago, I drive part of the time at my job.

Of the two new machines, one has yet to go to work. Seems after it was delivered, the sealed alternator was not charging, Hyster tech is trying to R/R alternator (stripped bolt) and get it into service.

Regarding the working unit:

1) Finger controls (vs actual hydro levers) have a learning curve, but the more I run the more I like them. Ability to raise / tilt / sideshift all at the same time.

2) Duramatch trans - really appreciate the auto shifting. Amazed by the deceleration. Lifting off the throttle results in predictable smooth, controlled decel all the way to complete halt of the truck without touching brakes.

3) Inch / brake pedals, once properly adjusted, work great. In our application, I have to unload a flat bed while facing downhill, can make the pick and reverse without rolling forward at all. Our prior Hysters did not allow this.

4) Swing out lpg tank - the fact that one must swing the tank to access the filler.... cumbersome.

5) Comfort / ergonomics, seat, column, control adjustability are unreal. I'd rather drive this machine than any thing I've ever operated, on road or off.

6) Visibility - about 90% of our picks are from scales / tables that are about 30" from the floor. Fork tip visibility on our new Fortis 155 at this height... is near impossible.

Anyway, here are some first impressions and I hope to learn how to work efficiently with the new Fortis...

(operator overheard just today, making a 30" pick)

"Hey.... anyone... can you see my forks? I can't!"

Otherwise, I love it

Having a hard time seeing where you say you are Cat trained. I guess I can't relate to all of your ranting about the customer getting screwed. I can't relate because we don't screw our customers. We spend thousands of dollars every year training our techs and supplying them with the tools to perform their jobs at the highest levels. You are right; forklifts are getting harder every year to work on. Just as Joe blow off the street can't work on their cars anymore. ( I am certainly a Joe blow when it comes to working on my new car) I can't imagine too many people working on their own car now days. I don't see the customers getting upset. I see the independent or as you call yourself (shade tree) mechanics getting upset because they don't know how to work on the new product with new technology or don't invest in the tooling to do so. Don't you worry your little head about me being worried about someone else doing a better job than my mechanics. We have independents in our territory that are very good and we help them out with issues they may have. But no way would I put them above our guys. Are you telling me you don't think government EPA regs had anything to do with forcing the lift truck industry into using more electronics? I will learn to read when you learn to spell. Or a least learn how to use spell check. Time to get off my high horse as you say.

I guess you cant read.Cat dealer trained.Automotive as a hobby.Im just tired of hearing good people whom I work for in the feild tell how they got reamed by this dealer or that.I dont care to tell them Cat is no better.They wont let you have software they will let you do some diagnostic work through dash and pedal.When after you work on them for a while is 95%of what you need.Why on earth would a dealer come in after you signed a client and change the code 55555 when they found you know it?Did you hear the lock click.Bravo if your company is not afraid that someone else can do a better job.Shame on you for getting on your high horse about a person you dont know
When you learn to read Get on a thing called the internet forklifts arnt the only thing running propane.Hyster has a lot invested?Boat motor powered and fuel control.What ever.All I said was if you as a tech or a dealer can sleep at night after your day is done good for you.I know anyone that has been in the feild very long has seen bad companys and bad techs that abuse customers and all forklift companys want to see only their techs fix them epa regulation my eye.Its hard to mess up a prom.Yes Hyster has them to.

I guess your name says it all, shadetree. Do you think an Auto mechanic that has been factory trained for 10 years can quit the dealership and open his own shop without the proper equipment to work with? Just like the auto industry, the forklift industry has been forced to go with more electronics by the government. They want everything to run cleaner and the only way that can happen is with electronics. Blame Al Gore. We offer training to all of customers that want it. Unlike an auto you can do 95% of the diagnostics from the dash display. Maybe you should stick to working on the pre 1995 lift trucks and quit ragging the manufactures for trying to advance with the times. Or go to work for a dealer.

I understand why they wont sell software.They have a lot invested.But if you have been trained on one you can figure out the rest with proper information.Thats what all forklift companys dont want.No brand is excluded that Ive seen.Jump on the net and see what people are doing whith fuel management honda ecu running vw motors of the 70's GM running ford.Is it just because they are smart?No they have time invested to see what makes system work and have figured out how to change it to suit their needs.If you can understand a toyota you can repair a cat or hyster or what have you.Information is all you need.I know for a fact hyster in my area wants customers locked in.No other dealer training just hyster.I also know for a fact cat has trained sevral outside sorces.Pepsi and other people at a chicken house,is software given to them?No but they can do basic tests.Manufactors do want customers locked in and if like ed said a company was to say any one can be trained to work on our truck no software required they would sell like hotcakes.If you have absolutly no idea how fuel injection works and think you can bypass till it runs then you dont need to ever lift the hood of a new forklift.But I have sevral customers who are done sick of hyster, toyota,nissan,raymond for keeping anyone from repairing their trucks.The only reason they still have them is they have a lot invested in them and cant convince corprate to let them sell them off to go to new design.They have also been told my brand is no better.Its not the forklift they hate it is the service they got after the sale.For example 2 men 8hrs just to pm 3 trucks.No telling what else.With the locked in aditude service techs and dealers get soft thinking well nobody else can fix it they have to come to us.Surprise We are now doing service and repair on some of these due to networking and information shared.I even had one yale tech change passwords in hyster trucks to keep me out of it after they lost service contract.They have 6 months left in building on 3 trucks.No worrys he cant repair new fuel system,Then oh crud he can,Ill show him.Customer has told them to reset to factory they said it is.Kind of a mess.Locking customers in is not the way to keep them over and above service is.

Do you really think toyota will sell you the software / hardware to diagnose the SAS system? Every forklift company has spent lots of money to design and engineer better products. The biggest issue with giving the diagnostic tools away to everyone is that it takes specific training to use them correctly.

I would never buy a forklift from a company that refuses to sell its software to fix the product they just made. That is just plain ignorant and stupid on Hyster's part. They will absolutely lose customers over their overprotection of their repair software. Hyster's were never that good and now they think they can keep the software all to themselves. Good luck.

All forklift companys seem to want to keep customers all to themselfs.Just as automotive did back in the 80's.But we have basic scanners for them now.I fear forklifts will never go standard.Time will tell.Cat is locked up unless you have a laptop with program.You can do the pedal dance but that only lets you in to so much.Raymond has been locked to outside tecs for years.I dont care to help a person out when i can and lots of people have helped me.What will keep a customer is good service and fair price
We all know that but some folks think Jonny customer has a wallet that never ends.They have to move product dont they?Remember they dont have to use your brand to do it.This is dealer to dealer tech to tech.If your a person that the shoe fits wear it,if not put it down and dont worry about it.

Somebody likes the Yanmar engine in Yale and Hyster units?

Wow etharp! What a bunch mumbo jumbo! Amen Phil. Our customers have never not been taken care of. Seems to me etharp the way you you keep customers is to take care of them not alienate them. We take care of them.

No

Imagine this etharp. You sell a new machine to the customer. The code is given to the customers Tech. The code gets into the hands of the operators. ( and don't tell me this would not happen.) Now we have operators changing speeds, Acceleration, auto decal, Hydraulic speeds and any of the settings that are accessible thru the dash display. In this case you may see the customer getting sick and tired of the operators changing settings that could cause damage to the operator, the product and the machine. This was my attempt to convince you that there may be other motives to keep the codes under wraps other than the Big Bad Dealers. Diagnosing issues thru the dash display is a big time saver and a good thing not a bad thing. There is not one customer that I know of that has not been taken care of.

U

gentlemen. a word from the uk. the hyster fortis(fortens) machine is a cracking machine , yes one or two teething probs which are usually down to sales specing the wrong machine in application ,a battle never won. also operators will go all out to break something before their mates. a few yanmar engines have failed which could be down to other intervention but on the grand scale good. has anybody states side seen the new 6-7ton truck yet.13000lbs in u,s money