The drive units on reach trucks need to be removed from the truck when the play exceeds.120 thou (measured with a dial gauge)
This can be as low as 3000 hrs or as high as 8000, depending on the wear and greasing the trans gets. The radial can be removed after all 70 ball bearings are taken out, then the fixed plate will detach from the main drive unit. All the weight of the truck is riding on the radial rings, so they wear along with the ****. If you let it go too long. the fixed hub will rub against the rotating drive unit. loss of steering will occur...especially on electric steer reach trucks! Order pickers are sensitive too...you jack them up to do steer learn and the radial ring play is so excessive that the prox no longer senses the rail! I find many lift techs cannot diag a worn drive unit. If takes about 5-7 hours rebuilding a drive unit for radial rings. You cannot just change the ****. It`s real heavy and often requires a second person to lift. This job can be easily done at the customer.
Someone asked about the clusters...the 3 lift cylinders welded together wieghing about 400 lbs. Another lift truck firm said this was a shop job, $1000 in pick up and delivery fees extra
I went in and used a heavy chain fall to remove the cyls, change the seals and packing. No problem. Customer was happy to get the job done in one day. We eliminated the shop tech job, do all we can now to keep busy. Work we used to turn away is now accepted. Nice cushy job inside on all electric trucks is a thing of the past now.....just spent 2 days under a huge Toyota changing the complete exhaust `y`pipe, flex, muffler....and i remembered what it was like to be an Auto mechanic!