Ok so i just got done doing some testing, during these tests i NEVER touched the brake pedal, i just shifted at idle directly into F N and R, Started the forklift up, let it idle for about 30 seconds to get all the fluids pumping, put it into F and it sorta jolts forward about an inch and then stops and you can hear the engine under load, give it a stab of the gas and it will release and start driving forward. Shifted it back into N hopped off and i could push the lift forward by hand (heavy son of a gun) but when i tried to pull it backwards by hand it definitely locked up against a brake, like a ratchet? In reverse it does the same thing but when you put it in back neutral it doesn't seem to want to go forward or backwards when pushing/pulling by hand. It also has sort of an intermittent kind of drag (what would feel like a warped drum on a car) until the thing fully breaks free.

Could it be in the parking brake? is this a separate brake from the normal brakes? Remind you i never touched the brake pedal during these test, but in other times touching the brake pedal initially (before you actually press into the braking action) has the same effect as shifting to neutral (which is desired) and has the same result as above, shifting into neutral then back into gear.

Parking brake cable is slack, and the arm it's connected to (which looks like it goes to a lever through the bell housing), is fully in the released position.


Edit: So my buddy came by the shop and he said it seems to feel like a brake shoe is grabbing and locking, i tend to agree with this so i got the front up in the air with our overhead hoist and put it up on blocks, took the right wheel off, and pulled the hub, started it up and the planetary drive gear spins immediately, and stops when you apply the brake, Left side is locked up, so the problem is definitely in the left brake, the open differential is putting the motion to the right since the left is locked. I think these brakes are in an oil bath so opening it up is going to be messy. Will update with pictures, not sure about the order to take this apart.