Discussion:
cant figure out the year

I can't figure out the year of this forklift. Serial number is only 7 digits. Y431231 Everything i read says it should start with an N if it is pre 2000. Any help would be appreciated.
  • Posted 19 Jul 2023 06:46
  • By Randy_Horsley
  • joined 19 Jul'23 - 1 message
  • Ohio, United States
Showing items 1 - 4 of 4 results.
Randy,

I made a mistake originally. The year of this lift is 1986. The Y in the serial number I believe is a designator for where it was built. I am not able to find what it stands for. Thanks.
  • Posted 19 Sep 2023 21:37
  • By Fishmech
  • joined 12 Jul'17 - 370 messages
  • Virginia, United States
The hard to do we do right away. The impossible just takes a little longer.
CORRECTIONS and CLARIFICATIONS: "C" in the CB pair is a "special model designator," and "B" in the CB pair is the "design series" according to Yale.

"U" is the designator for the Mazda UA engine. "A" is the designator for an AUTOMATIC transmission. But as far as I can tell neither Yale nor anyone else at that time was using a manual transmission for machines this small. I did have to use a well-used-and-on-its-last-legs manual transmissioned Yale in a warehouse setting back in the mid-1970s and that made for a pretty miserable work day.

Either E" or "T" mean triplex mast.

Hope that clears things up.
  • Posted 19 Sep 2023 06:13
  • By Toaster
  • joined 5 Sep'23 - 4 messages
  • Nebraska, United States
Yale uses 23 letters of the alphabet to designate the year in the serial number. When they get to the end of the alphabet, they start over. The letter "Y" is either a 1978 or a 2001. That model number was made in 1978 but not 2001. So it is a 1978. By the way, your serial number is not too far from my own.

The "GLC030" part of the model number tells us this is a LP fueled, cushion tire forklift with a 3000 lb lifting capacity. The "C" narrows it down to a part of the model run and the "B" further narrows it down to a particular part of the "C" portion of the model run. "J" means it was made in Japan. "UA" means it has a Mazda UA engine. the letter "E" designates the type of mast. I think "E" means triple mast. And finally, "083" is how tall the mast is in inches when at rest
  • Posted 16 Sep 2023 20:13
  • Modified 16 Sep 2023 20:17 by poster
  • By Toaster
  • joined 5 Sep'23 - 4 messages
  • Nebraska, United States
Randy,

This lift would have been built in 1993 or 94. Thanks
  • Posted 29 Jul 2023 04:26
  • By Fishmech
  • joined 12 Jul'17 - 370 messages
  • Virginia, United States
The hard to do we do right away. The impossible just takes a little longer.

Post your Reply

Forkliftaction accepts no responsibility for forum content and requires forum participants to adhere to our rules of conduct. Click here for more information.

If you are having trouble using the Discussion Forums, please contact us for help.

Movers & Shakers
Rob Ott Rob Ott
Executive vice president and chief commercial officer, East Penn Manufacturing
President, Logistics UK
Director of dealer development East Coast, Big Joe Forklifts
Vice president, customer, TVH Americas

Showcased in the Virtual Expo

PREMIUM business

BSL New Energy Technology Co., Ltd
BSLBATT - practical expertise and excellent design in the industrial lithium-ion battery market.
Global Industry News
edition #1250 - 2 October 2025
In this week’s Forkliftaction News , we report on a case coming out of the US where two companies and their executives have been charged with defrauding the government, after allegedly importing forklifts from China , and then selling them to government agencies while misrepresenting their origins as being from the US... Continue reading
Fact of the week
Funerals in Spain typically occur within 24 to 48 hours of death, whereas in other European countries they wait one or more weeks. This rapid timeframe is a cultural norm grown from the past need to manage the warm climate without modern embalming.