Gas or Propane Forklift?

[McRat]

I'm tired of busted electric forklifts.

I'm debating buying a brand new Toyota (only because GM doesn't sell forklifts).

I have to wait longer to get a gasoline model, but an extra tank is cheap, and you can get gasoline anywhere, anytime, and gas needles are far more accurate than propane meters.

I've been buying used forklifts for 19 years now, and I've been having constant hassles with them.

 

[Dan@PPE]

You Toyota propain has been flawless!

 

[bullfrogjohnson]

I use Cat propane all day at work. Never had any issues other than busted hydraulic lines. But we beat them hard and try to lift things they were never intended for.

 

[deHuncho]

If it's inside you can't use a gas powered one right? On another note, at work they use propane powered forklifts and those things take some abuse, have a ton of hours, and rarely break down.

 

[dmaxman06]

we use diesel foklift most are hysters couple cats and they take alot of abuse and we pick up stupid heavy stuff and use them as tow trucks and they make great hammers to if u can get lined up lol :thumb:

 

[Harbin_22]

I like propane. They burn so clean. Change the oil on one a you will see the difference. Oil looks new all the time. Farmer that I help fills his out of his big tank out back

 

[Bobcat]

Propane forklift is the way to go.

 

[emiller3]

We have used both, but as said above. The diesel was for outdoor use only and the propane for indoor

 

[McRat]

Hmmm... Perhaps propane would be better then. I just hate refilling propane tanks. Abu takes 30 minutes to do one tank.

 

[Harbin_22]

How much do you plan on using it?

 

[ILLINI]

All we have ever had were propane forklifts they work great. We do have a diesel on but its a reverse tractor type...for outdoor use

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

 

[bullfrogjohnson]

Hmmm... Perhaps propane would be better then. I just hate refilling propane tanks. Abu takes 30 minutes to do one tank.

We have a contract at work with a propane company. We have a cage that holds about 20 tanks. Change them when we need and when we start running low we call them and they will come exchange the empties.

 

[McRat]

How much do you plan on using it?

We only see a couple hours a month use. Hence why I have always bought used. But now I see that if I were to bought a new one, I would have saved thousands by now in repairs.

 

[turbo-max]

heh, like i said on facebook...propane is mich better beacause of the ethanol in the gasoline screwing up the jets and everything else in the fuel system, that shit is just no good unless you use it ALOT...propane on the other hand seemingly never goes bad. :thumb:

 

[jlawles2]

The worst part about any forklift that does not get used on a daily basis is the fuel system. I would go with propane if it only sees about an hour a week. You can always get the adapter and use the tank at home when not in use.

Propane will store for much longer than gasoline when stored.

 

[hondarider552]

All I use at work is Cat Pane forklifts, but I also work for Cat so that may be the reason why . Most of them have over 6500 hours + on them and are abused, never a problem since Ive been there.

At my old work we had a orange toyota diesel forklift, worked well and no problems but only had a few hundred hours on it.

 

[Chevy1925]

We have a 20xx crown electric side shifter and a 1984 nissan gas fork lift. the gas one has been the best one we have ever had. We bought it from a company who bought it new. Only thing its ever needed has been a starter, battery and tires. Its ran in our warehouse daily and has rolled our hour meter quite a few times. Shes all original and is beat on pretty relentlessly. Its been with us for 20 years now. He electric one is nice but always seems to need something tweaked or messed with to keep goin. Whats nice is the nissan is super easy for me to work on and save the company some coin

 

[DonDeere]

...I have 44 yeere's worth of experience operating, servicing and repairing forklifts...5 propane units inside the packing hosue/cold storage...3 Diesel JD Industrial units out in the field...

...inside use or periodic use...PROpane hands down :thumb:

...outside work in gravel or dirt, then JD Diesel Industrial models win there :thumb:

...we filled all of our own propane cylinders and one standard size tank can be filled easily in less than 2 minutes :thumb:

...as a side note relative to a previous post...Ethanol is not a problem whatsoever in gasoline blends and does no damage at all...

...however, if you have, or have previously had water, rust, varnish or poor quality fuel in your system...you may experience some unwanted effects due to the condition of the system PRIOR to using gasoline with Ethanol...

...contrary to conventional wisdom...this is NOT, nor ever has been the "fault" of modern day gasoline/Ethanol blends...FACT: it is 100% a system contamination/integrity issue, not an Ethanol issue

 

[x MadMAX DIESEL]

All I've ever used was hysters at this job and my last job. Haven't had any issues with them other than the sideshift got messed up on one for awhile, I think the line fell off a pully and rubbed through the line or something like that. I would go with propane if your using it inside.

 

[McRat]

...I have 44 yeere's worth of experience operating, servicing and repairing forklifts...5 propane units inside the packing hosue/cold storage...3 Diesel JD Industrial units out in the field...

...inside use or periodic use...PROpane hands down :thumb:

...outside work in gravel or dirt, then JD Diesel Industrial models win there :thumb:

...we filled all of our own propane cylinders and one standard size tank can be filled easily in less than 2 minutes :thumb:

...as a side note relative to a previous post...Ethanol is not a problem whatsoever in gasoline blends and does no damage at all...

...however, if you have, or have previously had water, rust, varnish or poor quality fuel in your system...you may experience some unwanted effects due to the condition of the system PRIOR to using gasoline with Ethanol...

...contrary to conventional wisdom...this is NOT, nor ever has been the "fault" of modern day gasoline/Ethanol blends...FACT: it is 100% a system contamination/integrity issue, not an Ethanol issue

Ethanol is like most alcohols. It absorbs atmospheric water because it has a hydroxide ion.

Water will dissolve certain things (like metal) that gasoline or pure alcohol won't. Hence why alcohol in your fuel is a risk.

Ethanol is a crappy motor fuel. Use MTBE if you want to boost octane without lead. MTBE can't absorb water even if it wanted to. Not miscible.

I've run both ethanol mixes, toluene, and MTBE to achieve 100+ octane, and I can tell you that all things being the same, the MTBE is going to run faster at high compression.

Now for running ag or industrial equip, the HP isn't critical. But the water certainly is.

Biodiesel is good solution to renewable fuel. Ethanol is a step backwards.