Keys To Keeping Hand Trucks In Optimal Condition Over The Years

Posted on: 1 November 2022

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One of the more versatile material-handling tools your company could invest in is a hand truck. It might have a simple design, but it can help you lift a lot of weight in a convenient manner. If your company already relies on hand trucks each day to complete key work operations, here are some ways you can keep this equipment in great shape long-term.

Don't Overload It

You can move a lot of weight with a hand truck around a work environment, but you still don't want to expose this equipment to too much weight. If you go over its intended weight capacity, you'll more than likely damage it structurally. For instance, you may bend a portion of the hand truck and thus have to repair it.

For these reasons, find out how much weight your hand truck is supposed to lift safely, and then never go over this range. This is a great way to safeguard said material handling equipment from severe structural damage. 

Don't Let Rust Continue to Develop

If you've had the same hand truck for years, it may finally have rust develop around some spots. You don't want to leave this problem alone because it can eventually break down your hand truck to the point where it's no longer usable. You want to treat any signs of rust you see quickly with the approved rust-removal products.

They're easy to find today and not even difficult to use. Just make sure you're thorough in your removal tactics, getting rid of as much rust as you can so that it doesn't come back shortly after. As long as you deal with rust quickly, you'll get a lot of years out of a hand truck.

Verify Wheels Remain Properly Aligned

An important aspect of how hand trucks move materials around is the wheels at the bottom. Ideally, they need to have the proper alignment to move safely in the right direction. Wheel alignment is something you can easily check periodically.

You just need to inspect the wheels and make sure they're lined up straight. If they ever get out of alignment, you'll want to have this equipment professionally repaired so you can continue using it without any issues. 

If you move materials with hand trucks, keeping this equipment in sound shape is something you'll want to succeed with because it will reduce repair and replacement costs. Proactive maintenance that targets the right aspects of these hand trucks will suffice.  

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