Pallet jack; manual or electric

Or the ones with flat spotted wheels. I had one of those on one trip. ANGER MANAGEMENT TIME!!!!!

 

[QUOTE="semi" retired;4442298]Hi PJ, that's true. Sometimes, I'd grab a pallet jack, and the wheels were so chock full of string and shrink wrap, they hardly turned.[/QUOTE]

If you have your own, you can (and should) perform preventative maintenance, removing the string and debris from around the wheels, and occasionally hitting the grease zerks. Stuff that should be done whether your pallet jack is manual or electric. Of course, somebody should be doing that on the company-owned equipment, good luck with that.

 

This. I had a grooved floor for far too long and just dealt with it. But recently got a lightly used electric (I think it's this model - and my life got a whole lot easier. Plenty of other sound advice here, but the surface is a huge deal.

 

You can almost buy a used small forklift for what electric pallet jacks cost. Also, if you buy a used electric pallet jack, make sure at least the battery is fairly new. A new battery will cost more than the jack is worth.

At our warehouse, trailers are sloping slightly toward the dock when backed to the dock. A heavy load on a pallet jack is hard to push into the trailer and can get away from you coming out of the trailer.

 

It's always electric, especially the older ones with a small corner where you can ride on.

However it's been my experience over the years many warehouses have banned that particular device from drivers.

When pallets exceed a ton you have challenges not to get hurt any way you move it.

 

Harbor Freight has manual pallet jacks rated at max 2 tons for under $300.

 

While true, I would not trust Harbor Freight for anything that is used even semi-regular. They are great because they are cheap. They are cheap because they are made with low quality, cheap materials and practices. If I need a tool I'll use 1-2 times a year, sure I'll hit Harbor Freight first. Anything that will see more usage I got and get the real tool.

 

You know everything is made in China right? I have an Ingersoll Rand air compressor that was made there and assembled in the US. They're cheap because they're made by people who can live on a dollar a day in wages. For $250 I'd take my chances with one even for daily use.

 

We use a pallet jack in a reefer to move 2400 lbs totes around. As long as you're flat or downhill, it works. Uphill, 1,000 lbs is too much.

Up until about a year ago, the Hyster brand jacks we bought were good, and lasted a couple of years in our (wet and salty) environment. For $400, that worked for us. Then they "improved" things, and one of my guys darn near broke his nose when the handle broke while he was in full push. Plus the wheels don't last anymore. The off brands last about a year.

If anyone has a recommendation for a tough pallet jack, I'm all ears.