Lexan shield for forklift ?

AL · 2006-01-12T06:04:15+00:00

Not having a dock, I usually pull a pallet out of a truck using a chain. I use a 3/8" grade 70 chain rated for 6600 pounds, but not rated for overhead lifting (which is ok because I'm pulling and not lifting). The chain is crafted with pride in a low wage overseas country that just scored a record trade surplus (you know the one). I can't think of a way to avoid having this chain be at eye-level when under tension. I need to see in order to drive the forklift (ie. the height of my head is fixed) and the chain needs to be wrapped around the pallet (ie. the height of the chain is fixed). I'm afraid one day it is going to break while under tension and hit me the in the face (and knock out teeth, break bones, and put out an eye or two). I'm thinking about putting a piece of polycarbonate (Lexan or equivalent) on the forklift, similar to where a windshield is on a car. I suppose I could use some kind of metal mesh in place of the polycarbonate. Anyone have any thoughts? If you like Lexan, how thick do you think it needs to be? If you like mesh, any leads on where to get it? Any other ideas? I do want to be able to remove it when I'm not pulling a chain.

Jan 12, 2006 40 Replies

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Pat Ford 20 years ago

I put a Canadian tire tow rope through the truck of a buick skylark, I put a 3" nylon line into a 1/2" steel bunkhead. If you find something that doesn't distort when you apply a load patent it. Anything you put a load into will deform, as the loading gets higher the resulting failure will get cooler.

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