Taylor TX 520 Forklift Maintenance Plan saves North American Steel Company Thousands, and Downtime
The Taylor TX 520 Series forklifts are renowned for their durability and high load capacity, making them ideal for handling heavy materials in demanding industries. Designed to haul very heavy loads, with capacities often exceeding 50,000 pounds, the TX 520 Series is ideal for industries that require the movement of large, heavy materials.
Such is the case for one of Heavy Duty Transaxle’s clients, a large North American steel company, where a fleet of Taylor forklifts is used in their 24/7 operation, shuttling the raw and finished product from the line to the yard, to the truck and the rail. It can be argued that the forklift is the lynchpin in their entire supply chain; without it, production grinds to a halt.
For this reason, the client was eager to collaborate with Heavy Duty Transaxle on a maintenance plan that ensures their fleet operates continuously.
All Taylor TX 520 forklifts are equipped with AxleTech PRLC1794W4H planetary rigid axles designed for heavy-duty applications. With a capacity range of up to 130,000 pounds, the PRLC1749W4H is highly suited for lift truck applications and other heavy-duty uses. As a genuine AxleTech supplier, Heavy Duty Transaxle is one of the few companies in the world that has the knowledge and inventory to complete an entire rebuild using genuine AxleTech components.
To build the initial stock, Heavy Duty Transaxle delivered a completely rebuilt axle and all the necessary drivetrain components, all ready to be swapped in the event of a breakdown. Because the initial destination is a shelf, each item is cosmolined to prevent rusting.
When a breakdown occurs, the broken axle is sent back to Heavy Duty Transaxle for a rebuild. The team strips the entire unit down, checks all the components and specifications, and rebuilds it using genuine AxleTech parts. Bearings and seals are replaced, new differential and wheel ends are put in, and the brakes are rebuilt with all new friction discs, steel discs and seals. In a hard use application such as a steel mill, it’s not uncommon for some of the housings to be bent beyond repair, so the castings are often replaced as well.
Where other rebuild houses may clean the housing and paint over it, Heavy Duty Transaxle strips the paint to the bare metal, inspecting for cracks in the housing and other defects that are impossible to spot when covered with paint.
The entire rebuild process takes about 3 weeks to complete and saves the client an estimated 40% of the cost of buying a replacement axle from Taylor. Having ready-to-go units on the shelf ensures that in the event of a breakdown, their forklift downtime is just 1-2 days.
In the end, the customer saves not only downtime, but they avoid the cost and time it takes for their highly-skilled team to attempt a rebuild themselves. Additionally, Heavy Duty Transaxle offers a full factory warranty.
The Taylor TX 520 forklift is the gold standard in heavy haul applications for a reason; it’s underpinned by genuine AxleTech parts. But when those components break down, smart companies rely on a maintenance plan from Heavy Duty Transaxle to get them back in business.