I just bought an older Yale GLC040 model number GLC040ABJUA E083 serial number Y430058. I know the basic info on the unit but was wondering if there was source for complete decode. I believe this to be an '80s model. It has transmission issues so I am hoping to find enough information to find transmission information enough to service and repair. Also would like to find a service manual(digital is fine) but haven't found anything specific to the 040AB. Thanks for any help available. Paul
Upon more digging here's a summary of what I know/suspect... General: Model: Yale GLC040ABJUA E083 Fuel Type: LP Gas (GL) Tires: Cushion (C) Capacity: 4000 lbs (040) Serial Number: Y430058 Year: Early 1980s? Engine and Transmission: Unknown model designators: (ABJ) Engine: Mazda (U) Transmission: Single-speed Automatic (A) Mast: Type: Triplex High Visibility (E) Collapsed Height: 83 inches (083) From what I've been able to dig up it seems there's little traceable on the pre '95 Yale/Hyster forklifts. Is this a correct deduction?
Paul - Yes, the older forklifts are pretty much ignored and forgotten in the records - not helped by forklift manufacturers merging, selling out, getting their forklifts built by other companies, and other corporate wrangles. Forkliftaction forum used to be good, but like most older forums, it seems to have died out slowly - possibly because all the good old knowledgeable forklift guys have passed on. The engine model and the dash layout generally gives some idea of age. I doubt whether there's any available record anywhere of production numbers, year of build, or model number/letter breakdown. Here's a link to a similar question, maybe someone with a degree of knowledge will come back to you, but it appears the forum is relatively dead now. Identify old Yale. - Technical Troubleshooting discussion in Forkliftaction's forums Identify old Yale. . Read this Technical Troubleshooting discussion in Forkliftaction's forums. Post your comment, question or opinion. www.forkliftaction.com
Thanks for the feedback Oz, I appreciate it. I was able to pick up this forklift a couple of days ago now. It was sold in non-running/functioning condition so I was able to get it for less than scrap value would've been. When I arrived the guys that were going to load me had thrown a battery and fuel tank on it and stated that it fired right up after setting for about 6 years, so we drove it over to the trailer, loaded it up and brought it home. After getting it unloaded and going through it a bit I've found the transmission was low on fluid, the master brake cylinder is out, and the park brake cable to the right wheel was broken and misrouted such that it was preventing the shift linkage from shifting completely into forward. I have the master cylinder on the way. Need to go through the brake system once I get the new master in and make sure the creep valve is fully functional. Need to find a brake cable for the right side and it does need tires but otherwise this thing starts and operates really well. I'll try to keep this updated as much as I can for reference as I'm not finding much at all for reference on the GLC040AB lifts. Paul
There used to be a guy named Tom Swift who ran Swift Forklift Services out of Little Rock AR. He sold on eBay as well. He was an old Clark forklift guru, but he knew more than anyone I found, about forklifts in general. However, I suspect he's passed on, and the business is no longer listed at its old address. But what I did find was a company called ForkliftPartsWorld, who deal in parts for many makes of forklifts. But what caught my eye was they use " [email protected] " as their contact email, indicating they either have ties to Tom Swift or his former business. Forklift & Aerial Lift Parts | ForkliftPartsWorld I, too, have a weakness for old forklifts. I've currently got 7 of them - 2 Yales, 2 Clarks, a Cat (Towmotor), a Lansing (made by TCM in Japan) and a Toyota. Only my Lansing is operational, all the rest are awaiting repairs to get them operational again! The old Clarks and Yales are some of the finest and most durable products to ever come out of the U.S.
Thank again Oz. That is a great resource. A little more digging makes it look like Swift Forklift Services is doing business as ForkliftPartsWorld per their returns page ( https://www.forkliftpartsworld.com/returns.asp ). Also per LinkedIn it appears that Lisa Swift is running the company now, I assume Tom's wife or daughter. Well I don't have 7 forklifts yet... setting at 4 now with three Towmotor/Cats and 1 Yale now. The Towmotors are mostly indestructible in the way a hammer is but also just as fine by design. My oldest is a 50's model, all still run and operate to some degree but all do need some work. The Yale with Mazda engine is a major improvement in power, starting and handling over any of the 50's and 60's Towmotors but it is 20-30 years newer too. I'm not sure that Lansing was ever sold in the USA, possibly, I've yet to see one in the wild though. I have an ever growing collection of older skid steers that fit right along the forklifts, also from the 60's and 70's. I had a late model John Deere compact track loader for a few years but after running it and hating it I went hard on finding old gas engine wheeled machines and have no regrets on doing that. I guess some of us are just happier with the old "junk" than the latest in fly by wire technology!
No, I don't think Lansing was ever sold in the U.S. Lansing Bagnall were a British company, and they built forklifts for many decades. They also purchased another British forklift manufacturer, Henley Forklifts in 1976, and expanded their range in the larger forklift sizes. Lansing Bagnall - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org Lansing Bagnall ended up being taken over by Linde in 1989 and it appears that Linde sold some of their Linde forklift line as Lansing Linde in the U.S. However, I suspect at some stage, maybe in the early 1980's, Lansing Bagnall ceased manufacturing forklifts in the U.K. and went into a deal with TCM, whereby TCM provided Lansing Bagnall with a "name-badged" product - because the Lansing FG25 forklift I've got is essentially a TCM forklift. It has a Nissan H20 engine and all Japanese components such as electrical/lighting, and it's a very good little machine. Here's an identical one that sold at auction here in Oz, last year.
I knew Tom Swift and dealt with him at Clarklift of Arkansas before he came out to the full Tom Swift. I bought over phone, and picked up at various other places . Tom was a good man to know, all his dealing with me were on the up and up. It was always just like he described it. Strange, I am 88 years old and sold my operation to a Nissan dealer. Operated from 9/1979 to 10/1992. and dealt with Tom during the latter years. He was a good source of cwts and uprights. Made a lot of $ changing C500 355's from 40's to 55'S with a TSU over the standard 83/130. Would then sell the 83/130 to a farmer to make him a tractor lift for what I had in the TSU from Tom. Old days, Old ways...