I just purchased an older Clark Forklift and I was hoping somebody could help me identify what the model number is for this thing, based on the photos. I have looked everywhere I can to find the model/serial and I think they are long gone. Not on the mast, dash, left chassis, or around the seat. I know the carb is a CA 55, if that helps date it
I would guess late 50s early 60s . those were used by many moving& storage warehouses also in grocery wh.s and thats a good looking machine looks to be 3500-4000 lbs model# I don`t know
Probably an early C20 or C25. The carb is aftermarket, as originally this was a gasoline machine, it's been converted to Propane. Look on the top of the frame on either side inside the doors, should be a serial number stamped somewhere. I say that but my CY50B came with no serial number, I have to order parts by number because forklift parts people lock up completely if there are two choices for a master cylinder. Petepilot is correct on the vintage, the mast crossbar style makes it an early machine, newer units just had big torch cut flat plate cross bars behind the upright channels instead of the pipes.
Serious question, I’m not trying to be an a-hole but why would anyone buy such an old machine? Any piece of equipment that old.
Cheap, reliable, easy to maintain and repair, and will likely outlive us all with clean oil in her now and then.
Were i work they have newer stuff i have old stuff. I also have a part time job that i own. If i didnt have older stuff theres no way i could keep up with the repairs. The older stuff is alot more dependable when it comes time to make repairs. Something like this fork lift i can look at it and make a repair the newer one at work when it gos down i have to test and figure out what is wrong. I have a forklift about the same age as this one in the last 17years its been out of action for maybe 2 hours while i made repairs the one at work i spent 16 hour trying to make it run right. It has a problem with its Hydrolics that several lift mechanics has looked at and not been able to fix. Equipment tractors,dozers,trucks and forklifts from day one they tryed to improve them to make them last longer and longer at some time this started changing now its how long does this need to last? A good mechanic can take a old lift like this and make it last another life time. Most anything 50 years old if its hasnt rusted out can be rebuilt and made very usable i dont think that will be said 50 years from now.
Thanks guys for the info. That got me pointed in a good direction. I got to looking around and found it above the right rear tire. Dont know why I missed it. Its a c20. 38E1238 The guy that sold it said that it could do 2500 lbs. What vaporizer, fuel lock, and fuel hose do I need for this guy? Can I still search for fuel parts for a c20 given that is was converted to propane? Do you know what model numbers for those would work for this truck? Do you have a service manual for this guy? Thanks a lot for the help. I am looking to see if I cant get this guy tuned up and running good. Seems like a pretty simple machine (for a guy that does not know the first thing about forklifts). One important thing I would like to know is if the guy will support a 32 in load center @ 1300 lbs? My pallets are about 65 inches long. If I have to, I can get them from the side, but getting them long ways would be better
The propane stuff is generic shouldnt be hard to find.
You have all the pieces there for identification, as Old Doug says it's generic propane gear and is available everywhere on the net or from any decent forklift dealer or parts outlet. Also some propane distributors do installs and repairs. One question though, why would you think it needs any of that stuff? Those components are usually almost totally bulletproof. There are kits available for the convertor for about $20, or the complete unit new on EBAY for about $75, the carb runs around $125 or so, just search on the part number or model there. The fuel lock solenoid and filter are are interchangeable, just get a solenoid valve that matches the battery voltage. Fuel hose is usually made to length by your local hydraulic hose supplier, or again a decent propane distributor or forklift dealer. So, what's it doing/not doing that makes you think it needs work on the propane gear? That's a Continental flathead engine, maybe even a Y112 in a machine that small. Usually the rating would be 2,500 pounds at 24" load center, sometimes the smaller machines would be rated in closer, but you're probably okay with 1,300 at 32" I'm not suggesting this, but it's fairly common on these older machines to see some yard art additional counterweight metal hanging off the back end to help keep the steer tires in touch with the ground.
Many of us can and will fix them cheap. A lot of satisfaction in resurrecting an old machine. Why pay a ton of money for something we use occasionally at home?
Thanks lantraxco, Old Doug, and old-iron-habit. I get a couple pallets every two weeks so a little guy like this in my back pocket will help a lot. Also the $1250 for it and the fact that it runs helps. ;-) I dont plan to use it a bunch, so yeah, cheap helps The engine runs a little rough and smells of propane after its been sitting. A tech suggested I take a look at replacing the lock and the vaporizer. Also, the seller told me the starter is a little iffy, so I need to work on that as well. I have read on this site that the CA 55 likes to gum up so I figured it could use a cleaning. Are there any instructions/tips on repairing/rebuilding these parts. Maybe I am going about this wrong, but I figured I would get the fuel supply squared away and known good. Are there any service manuals for this thing? Thanks everybody for the help. I am mostly a computer geek, so buying and repairing a forklift from the 50s is kind of next level stuff for me. ;-) I do work on cars, but never touched a forklift before. Real nice knowing there are gents such as yourselves out there.
It's really not much different than a really old car, lol.
The oldest thing I have worked on is doing an engine swap on my 96 Mustang. LOL
on propane units, the vaporiser eventually/usually builds up internally with waxy crap over time as a result of the heat generated by the engine coolant circulating through the vaporiser used to aid in the transition from liquid to gas( high pressure liquid to low pressure gas). unless yours does not have coolant circulating through it. debris and crap also gets trapped in the in-line strainer/filter if it has one. the vaporiser can be taken apart, cleaned and resealed with a rebuild kit. any fabricated hoses used for propane use should be labeled/certified by the manufacturer. this assumes that a proper conversion was done by a qualified installer and not a cobbled-together unit
If you take any thing apart on the propane side wear 2 pairs of rubber gloves or your hands will smell for days.
on the other hand, most of us old mechanics have smelly hands on a regular basis . my wife can't stand the smell of solvent, diesel fuel, gasoline, handcleaner, old gear oil, and most of the other stuff i use or work on
Third pic, hose into the round device, it into the lock off... Round device is the LP filter. Somewhere in your working on it, disassemble and clean the bronze inside with solvent.
But can you get parts, like say the hydraulic control valves were worn would parts even be available? I imagine it would be very hard to find parts on some of these old ones.
Not really, try and find parts for a Strato-lift scissor lift. Besides the pq joystick and generic relays/switches you won’t find any parts available. My job is mostly hyster and Yale forklifts and even some old hyster’s some parts are just not available anymore.
Subscribe to Material Handling Wholesaler. Magazine/paper full of good info on theindustey plus great leads on Used/dismantlers, after market parts, and rebuilders.
Clark and Hyster parts are mostly still available and used parts can often be found. For an old lift you can almost always adapt a new off the shelf hydraulic valve, they're bone simple and it's just plumbing.
LMAO! I've never even heard of a Strato-lift, you probably couldn't get parts for it when it was new? It's a numbers game, all about how many were produced. Clark and Hyster made LOTS and the models didn't change much for long periods of time. Also mostly used Continental engines, those things were run by the million back in the day. Yale, AC, Towmotor, etc. not so much as they didn't sell as many, at least out in my area. The only real hangup on old forklifts is usually transmission and drive axle parts, they can be a drag to find. Forklifts typically don't self destruct though, in normal business use like a warehouse they're designed to run three shifts a day six days a week for at least five years. The engines are governed so they can't do anything faster than designed, and unless modified, they can't lift more than designed. Old Clarks especially were literally built like tanks. I own a CY50B and a CY250B diesel, both of which are almost as old as I am and will undoubtedly still be running long after I am gone. I am not ashamed to say I love them both! The big mother doesn't get used much, but when you need to pick ten ton for some reason.... it's pretty handy.
You usually find that an older machine is a simpler machine. Parts and specialty tools (if needed) becomes the challenge.