FD400 40 Ton Shipyard Logistics Heavy Duty Forklift With Twin Front Tyre Assembly

Shipyards combine the worst of both worlds: salt water corrosion on one side and impact loads from steel blocks on the other. The FD400S addresses that combination with a marine grade coating system including zinc rich primer and cavity wax, sealed and greased pivot pins, twin front tyre assemblies that spread a 40 tonne load over a wider footprint, and a 4500 mm mast with an extra tilt cylinder for block alignment. Fork heels are reinforced and the carriage uses bolted rather than welded fork mounts, so impact damage is repaired by replacing a component instead of cutting structure.

• Twin Front Tyre Assembly Four front tyres in a twin arrangement spread the 40 tonne load, reducing point pressure on quay slabs and improving stability during block alignment.
• Marine Corrosion Package Zinc rich primer, two pack topcoat, sealed cavity wax and stainless fasteners resist salt spray in quayside operation.
• 4500 mm Mast with Dual Tilt Two tilt cylinders give finer control when aligning a hull block on keel blocks, where a few millimetres matter.
• Bolted Fork Mounts Fork mounts are bolted rather than welded so impact damage is repaired by component replacement, avoiding structural cutting on site.
• Reinforced Fork Heels Fork heels carry an increased section thickness to survive the repeated impact of sliding under steel blocks on uneven surfaces.
• Quayside Safety Fit Load moment limiter, reversing camera, blue spot pedestrian warning and dual work light bars are standard for night shift block movement.

Shipyards and offshore fabrication yards moving hull blocks, outfitted modules and heavy steel assemblies between fabrication halls and slipways. The twin front tyre arrangement and marine protection package also suit quayside logistics operators handling project cargo in coastal environments where standard paint systems fail within three to four years.

A shipyard in Nantong moved hull blocks averaging 34 tonnes with a combination of a 150 tonne crawler crane and rail transfer. Two FD400S units took over inter bay block movement, reducing crane dependency by 60 percent. After three years of quayside operation the first unit showed no structural corrosion at the frame or mast base, and the yard standardised its specification for future purchases.

SLD is a specialised heavy lift forklift manufacturer with a product range from 12 to 45 tonnes and a factory footprint of 86,000 square metres. The plant includes a mast welding line, a 200 tonne vehicle test station and a full paint and assembly hall, supported by 320 production staff and 40 engineers. Around 65 percent of annual output is exported to over 70 countries, and the company maintains CE, ISO 9001 and SGS certifications with annual third party inspection. Service parts are stocked in four regional warehouses.

Eighteen years of building counterbalance trucks shows in the details. Early units in this series went into steel coil yards in 2011, and the driveline, mast section and hydraulic cooling package have been revised nine times based on that field data. Weld procedures follow ISO 3834 practice, each mast is load tested at 125 percent of rated capacity, and every truck completes a 4 hour run in test before shipment. Warranty return rate on the heavy lift range sits below 1.8 percent across the last three production years.

Q: How does the twin front tyre assembly affect turning?
Turning radius increases by roughly 400 mm compared with a single tyre configuration, and minimum intersecting aisle becomes 12 m for a 20 ft load.

Q: Can the corrosion package be applied to other models?
Yes. The marine coating system can be specified on any heavy lift model from 16 to 40 tonnes, adding approximately two weeks to the build schedule.

Q: What is the load moment limiter threshold?
The system warns at 95 percent of the published capacity curve and restricts lift beyond 100 percent, with the curve calibrated to the twin tyre configuration.

Q: How are the fork arms replaced after impact damage?
Fork mounts unbolt from the carriage, so a damaged arm is replaced as a single component. Standard arms are stocked and ship within ten working days.

Q: What shipping arrangement is used?
The machine ships break bulk with the mast and counterweight detached. Twin tyre assemblies travel fitted, with the base unit weighing 34,000 kg at 3,650 mm height.

Shipping follows flat rack or break bulk depending on destination port, with the mast folded, forks removed and every hydraulic port sealed against moisture. Delivery is 30 working days from confirmed order. T/T and L/C payment terms apply, minimum order one unit. A 12 month or 2,000 hour warranty covers the frame, mast, transmission and hydraulic system, and the export team provides loading supervision, fumigation certificates and a two year recommended spare parts schedule with the shipment.