Original Forklifts Parts vs Generic Lift Truck Parts – Understanding the difference

Forklift manufacturers, like Toyota, build their material handling equipment using parts that are specifically manufactured for their own product line. This means Toyota Branded parts are specifically designed and engineered to meet the original manufacturer’s specifications and will not work in any other makes of lift trucks like a Hyster or Mitsubishi. This, in turn, leads to the exact fit and finish of all your Toyota OE replacement parts. The only other option to original manufactured parts is purchasing generic forklift parts. Generic forklift parts are a cheaper alternative and are easily assessable through any forklift dealership or aftermarket lift truck parts supplier.

If you are purchasing generic forklift parts you should be aware that these grey market parts, clones, or knock-offs which they are commonly referred to, are usually not manufactured to exact OE specs. These parts are designed and developed to fit a range of applications, not one specific application. Essentially, this means if a tune up part such as a wire set is purchased; it will be manufactured to fit a few different forklift lines. Possible problems that may occur include incorrect wire length, incorrect electrical resistance, ill-fitting spark plug boots, premature wear etc. Bottom line, how can one part designed to fit many applications give you maximum performance? Another fact to consider is that often times third-party technicians using generic parts may incur lengthier repair time due to time spent modifying or adjusting the aftermarket part to fit the application.  Therefore by purchasing generic parts, you will incur greater downtime, lengthier and more costly repairs throughout the service life of your lift truck.

The overall performance of the truck is also enhanced when using original genuine quality parts. For example, a flashlight using a Duracell battery will perform better and last longer than one using a less expensive generic brand.

Here is a list where OEM forklift parts are superior to generic brands:

• Tune-up parts –such as distributor caps, rotators, spark plugs, wire sets
• Brake components –such as brake shoes, wheel and mast cylinders,
• Electric components- such as starters and alternators
• Fuel and Air filters

Liftow offers genuine Toyota forklift parts. Each Toyota part has gone through a thorough quality control system that makes certain that every Toyota component is constructed to the same exacting tolerances and strict quality control standards as the part it replaces. In order to ascertain optimum performance and maximum trade-in value for your investment, it is best to maintain your lift truck with Toyota Genuine Parts.