Slightly upgraded Taylor forklift

[Frank S]

For the past 8 years I have sought to get my old Taylor forklift back in my possession.
As of today it is in front of my shop.
the forklift left the factory in September of 1968 with a 22,000lb lift cap, the drive tires were 14.00 x24 the steer tires were 12.00 x20.
hyd pressure setting at 1500PSI but with the 7" lift cylinder it could lift a lot more than it had counter weight for about 28,000 lbs to be exact.
These old lift trucks were designed to be upgraded as the user needed the mast and forks were capable of 45 to 60K out of the box.
Somewhere along the life of the little forklift I named Big Bertha someone had replaced the steer tires with 425/65-22.5 24 ply and the drive tires with 23x21s
In the 1980s it belonged to the Gooch Research and development company or G.R.A.N.D. while contract welding there I welded on a slab of 4 1/4" thick steel to increase the amount of counter weight by about 2000lbs, the hydraulic pressure setting had previously been reset to 2200PSI.
the lift cylinder had been replaced with a 7.5" diameter cylinder. With that cylinder and the pressure setting if you stacked another 10,000 lbs of weight on the back it could and has lifted over 48,000 lbs
I acquired the forklift the first time in 1992 had to replace the drive tires in 2000 but could not get the 23-21s as they were no longer produced so I up them to 24-21s the same tires used on the Airport fire service vehicles And had to replace 1 of those last week before the forklift could even be moved.
I've spent the past 8 years trying to re acquire the forklift and now here it sits ready to pickup and move time zones forget zip codes it is its own zip code

[Toolmaker51]

It's own ZIP Code; and aircraft warning light........

What's the fork spread and max lift height?

[Frank S]

It's own ZIP Code; and aircraft warning light........

What's the fork spread and max lift height?

The forks are 8ft 4inches long and spread to 8ft outside edge to outside edge
only 12 ft lift height but the tilt is 45° max down and 20° max up from horizontal
In the past I once uprooted a large cotton wood tree with a 24" dia. trunk, by plunging the forks into the ground under the tree and pulling back on the tilt. I had nearly 10,000 lbs additional weight chained to the 8" thick solid steel fenders and over the top of the hood. with the steer tires nearly 4 ft off the ground I started rocking the tilt lever fore and aft causing the forklift to bounce when the 8inch thick tap root finally broke the 50 ft tall tree fell on top of the mast.
man what a ride. Another time I tilted the forks down as far as they would go and used them to dig a 5 ft deep trench.
This thing is wicked strong.
When Bob weighed his truck with it on the trailer he said the forklift weighs a little over 36,000 lbs

[Frank S]

I've already had a few people ask me why on earth would I even want a forklift of this size.
It is the largest forklift in the county for one thing, and I have a shop with the widest door opening in the county as well.
I can if need be, I can move a few things around inside then pick up a semi trailer from the middle and maneuver it though the 48ft wide opening sideways if I had to.
There is not much farm equipment attachments that I won't be able to pick up and carry inside plus it is big enough to flip just about any low bed trailer up on its side or turn it over

[mwmkravchenko]

True love never dies Frank. Amazing machine. Equally amazing that you could get it back after all!

[Frank S]

True love never dies Frank. Amazing machine. Equally amazing that you could get it back after all!

Yep, Now if I could just locate my 50hp Cincinnati vertical mill, my warner & Swayze #5 turret lathe, my Victor 16x40 tool room lathe, my 3HP Bridgeport mill with the ruby lenz DRO and the 5 missing 650 amp mig welders. With the exception of the equipment I took to Kuwait that never returned and the new equipment I bought while over there I would have to build a bigger shop just to house all of it OH, wait I already have plans in the works to add an additional 6000sq ft in a couple of years

[baja]

I`m feeling jealous...my poor long suffering puny little 4,000 lbs Yale has been my workhorse for the last five years but it pales in comparison to yours. Other than moving my not so small steel collection as needed and moving storage containers as new ones arrive, it`s main use is as an adjustable height welding table. I would be lost without it. Great machine, Frank.