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DETERMINING WHAT YEAR YOUR FORKLIFT WAS MANUFACTURED
When assessing a forklift's condition, hours can be a better indicator than age alone. For example, a five-year-old forklift utilized 16 hours a month will usually be in better shape than a one-year-old forklift that was used 8 hours a day every day.
Forklifts can last between 10,000 and 20,000 hours. Although, the longer a forklift is used, the more wear its various components will endure so most don’t last beyond 15,000 hours. Whether you are working on your own equipment or getting service from an authorized dealer, it can be important to know the age of your forklift..
Preventative maintenance is key to a forklift’s longevity. Always perform daily checks, schedule preventative to address any issues right away. Being proactive could help your forklift last an additional 3-5 years longer.
WONDER HOW OLD YOUR FORK TRUCK IS?
There is actually a very easy way to determine the year of a Hyster or Yale forklift. Simply locate the last character (letter) from a Hyster or Yale forklift serial number to see the corresponding year. Hyster and Yale cycle serial numbers cycle through the same letter every 23 years, so you will need to have a general idea of the decade your forklift was built.
NOTE:
Hyster and Yale serial numbers do not end in the letters “I,” “O,” or “Q”. This avoids letters being mistaken for numbers.
S – 1995
T – 1996
U – 1997
V – 1998
W – 1999
X – 2000
Y – 2001
Z – 2002
A – 2003
B – 2004
C – 2005
D – 2006
E – 2007
F – 2008
G – 2009
H – 2010
J – 2011
K – 2012
L – 2013
M – 2014
N – 2015
P – 2016
R – 2017
S – 2018
T – 2019
U – 2020
V – 2021
W – 2022
X – 2023
Y – 2024
Z – 2025
A – 2026
If in doubt, contact a member of the Riekes Equipment Team with your complete model number and serial number and we can confirm the age of the forklift, original specifications or any other pertinent details you may need.