M10a rough terrain forklift

[TylerBL]

Hi there, I‘m hoping someone may be able to answer a few questions about the M10A rough terrain forklift. A small equipment seller close by has two of the M10‘s. Both are 1983 models and are pretty much identical. One has 2500 hours, the other has 1500 hours. My biggest question is how much will these actually lift? I know it’s rated for 10k, but a 37k pound machine should lift a lot more than that. If the M10‘s are the Dresser 530, it should lift about 21k pounds. If they are Dresser 540’s, they should lift around 27k pounds. I need a machine to lift about 20k pounds, I’m moving large landscape rocks/boulders. Other questions are: Are these good machines? Any problems to look for? The machine with 2500 hours has coolant around number 1 injector that has run down to the oil pan, is this a possible cracked head or just some type of seal around the injector leaking? I’m not very familiar with the 466 engines.
Thanks for any help

 

[fuzzytoaster]

I run several of these machines daily in a commercial capacity. Yes they are a Dresser 530C. They will handle 10,000 lbs and freely move over most terrain. They can dead lift about 14,000-16,000 by static load before the rear comes off the ground. You will not be able to steer them over 14,000 lbs as they are. I have concerns about lifting 20,000 lbs even if you modified it.

They are tough, slow, and brutish machines that will keep going with basic maintenance. Parts are scarce if not down right non-existent due to Komatsu buying the right to the machine a long time ago and trying to kill them off due to competition. They still had to support the machine for military contracts and is basically the only way to get the complex parts: injection pump, etc.

Problems to look for will be mainly leaks and age of material ranging from fan clutch failure to brake system diaphragms failing. Like I said, they're tough but not invincible.

 

[canadacountry]

I'll have to agree with @fuzzytoaster as 10k vs 24k is rather too huge a safety gap, if you really need to do 20+k then look for a different tractor/seller

"are tough, slow" that very much quotes many 1980's diesel cars/pickups that had an industrial (rather than designed by car company) diesel under the hood especially from perkins. not a lot of power but they really kept going and going!

 

[TylerBL]

Thank you for the input. It’s hard to find much info about these machines and I can understand why if Komatsu was trying to get rid of the competition. I don’t want to spend money on a machine that won’t handle what I need it to do and can’t get parts for it.
Thanks