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Used Forklift Hours Explained: Key Hours vs. Drive Hours — What Buyers Need to Know
Part 1 of the Simpson Forklift Used Forklift Buying Guide Series By the Simpson Forklift Team
When shopping for a used forklift, one of the first questions buyers ask is, “How many hours does it have?”
It's a good question. But there's another question that's just as important: “What kind of hours are those?”
Whether you're purchasing a used electric forklift for a warehouse in Sacramento or the Bay Area, a used propane forklift for loading and unloading trucks, or a pneumatic-tire forklift for indoor and outdoor applications, understanding the hour meter can help you make a more informed buying decision.
Not all used forklift hour meters measure the same thing. A forklift advertised with 6,000 hours may have spent considerable time powered on but sitting idle. Another forklift with the same reported hours may have spent most of that time actively moving materials.
This is the first article in our three-part Used Forklift Buying Guide Series. We'll explain how to interpret operating hours, what to inspect before buying used equipment, and how to recognize when an existing forklift may need replacing.
What Do the Hours on a Used Forklift Actually Mean?
Unlike a car's odometer, which measures miles traveled, a forklift hour meter measures time associated with specific operating activities. Depending on the manufacturer and model, a forklift may record several types of hours.
Key Hours vs. Drive Hours on a Used Electric Forklift
Key hours generally measure how long the forklift has been powered on.
Imagine an electric warehouse forklift operating in a plumbing supply business. The operator unloads a delivery, moves several pallets, and then waits for the next truck. If the forklift remains powered on during that waiting period, its key-hour meter may continue accumulating time.
Drive hours, sometimes called traction hours, measure time associated with the forklift's travel system operating.
Jacob Simpson offers a simple way to understand the difference:
“Think about turning on your computer in the morning. Just because it's on doesn't mean you're actually using it. It's the same with an electric forklift. Key hours tell you how long it's been powered on, but drive hours tell you when it's actually being operated.”
A machine with relatively high key hours may have spent a substantial portion of its working life powered on without traveling. However, drive hours don't capture every type of equipment use, so buyers should consider other available readings as well.
What Are Hydraulic or Pump Hours?
Some electric forklifts also record hydraulic or pump hours, which measure activity associated with the hydraulic system.
A forklift that frequently lifts and lowers pallets but travels relatively short distances may have a different pattern of hydraulic and drive hours than one used primarily to transport loads across a large warehouse. Together, these readings provide additional context about the forklift's operating history.
What Do North American Industry Sources Say About Forklift Hour Meters?
The distinction between forklift hour readings is recognized in North American equipment documentation.
CLARK Material Handling Company identifies separate work, drive, hydraulic, and key-hour readings in its operator documentation. See the CLARK operator manual (OM-694).
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) provides a sample electric forklift inspection checklist with separate fields for drive-hour and hoist-hour meter readings. See OSHA's sample daily checklists.
Before comparing hours on two used forklifts, make sure you're comparing the same type of hour reading.
Two Used Electric Forklifts With Very Different Hour Readings
Consider two hypothetical used electric forklifts of similar age and capacity.
Hour reading | Forklift A | Forklift B |
Key hours | 8,000 | 5,000 |
Drive hours | 3,000 | 4,500 |
Forklift A has accumulated more powered-on hours, but Forklift B has recorded more drive time. Does that automatically make Forklift A the better used forklift? Not necessarily.
The difference may reflect how each machine was operated, but neither reading establishes its mechanical condition. A buyer should investigate maintenance history, hydraulic use, operating conditions, and overall condition before deciding.
Are Forklift Hours Measured Differently on Electric and Propane Forklifts?
Yes, they can be. On many electric forklifts, the drive motor isn't operating simply because the machine is powered on. On a propane forklift, however, the engine may continue running while the machine is stationary, so idle time can have a different mechanical significance.
Jacob explains:
“With an electric forklift, you can leave it turned on without the drive motor running. But with a propane forklift, if the engine is running while it's sitting there, it's still accumulating engine hours and consuming fuel.”
Buyers shouldn't automatically treat 5,000 electric drive hours as equivalent to 5,000 propane engine hours. The measurements represent different operating activities.
The same caution applies when shopping for a used pneumatic-tire forklift. Pneumatic describes the tire configuration, not the hour-meter measurement. These forklifts may be powered by propane, diesel, or electricity, depending on the model.
Do Forklift Hours Matter More Than Condition?
No. Operating hours are useful, but they don't tell the whole story.
A used warehouse forklift that has spent its working life on smooth concrete floors in a clean indoor environment may have experienced very different conditions from a pneumatic-tire forklift used in a lumberyard, agricultural facility, or outdoor loading area.
Maintenance history, working environment, load demands, and mechanical condition all deserve consideration. OSHA identifies important inspection areas for electric and internal-combustion forklifts, including forks, tires, mast components, hydraulic systems, steering, and brakes. See OSHA's pre-operation inspection guidance.
What Should You Ask Before Buying a Used Forklift?
Whether you're shopping for a used Toyota forklift, Crown forklift, CLARK forklift, or another established brand, ask the seller to clarify the reported hours.
What type of hours does the meter display?
Does the forklift have separate key, drive, or hydraulic-hour readings?
What is known about the forklift's maintenance history?
Was the forklift primarily used indoors or outdoors?
What condition are the mast, forks, tires, and major operating systems in?
Has the equipment been inspected for its intended application?
For a used electric forklift, battery condition and history also deserve attention. For a used propane forklift, engine condition, maintenance history, and overall performance are important considerations.
Don't Buy the Hour Meter. Buy the Forklift.
When buying a used forklift, lower hours can be attractive, but they don't automatically guarantee a better machine. Likewise, higher hours don't necessarily mean a forklift is a poor investment.
The goal is to understand what the hours represent, how the equipment was used, and whether its condition and price make sense for your operation.
At Simpson Forklift, we've spent more than 25 years helping Northern California businesses evaluate and purchase used material-handling equipment. Based in Vacaville, California, we serve customers throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and Greater Sacramento region.
Whether you're looking for a used electric warehouse forklift, a used propane forklift, or a pneumatic-tire forklift, our team can help you evaluate equipment that fits your needs.
Explore Our Used Forklift Buying Guide Series
Part 1: Used Forklift Hours Explained: Key Hours vs. Drive Hours — What Buyers Need to Know Understand what different hour-meter readings actually measure.
Part 2: Buying a Used Forklift? 7 Things to Inspect Before You Buy — Coming Soon Learn which components and operating conditions deserve attention before purchasing a used forklift.
Part 3: 7 Signs Your Forklift Is Getting Tired — Even If It Still Runs — Coming Soon Recognize signs of wear, declining reliability, and increasing maintenance costs before downtime becomes a larger problem.
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