Rebuilt Forklift Motor FAQs — Answered

A few weeks ago, we published Is a Rebuilt Forklift Motor Right for You? We received a lot of inquiries so we’re doing a follow-up post to answer some questions we didn’t cover in the first article. 

If you missed the first post, no worries. This article includes a quick recap.

Your electric forklift motor has gone bad. Now what?  You can:

• Retire the forklift and buy a replacement (expensive and time-consuming)
• Buy a used forklift motor (big gamble)
• Get a rebuilt electric forklift motor and get back to work!

Rebuilt Forklift Motors: What You Need to Know

Q. What do I have to do, and how long does it take?

1. Contact MidCo Power
   If you know what you need, we’ll get the parts shipped out ASAP. We’re also happy to guide you through the process and decide if a rebuilt forklift motor is a good option for you.
   
   
2. Send us your faulty motor and we’ll ship you a like-new motor OR we’ll send the parts for your team to do the rebuild in-house. Our turnaround time on rebuilds is 72 hours (usually sooner). Parts orders ship same-day or the next business day at latest.
   
   
3. Technicians install the replacement core and your forklift is back in business.

This one is hard to answer because it depends on the type of motor (AC vs. DC) and other factors. Generally speaking:

• A rebuilt forklift motor costs less than 10% of what a new forklift costs.
• Rebuilt motors cost about 70% less than new electric forklift motors and perform equally well. 

Q: What parts are replaced during the rebuilding process?
Short Answer: Bearings, internal leads if needed. We’ll also check for shorts in the armature and windings. If you have an electric forklift with a DC motor, we’ll replace the brushes and turn armature.

Long Answer: During a standard rebuild, the technician will:

• Inspect the exterior of the motor and shaft
• Disassemble the motor and clean it
• Dry out all parts using a specialized oven
• Identify parts that are still good and can be reused
• Check out the armature on the growler (looking for shorts and moisture)
• Turn the commutator on the armature on, undercut the commutator (DC motors only)
• Install new bearings, brushes and seals (if needed)
• Reassemble the motor and test. 
• Paint the motor

Q: What modifications might be necessary to fit a rebuilt motor?
A: We rebuild OEM motors back to spec. For example, if a Clark motor comes out of your forklift, a Clark motor goes back in. We can either rebuild your motor or ship you a replacement that’s already rebuilt. Browse our forklift motor inventory.

Q: How long will a rebuilt forklift motor last?
A: Depending on the application, age of the truck and how well it’s maintained, you can get anywhere from 1000-10,000 hours out of a rebuilt motor. A lot depends on how well you take care of the truck and the work environment.

Q: When is it better to buy a new forklift motor instead of a rebuilt one?
A: It's rarely cost-effective to put a brand-new OEM motor into a used forklift. If you have an application where your forklift simply can’t go down, it’s better to just buy a new forklift.

Q: When is it better to buy a used electric forklift motor instead of a rebuilt one?
A: Used forklift motors are always buyer beware. With a used forklift motor, you don’t know what happened to that truck. Someone might have driven it off the dock and the forklift got so banged up they’re parting it out. Is the motor okay? Who knows? 

Why take the chance? Rebuilt motors are only slightly more expensive and, unlike used motors, usually come with a warranty (MidCo Power motors include a 90-day warranty).

Q: When shopping for a rebuilt electric forklift motor, what questions should I ask?
A: If you’re pricing out different options, be sure to ask about labor and core charges in addition to the parts cost. Other important questions to ask include:

• How long has your operation been rebuilding forklift motors?
• Are your technicians experts in motor rebuilds? 
• Do your rebuilt/refurbished motors come with a warranty?

Rebuilding forklift motors isn't something anyone can do, especially if your forklift has a DC motor. MidCo Power has been rebuilding electric forklift motors for more than 35 years. We do newer AC motors, but we’re also experts in DC motor rebuilds.

Q: Will a rebuilt motor perform as well as a new one?
A: Our goal is to make your old forklift motor as like-new as possible. That said, a rebuilt motor isn’t the same as a brand-new one. We leverage the core and components to extend your forklift’s life, but the parts will eventually fail.

Q: What is the warranty on a rebuilt motor?
A: We provide a 90-day warranty on parts and labor.

Send us your motor and we’ll return it to like-new condition within 72 hours (usually within 48 hours). If you have an in-house team to handle the repair, we can ship a like-new motor anywhere in the U.S. — within hours. 

We regularly stock 24V, 36V and 48V drive, lift and steer motors from the manufacturers listed below, but we can service any make or model — not just the big-name brands. We have options no one else has and offer high-quality motors backed by a warranty.

• Advanced
• Caterpillar
• Clark 
• Crown
• EDCO
• General Electric
• Hyster
• Inmotion
• Leeson
• Nissan
• Nikko
• Ohio
• Raymond
• Toyota
• Western
• Yale

Browse Forklift Motor Inventory — In-Stock, Ready to Ship

Q. Who is MidCo Power?
MidCo Power is formerly B&B Motors. We’ve been in the game for 35 years, way before electric forklifts were popular. We have the expertise and the inventory to keep your forklifts running smoothly and efficiently. In addition to rebuilding electric forklift motors and pumps, we rewind field coils, repair forklift batteries and chargers and more.

Save Time and Money with MidCo Power

We know downtime is costly. Our goal is to get you up and running ASAP. Count on us for extremely fast turnaround times, transparent pricing and honest, straightforward answers.

Contact us online or talk to an actual human at 253-216-0050. We’ll get your trusty forklift back on the floor with years of life back in it.

Related Reading:

• Is a Rebuilt Forklift Motor Right for You?
  
• Get Paid to Charge Your Electric Equipment
  
• Forklift Motor and Battery Repair