A hand pallet truck is one of the hardest-working pieces of kit in any warehouse — and one of the most neglected. Left unserviced, the symptoms are familiar: the forks won't lift, the truck creeps down under load, or the steering goes stiff. Most of those problems are preventable with a few minutes of routine care. This guide covers how to look after a manual pallet truck, the simple checks that keep it working, the common faults and their likely causes, and where pallet truck maintenance sits within your legal duties under PUWER.
Why pallet truck maintenance matters
A pallet truck is lifting work equipment. When the hydraulics, wheels or steering degrade, you get downtime, damaged loads and — more seriously — a safety risk to the operator and anyone nearby. Routine maintenance does three things: it keeps the truck lifting and rolling reliably, it extends the life of the unit so you replace it less often, and it helps you meet the inspection and maintenance duties that apply to lifting and handling equipment at work. None of it is complicated; the value is in doing it consistently.
Routine checks: daily, weekly and periodic
Build a simple routine around how hard the truck works. As a sensible starting point:
- Before each shift (quick visual): check the forks raise and lower smoothly and hold the load without creeping; check the wheels turn freely and aren't picking up debris, banding or shrink-wrap; check the handle and pump feel solid with no obvious oil leaks; check there's no visible damage to the forks or chassis.
- Weekly: clean the truck down, clear the load wheels and steer wheels of wrapped film and grit, and wipe the pump assembly. Look underneath for oil weeping from the hydraulic unit.
- Periodically (monthly to quarterly, depending on use): lightly grease the moving linkages, axles and pivot points; check the load-wheel and steer-wheel condition for flats and wear; check the lower/raise control operates correctly through its full range; and confirm the hydraulic oil level if the unit allows it.
Keep a brief log of these checks. It takes seconds and gives you a record of when each truck was last looked at — useful for spotting a unit that's wearing faster than the rest.
Common faults and likely causes
The truck won't lift, or lifts only part-way
The usual culprits are low or contaminated hydraulic oil, trapped air in the hydraulic system, or a worn seal. Air in the system is common after the unit has been laid on its side for transport — working the pump through several full strokes with no load often bleeds it through. Persistent failure to lift usually points to a hydraulic unit that needs servicing or reconditioning.
The forks sink or creep down under load
If a loaded truck slowly lowers itself, that's typically a worn or dirty seal or valve in the hydraulic unit letting oil bypass. It rarely fixes itself and is a clear sign the pump assembly needs attention before the truck is used for anything that has to stay raised.
The forks won't lower
Often a maladjusted lowering control — the release lever or its linkage out of adjustment — or a sticking valve. Check the handle's lower/neutral/raise positions are set correctly before assuming a deeper fault.
Stiff or stuck steering and dragging wheels
Almost always debris: shrink-wrap, strapping and grit wind around the wheel axles and seize them. Cutting it away and cleaning the axles restores most of it. Flats, splits or worn tyres on the load or steer wheels cause rumbling and hard steering and mean the wheels need replacing.
Oil leaks
Any persistent oil weep from the hydraulic unit shortens its life and eventually causes lift failure. Treat a leak as a service item rather than topping up and carrying on.
When to service, repair or replace
Day-to-day cleaning, greasing and wheel clearing are operator tasks. Hydraulic faults — won't lift, creeps down, internal leaks — are a service job: the pump unit is often replaceable or reconditionable, and on a sound chassis that's usually worth doing. Replace the truck when the chassis or forks are bent or cracked, when repeated repairs cost more than a new unit, or when a truck no longer suits the job (for example, you've outgrown a manual truck and need a powered pallet truck). If you're weighing up a like-for-like replacement, our pallet trucks range covers manual, weigh-scale, high-lift and stainless options, and our manual vs electric guide helps you decide whether to step up to powered handling.
Maintenance and your legal duties (PUWER)
Under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER), employers must keep work equipment maintained in efficient working order and in good repair, and ensure it's used safely by trained, competent people. For pallet trucks that means a maintenance regime appropriate to how the truck is used, pre-use checks by operators, and acting on faults rather than running equipment that's known to be defective. A pallet truck found to be unsafe should be taken out of service until it's repaired. This article is general guidance — follow the manufacturer's instructions for your specific truck and base your regime on your own risk assessment.
Frequently asked questions
Why won't my pallet truck lift?
The most common causes are low or contaminated hydraulic oil, air trapped in the hydraulic system, or a worn seal. Air often clears by working the pump through several full strokes with no load on the forks. If it still won't lift, the hydraulic unit needs servicing.
Why does my pallet truck slowly lower under load?
Creeping down usually means a worn or dirty seal or valve inside the hydraulic unit allowing oil to bypass. It won't cure itself — have the pump assembly serviced before using the truck for loads that need to stay raised.
How often should a pallet truck be serviced?
There's no single fixed interval — it depends on how hard the truck works. Operators should do a quick visual check before use; clean and clear the wheels weekly; and grease linkages and check wheels and hydraulics periodically (monthly to quarterly for busy units). Keep records and service hydraulic faults as they arise, in line with PUWER and the manufacturer's instructions.
How do I free up stiff steering?
Stiff steering is nearly always debris wound around the wheel axles — shrink-wrap, strapping and grit. Cut it away and clean the axles. If the wheels are flatted, split or worn, replace them.
This is general maintenance guidance only. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions for your specific pallet truck, take defective equipment out of service, and base your maintenance and inspection regime on your own risk assessment.