Check the replacement quote first
Ask the forklift or battery supplier exactly what its quote covers. Delivery, fitting, removing the old battery and taking it away can all be separate items. If the supplier only fits the new one, book the old battery's collection before the changeover date.
If the forklift or battery is leased, check the lease terms before anything is thrown out.
Identify the old traction battery
Write down the battery type, model and weight from the label or the service records. The forklift brand alone is not enough. Do not guess the type from its age or colour. If the label is hard to reach, ask the service technician.
Note any leaks, swelling, cracked cases or impact damage. A damaged battery needs to be looked at before it joins a normal load.
Decide who does the lifting
The WorkSafe Victoria forklift safety guidebook says battery changes should be done by trained, authorised people in a suitable place.
Decide who removes the battery, where it will sit and who loads it onto the truck. If a crane or forklift is needed, check it can handle the weight. Do not make up lifting points, and do not drain or pull the battery apart to make it lighter.
Show the route through the site
Photograph where the change will happen and the route to the truck. Show narrow doors, uneven floors, low ceilings and foot traffic.
Pick a spot to leave the old battery where it will not block vehicles or emergency exits. If the forklift being repaired is the only one on site, say so. It may not be free to load its own battery.
Choose where it goes
Ask the battery supplier whether it takes the old one back, and compare that with an industrial battery collector. Council and retail battery points are for small batteries, not traction units.
On collection day
Follow the packing and strapping instructions you are given. Keep the old battery apart from general workshop material and any spares you are keeping.
Name one person on site who can confirm the right battery is going. If the changeover is delayed, or the battery comes out in worse condition than expected, tell the collector before the truck is sent.
If other old equipment is leaving at the same time, list motors and transformers separately. The materials we work with page covers other items.
What Crex does
Crex's industrial battery removal service prices each job by battery count, weight and access, including any crane or forklift needed. We collect it, and it is recycled. Lithium batteries are not handled.
Tell us what you've got before you lock in the changeover date. Prices come back by email once the battery details are assessed.