For some reason, the filter on my forklift has started to clog much faster than usual. It used to last several months without any issues, but now, even after a recent replacement, there are already signs that it's not letting oil through properly again. The machine is used in the workshop—which, of course, isn't a sterile environment—but this never caused such problems before. The oil was also changed recently, so I don't understand yet where all this dirt is coming from. What would you check first in a situation like this?
First, check not only the filter itself, but also the condition of the entire hydraulic system. I once had a similar issue after a repair, when a lot of fine metal shavings and dirt were left inside the line. As a result, I had to replace the new filter much sooner than I expected. For the next replacement, I ordered Hengst products at Hydro-Funk (https://hydro-funk.com/hengst), after first checking the part number of the old filter. After that, we flushed the system and checked the oil several times for foreign particles. It turned out that the problem wasn't with the new filter, but rather with what was still circulating in the circuit. It's also worth checking the condition of the seals and connections, especially if the equipment is operating in a dusty environment. After cleaning the system, the filter started lasting much longer.
After experiences like these, I started paying closer attention to how equipment performs immediately after repairs. If the equipment has been sitting idle for a long time, the first few hours of operation sometimes reveal more problems than a routine workshop inspection. That's why I now try to monitor the temperature, noise levels, and how the mechanisms behave for a while after starting it up. This way, I can spot many minor malfunctions before they require major repairs.