Importing an AGV fleet from China does not end when the vehicles arrive at the warehouse.

A more practical question for the maintenance team is:

What parts should we keep locally so a worn component does not stop an entire automated fleet?

Mechanical wear components deserve particular attention because they are exposed to continuous movement, load cycles, floor conditions and daily warehouse traffic.

For a Chinese AGV fleet, the most important items to evaluate include drive tires, steering wheels, hydraulic hoses, seals, lubricants and other regularly serviced mechanical components.

The right spare-parts strategy is not necessarily to purchase large quantities of everything. Instead, the goal is to identify high-wear, low-cost components that can stop vehicle operation if they are unavailable.

How Many Replacement Drive Tires Should I Order With the Initial Chinese AGV Fleet?

There is no universal number because tire consumption depends heavily on:

• Fleet size

• Daily operating hours

• Vehicle payload

• Travel distance

• Floor surface

• Turning frequency

• Acceleration and braking settings

• Tire compound

• Ambient temperature

• Warehouse operating conditions

For an initial fleet purchase, the supplier should provide the expected replacement interval and recommended spare quantity based on the actual vehicle configuration.

A practical approach is to divide spare tires into three categories:

Critical Spares

These should be available locally because a failure can immediately remove an AGV from operation.

Examples may include:

• Drive tires

• Steering wheels

• Load wheels

• Wheel bearings

• Common seals

Planned Maintenance Spares

These can be stocked according to the manufacturer's maintenance schedule.

Examples include:

• Hydraulic hoses

• Hydraulic seals

• Lubricants

• Filters

• Bushings

Low-Frequency Components

These may not need to be held in large quantities locally.

Instead, confirm:

• Manufacturer availability

• Part number

• Lead time

• Emergency shipping options

• Local equivalent availability

The supplier should provide a recommended spare-parts list for the entire fleet, rather than leaving the warehouse to determine quantities independently.

Should I Keep Spare Tires for Every Chinese AGV?

Not necessarily.

If several vehicles use the same wheel and tire specification, a centralized spare inventory can be more efficient.

For example, if a warehouse operates multiple AGVs using the same drive-wheel assembly, the maintenance department can maintain a common pool of replacement units instead of assigning a separate spare set to every vehicle.

However, the spare-parts list should distinguish between:

Complete wheel assembly

and

Replaceable wear component.

A complete wheel assembly may include:

• Tire

• Wheel hub

• Bearing

• Fasteners

• Drive interface

Keeping complete assemblies can significantly reduce repair time, but they occupy more inventory space and cost more.

For critical fleet vehicles, having at least some complete replacement assemblies available may be worthwhile.

Are Hydraulic Hoses From Chinese Automated Forklifts Standard Sizes?

Some hydraulic hoses and fittings may correspond to widely used industrial standards, but the exact specification must be verified for each AGV model.

Do not assume that a hose can be locally replaced simply because its diameter looks standard.

The maintenance team should record:

• Hose internal diameter

• Hose length

• Working pressure

• Burst pressure

• Temperature rating

• End fitting type

• Thread standard

• Fitting orientation

• Hose material

• Minimum bend radius

This information should be included in the supplier's spare-parts documentation.

Why Hydraulic Hose Compatibility Matters

An apparently compatible hose can still be unsuitable if its pressure rating, fitting thread or temperature specification is incorrect.

For autonomous forklifts, hydraulic components can also affect lift performance and load handling.

Therefore, replacement parts should meet the manufacturer's specified technical requirements rather than being selected solely according to physical dimensions.

Can I Source Hydraulic Wear Parts Locally?

Potentially, and this can be an important way to reduce long-term maintenance lead times.

Before importing the fleet, ask the Chinese manufacturer whether commonly replaceable hydraulic components can be sourced from international suppliers.

Request the original:

• Manufacturer

• Part number

• Specification

• Material

• Pressure rating

• Connection standard

• Replacement interval

If the component is a standard industrial item, the US maintenance team may be able to maintain a local source.

If it is a proprietary component, it is better to include additional units in the initial spare-parts order.

What Gear Oil Should Be Used in the Main Drive Assembly?

Do not select gear oil solely by choosing a familiar industrial brand.

The correct lubricant depends on the gearbox and drive-system design.

The Chinese manufacturer should specify at least:

• Lubricant type

• Viscosity grade

• Performance classification

• Operating temperature range

• Required quantity

• Initial fill quantity

• Replacement interval

• Approved equivalent products

For example, the supplier may specify a particular viscosity grade or gearbox lubricant standard.

If the manufacturer permits equivalent products, the maintenance team can potentially purchase an approved local lubricant instead of importing small quantities from China.

However, the manufacturer's maintenance documentation should remain the primary reference.

Should I Stock Backup Optical Laser Lenses?

This depends on the actual sensor design.

A laser-based navigation system does not necessarily have a separately replaceable “lens” that maintenance personnel can swap like a conventional camera lens.

The relevant spare may instead be:

• Protective optical cover

• Scanner window

• Complete laser scanner

• Camera module

• Sensor assembly

This distinction is important.

If the navigation sensor itself is a critical proprietary component, keeping one complete replacement unit locally may provide much more value than storing several inexpensive optical covers.

The maintenance team should therefore obtain the exact sensor BOM from the Chinese manufacturer.

Which Mechanical Parts Should I Prioritize?

For a typical autonomous forklift fleet, the initial mechanical spare-parts review should cover:

The actual list should be customized against the vehicle's BOM.

What Spare-Parts Information Should the Chinese Factory Provide?

Before shipment, request a complete spare-parts catalog containing:

Mechanical Information

• Part number

• Part name

• Manufacturer

• Specification

• Material

• Dimensions

• Compatible vehicle model

Maintenance Information

• Recommended replacement interval

• Inspection interval

• Lubrication requirements

• Installation procedure

• Required tools

• Torque specifications where applicable

Procurement Information

• Unit price

• Minimum order quantity

• Estimated lead time

• Recommended stock quantity

• International shipping method

• Whether the part can be sourced locally

This information allows the US maintenance department to determine which components should be purchased from China and which can be obtained domestically.

How Much Spare Inventory Should I Keep?

A useful way to calculate the initial stock level is to consider three variables:

Fleet size + expected consumption + supplier lead time

For example, a warehouse with a small fleet and very short Chinese replacement lead time may need less inventory than a 24/7 distribution center where one disabled AGV can create a significant operational bottleneck.

Critical components should receive a higher inventory priority when:

• They can stop the entire vehicle

• They have long international lead times

• They are proprietary

• They are difficult to substitute locally

• They are relatively inexpensive compared with the cost of downtime

This means a $500 critical component can sometimes deserve more attention than a $5,000 component that is rarely needed and readily available.

Should I Buy the Spare-Parts Kit Inside the First Container?

For a new Chinese AGV deployment, this can be an efficient approach.

Adding an initial spare-parts package to the original purchase order avoids having to arrange a separate international shipment immediately after commissioning.

The initial package can focus on:

High-wear + critical + long-lead-time components.

The supplier can then provide a recommended quantity based on the fleet size and expected operating hours.

It is also worth negotiating whether the manufacturer can provide a discounted startup spare-parts package as part of the AGV contract.

What Should Be Locally Stocked vs. Imported From China?

A simple decision framework is:

Stock Locally

Choose local inventory when the component is:

• Frequently replaced

• Easy to store

• Relatively inexpensive

• Available from multiple suppliers

• Critical to vehicle uptime

Stock From China

Consider importing additional units when the component is:

• Proprietary

• Vehicle-specific

• Difficult to identify locally

• Long-lead-time

• Critical to AGV operation

Keep Limited Quantities

For expensive, low-failure components, consider keeping one strategic spare rather than maintaining large inventory.

This is particularly relevant to electronic and sensor assemblies.

Build the Spare-Parts Plan Before the AGVs Ship

The best time to build a spare-parts inventory is before the first vehicle arrives, not after the first breakdown.

Ask the Chinese manufacturer to provide the complete BOM, recommended spare list and maintenance schedule during the procurement stage.

Then classify each component according to:

Wear frequency → Failure impact → Replacement lead time → Local availability → Required stock level

For a Chinese AGV fleet, this approach can reduce emergency air freight, shorten maintenance downtime and give the local warehouse team greater independence from overseas technical support.

A well-planned spare-parts inventory is therefore not simply a maintenance expense. It is part of the uptime strategy for the entire automated warehouse.

💡 Automation Insights & Guides

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• ⚙️ How AGV Systems Work            — A deep dive into navigation and logic.

• ⚖️ AGV vs. AMR Comparison            — Choosing the right technology for your facility.

• 💰 AGV Cost and ROI            — Evaluating investment and payback periods.