Are you looking for an efficient lifting vehicle for handling tasks on unstable and uneven surfaces? Here’s essential information to help you choose the correct size forklift and reduce the risks of accidents, tipping, and damage to loads when operating on difficult terrain. Several key elements are essential to ensure optimal maneuverability and maximum stability of your lifting vehicle if you regularly work on sandy or gravelly terrain.
Understanding Lifting Capacity
The lifting capacity of your forklift corresponds to the maximum weight your machine can safely lift. This information is shown on its nameplate and is an important parameter when choosing your equipment. The range of lifting capacities is vast: it can go from 3,000 pounds for the most compact vehicle models to over 100,000 pounds for the most powerful forklifts.
The nominal capacity of a lifting vehicle can also vary depending on several factors. The lifting capacity gradually decreases as the load rises in height. The shape of the load, the installation of additional accessories on the vehicle, and the lifting height can then directly impact your vehicle’s actual capacity. It’s, therefore, essential to select a forklift capable of supporting average loads and the heaviest ones you need to handle.
Understanding Load Centre
The load centre is another important element to know when identifying the size of forklift you need to purchase: this indicator helps you understand and evaluate its lifting capacity. The load centre represents the distance between the vertical part of the forks and the centre of gravity of the load you’re lifting. The Industrial Truck Standards Development Foundation (ITSDF) often standardized this parameter at 24 inches. It is fundamental for ensuring operator safety and handling operation efficiency.
The load centre can directly impact the forklift’s stability: the further it is from the forks, the higher the risk of tipping. This situation is explained by the leverage effect that the load exerts on the forklift’s mast. Consequently, a forklift’s lifting capacity is closely linked to its load centre. A load placed too far forward significantly increases stress on the mast and forks and reduces your vehicle’s maximum lifting capacity. Respecting the load centre values indicated by the manufacturer is, therefore, essential to ensure operation safety and extend your work equipment’s lifespan.
Different Forklift Classes
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) distinguishes different categories of heavy load-handling vehicles. Seven distinct classes of materials-handling vehicles exist based on their use and power source:
Class I: Electric Motor Forklifts
These battery-powered forklifts are traditionally designed for indoor use, where air quality must be maintained. Manufacturer Vallée pushes the boundaries by offering an electric model specifically designed for outdoor use, marking a major advancement in the materials handling sector.
Discover Vallée’s All-Terrain Electric Forklift : The Vallée Forklift: 4DA25 XRT
Class II: Electric Motor Narrow Aisle Trucks
These electrically powered vehicles are designed for restricted spaces. Their maneuverability makes them perfect for narrow aisle warehouses. Narrow aisle trucks, including side loaders and reach trucks, are designed to handle operations in restricted spaces such as industrial warehouses.
Class III: Electric Motor Hand Trucks
These devices are manual. The operator moves them using controls to raise and lower the forks. They are used for quick tasks, like unloading trucks over short distances. The electric pallet jack is a typical example.
Class IV: Internal Combustion Engine Trucks with Solid Tires
Operating on gas or diesel, these forklifts are equipped with rubber tires, suitable for smooth surfaces. They are mainly used outdoors or in well-ventilated indoor spaces, such as loading docks like warehouse forklifts.
Class V: Internal Combustion Engine Trucks
Equipped with tires that better absorb shocks, these machines are adapted for operations on rough terrain. They are, therefore ideally used outdoors, such as on construction sites. Lifting capacities for Class V forklifts vary greatly.
Class VI: Electric and Internal Combustion Engine Tractors
Class VI forklifts, or tow tractors, are vehicles designed to pull loads often exceeding 1,000 pounds. Available with electric or internal combustion engines, these machines are distinguished by their primary function: horizontal towing of loads rather than vertical lifting. Their design meets the specific needs of airports and assembly lines, where efficient transport of heavy loads over long distances is paramount. Unlike conventional forklifts that use a mast and forks to lift loads, tow tractors prioritize traction. Although they can sometimes lift loads, their main feature is their towing capacity.
Class VII: Rough Terrain Forklifts
Class VII forklifts are specifically designed to handle the most challenging terrains. Their robustness, combined with four-wheel drive on most models, allows them to navigate easily on uneven surfaces. These large machines are equipped with powerful engines and offer optimal performance in the most demanding environments. Their classification as Class 7 is explained by their all-terrain vocation, making them essential in forestry, agriculture, and construction sectors.
Discover Vallée’s complete inventory of all-terrain forklifts
What Questions to Ask Before Buying Your Forklift?
Purchasing a forklift represents a significant investment. To ensure you choose the right size forklift for your needs, it’s essential to ask yourself the right questions before buying:
What is the maximum load you need to handle?
Choosing a forklift capable of safely handling your heaviest loads is important while considering possible weight variations. Remember that lifting capacity decreases when the load is lifted higher.
At what height will loads be lifted?
Determine the maximum height to which you’ll need to lift loads and ensure the chosen forklift can safely reach this height.
What are your workspace dimensions?
Consider aisle width, ceiling height, potential obstacles, and necessary maneuvering space. Ensure the chosen forklift can easily circulate and maneuver in your environment.
On what type of surface will the forklift be used?
If you work outdoors or in difficult areas, you sometimes need an all-terrain forklift with suitable tires. Workspace dimensions and terrain nature shouldn’t be barriers to forklift use. Often underestimated for outdoor work, this vehicle offers considerable advantages, such as greater precision in lifting operations, better maneuverability in restricted spaces, and adaptability to various surfaces.
What specific tasks will you be performing?
There are many types of forklifts, each designed for specific applications. For example, reach trucks are perfect for operations in warehouses with narrow aisles, while telescopic forklifts are better suited for construction sites.
What is your budget?
Forklift prices vary considerably depending on load capacity, fuel type, and chosen options. Establish a clear budget before making your choice.
Why Not Rent Before Buying?
When you buy a forklift, you have total control over its maintenance and use. You can choose the model that best meets your needs in terms of load capacity, lifting height, and terrain type. You can also customize it with accessories and additional options to optimize efficiency. Even though purchasing a forklift represents a larger investment than renting, your choice to become an owner in the long term can prove more economical. Rental payments accumulate over time and can eventually exceed your purchase cost. Owning your forklift also guarantees its availability at all times. You don’t have to worry about delivery delays, availability issues, or rental duration limitations. You can use your vehicle as you wish without time or mileage constraints. We have written an article about this topic: https://vallee.ca/location-credit-bail-achat-chariot-elevateur-quoi-faire/
