10 Questions You Should to Know about Triple Mast Lift

Author: knightzhao

Oct. 21, 2024

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Forklift Mast Height - Know Before You Buy


Forklift masts are not one-size-fits-all. Before you buy a new or used forklift, there are a few important factors to consider:
  • The mast&#;s lift height (how high can it lift the forks)
  • The height of the mast when completely retracted
  • The height of the mast when fully extended
  • The mast&#;s free lift range

Forklift masts are not one-size-fits-all. Before you buy a new or used forklift, there are a few important factors to consider:

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How to Choose the Right Type of Forklift Mast

Lift Height Considerations: To calculate how much lift height you need, start with the height of your topmost shelf and add six inches. The extra inches give the operator some wiggle room to adjust a load with the mast fully extended. Lift height is sometimes referred to as maximum fork height or MFH.

To calculate how much lift height you need, start with the height of your topmost shelf and add six inches. The extra inches give the operator some wiggle room to adjust a load with the mast fully extended. Lift height is sometimes referred to as maximum fork height or MFH.

Extended and Collapsed Height: The extended height of a forklift mast is the distance from the floor to the top of the mast (or load backrest) when fully extended. This is different than lift height, which is measured from the forks to the floor.

The collapsed height is the distance from the top of the mast to the floor when the mast is completely lowered. This is an important measurement if your forklifts need to travel through small openings such as a standard garage door or operate inside containers or truck trailers.

Limited Vs. Full Free Lift Forklift Masts: Free lift describes how high an operator can raise the forks without changing the mast height. If your forklift operates in an environment with low overhead clearance, free lift may be important.

A forklift mast has inner and outer rails (also known as channels). If a mast has no free lift, that means the inner mast rails extend either when the lift begins. If your operator is double-stacking inside a trailer or boxcar, a mast without free lift can make their job a lot more difficult and dangerous.

Some forklift masts (described below) can lift loads up to several feet without the inner rails extending. The drawback? With some masts, the free lift mechanism sits in the center of the mast, which can limit visibility.

Single-Stage Vs. 2-Stage Vs. 3-Stage Forklift Masts

Once you identify your height needs and restrictions, you&#;re ready to choose a mast. There are three common types:
  • Single Stage (simplex mast)
  • 2-Stage (duplex mast)
  • 3-Stage (triplex mast)

Once you identify your height needs and restrictions, you&#;re ready to choose a mast. There are three common types:

A fourth type, the quad mast or 4-stage, offers lift heights up to 22 feet. These are less common and only used in specialized warehouse applications.

Single-Stage Mast - Typically used in applications where overhead clearance is not a concern, such as outdoor environments.

2-Stage Mast - A 2-stage mast provides free lift and, when needed, the inner channel can extend for greater lift heights (generally 157 inches/13 feet).

Two-stage masts are popular with cross-docking applications because they offer better visibility versus a three-stage mast. Capacity is another reason to choose a 2-stage versus 3-stage mast. Because 2-stage masts have a lower maximum lift height, the forklift can operate up to its maximum rated capacity.* Using a three-stage mast affects the forklift&#;s load center and reduces capacity.
* Attachments, load types and other factors may limit capacity. Always consult an authorized dealer.

For more information, please visit Triple Mast Lift.

3-Stage Mast - Three-stage masts are the most popular forklift mast, especially for warehouse and logistics applications. With a 3-stage mast, the outer rails provide free lift, and two inner channels allow for greater lift heights compared to a 2-stage mast. Capacity limitations and reduced forward visibility for the operator (due to the additional inner channel and central hydraulic lift cylinder) should be considered before choosing a 3-stage mast.

You don&#;t have to make this decision on your own. We&#;re happy to provide expert advice over the , via , or in person. Visit one of our four locations and see a 3-stage mast in person, or arrange a forklift rental to try before you buy.

Mid-Columbia Forklift and MidCo Material Handling has Clark, Doosan and Toyota forklifts for sale and rental. Contact us online or by :

Auburn 253-854-
Pasco 509-547-
Wenatchee 509-663-
Yakima 509-457-

Further Reading
Common Misconceptions About Buying a Used Forklift 
The Best Equipment for Intermodal Shipping Container Management
When to Rent Vs. Buy a Forklift

Ten Questions That Must Be Answered Before Attempting ...

Ten Questions That Must Be Answered Before Attempting Any Lift

When attempting any lift, regardless of how small or seemingly insignificant, there is some basic information that must be known and confirmed before you begin. As an industry, we do a great job planning critical and super lifts. These major lifts are executed with precision and are successful if the plan is carefully followed. We don&#;t do as well on the everyday routine or standard lifts. In most cases there is little or no planning &#; and when things go wrong &#; accidents result. In my experience, the majority of crane accidents result from lifts that are classified as standard when in fact there is nothing standard about any lift.

There are ten questions that must be answered for any lift.  This list should be considered as the basics, i.e., a lift plan for standard lifts. The ten questions can be converted into a simple lift plan form. Then, require the crane operator to complete it before each and every lift. It only takes a few minutes and could prevent a costly accident. It has been shown that when a lift plan is required for every lift, the supervisors, operators and riggers catch mistakes before they happen.

For example: The lift could be at a high percent of capacity. Or, the crew may need to move the crane a few feet to reduce the radius which significantly improves the capacity and safety of the lift.

The Ten Questions that must be answered include:

  1. WHAT IS THE &#;VERIFIED&#; WEIGHT OF THE LOAD? It is not possible to make a safe lift when the weight of the load is not known or verified. Many smaller loads can be easily calculated; such as a bucket of concrete or a steel beam. Most loads are shipped to the work site by truck; the trucking company weight ticket is a good source for weight information.In any case, the load weight is critical and must be known and verified.
  2. WHAT IS THE MAXIMUM RADIUS? The radius is defined as the distance between the center of rotation of a crane and the center of gravity of a freely suspended load. The radius must be known and should be measured. At a minimum, a dry run should be preformed by placing the empty hook over the pick and set locations; measuring radius for each case. Calculate the lift according to the farthest distance.
  3. WHAT IS THE RIGGING CAPACITY AND WEIGHT? Calculate the capacity of the rigging configuration. The system is only as strong as the weakest link. Consider the effect of sling angles on the rigging and try to maintain angles of 60 degrees, or higher, to horizontal. A sling angle of thirty degrees to horizontal results in a force of two times the force applied to a vertical sling. Calculate the effective weight of the rigging system and record it on the plan. The weight of the entire rigging system is deductible from the crane chart gross capacity.
  4. WHAT ARE THE APPLICABLE CAPACITY CHART DEDUCTIONS? Once a crane is configured it is usually not changed often. A suggestion is to add all the deductible crane accessories and make a note of the combined deductions. Then all the operator has to do is add the weight of the rigging to the accessory total and subtract the combined total from the &#;gross&#; capacity to obtain the &#;net&#; capacity. Everything hanging under the boom top is considered part of the load. Don&#;t forget to include deductions for attachments that are mounted on the boom and not used; such as jibs or boom extensions.
  5. WHAT IS THE CRANE &#;NET&#; CAPACITY AFTER DEDUCTIONS? (At the maximum radius and crane configuration) Very often accidents occur because the operator relies solely on the &#;gross&#; capacity from the crane chart. All deductible items must be subtracted from the &#;gross&#; capacity to establish the &#;net&#; capacity.
  6. IS THE CRANE ON FIRM LEVEL GROUND? Ground bearing calculations and soils analysis are not practical for every lift made by small cranes. Matting should always be used; without exception. Due their small size, the manufacturers&#; outrigger floats (pads) are not designed to stand-alone and do not provide an acceptable load distribution. Check to see if there has been a recent excavation in the set up area. A sure sign of trouble is when the crane tires sink into the ground while driving into position. A simple approach to matting size is to divide the crane rated capacity by 4. Then take the square root of the dividend. The result can be considered the length of one side of a square mat. This method is only a starting point and will not be sufficient in every case. Be sure to make the mat to strong enough to resist bending so as not to reduce the load distribution to the ground.Example: 50 ton crane / 4 = 12.5; the square root of 12.5 = 3.53 so your square mat should be a minimum of 3.5 feet for each side.
  7. ARE THERE POWER LINES ANYWHERE IN THE PATH OF THE LOAD OR CRANE ATTACHMENTS? Search for power lines and sources of electric energy before moving the crane into position. Note the locations and record them on the lift plan. Discuss the lift plan with all persons evolved so that everyone is aware of a potential hazard. A designated spotter is required to warn the crane operator of an impending contact. Beware of power lines that are hidden within tree branches or behind buildings. Statistically, power line contact is most occurring crane accident worldwide. These accidents out number all other crane accidents combined.See the OSHA Power Line Rule found in the Subpart CC &#; . standard at www.osha.gov for more information and direction.
  8. ARE THERE OBSTRUCTIONS ANYWHERE IN THE PATH OF THE LOAD OR CRANE ATTACHMENTS? Check the work area for obstructions. Make a dry run through the full swing path of the proposed lift and observe the boom clearance to any obstructions.
  9. WILL THE LOAD CONTACT THE CRANE BOOM OR JIB AT ANYTIME DURING THE LIFT? Is the load long and can it contact the boom or jib during the lift? If a load contacts a loaded boom, the boom could collapse. Will there be room to turn a long load for alignment during the lift? Always use non-conductive tag lines to control the load.
  10. WHAT IS THE RATIO OF CRANE CAPACITY TO NET LOAD? Calculate the percent of chart capacity by dividing the load weight by the net capacity. When a crane is nearing capacity everything has to be exactly right. If anything goes wrong it happens fast there is little chance to recover. Percent of chart often defines a critical lift and an additional, comprehensive, &#;Critical Lift Plan&#; may be in order. It is advisable to establish a definition and procedure for a &#;Critical Lift&#;. It is advisable to require the completion of a more comprehensive &#;Critical Lift&#; plan when the &#;Ten Question&#; plan indicates the lift has met the criteria for critical lift. It has been observed that when the ten-question lift plan indicated it is a critical lift; the crew will re-think the set up and lift parameters, there by reducing the percent of capacity to a more reasonable, lower ratio.

CASE STUDY &#; MASSIVE BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT

The project experienced three major crane accidents during the first month of construction. After consultation with the author, the Project Manager created a ten question lift plan and made it mandatory for every lift and required a critical lift plan for any lift over 85% of chart. The critical lift plan had to be approved by the Project Manager or the designated Lift Specialist. The 10-question lift plan for every lift was a condition of employment and strictly enforced. The project was completed, in three years, on time and under budget without an additional crane related accident or incident. The project management team observed that all craft supervisors with crane related responsibilities became creative about how they set up the cranes. In many instances they were able to effect minor changes to the crane set up locations, improving the lift parameters resulting in lifts rated well below the critical lift criteria.

It should be understood that there are many things that affect the safety of a lift. The ten-question lift plan is intended to inspire creative thinking and assure the most vital parameters are considered. It does not, in any way, relieve the crane operator or rigging crew from their responsibilities to consider everything that may affect the safety on any lift.

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