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Capacity

Fork trucks are rated according to how much weight they can lift, starting at 600kgs and going up to 40,000kgs and more. kgs &#; kgs and 4,000kgs models make up the bulk of the market.

The size of your typical load will affect the capacity you need. Forklift capacity is usually based on a 500 mm &#;load centre&#;, meaning that the distance from the centre of gravity to the sides of the load is 500mm.

The easiest way to think about this is that a forktruck can only lift its maximum weight if the load is a mm cube. If your loads are unusually long or high, the forklift won&#;t be able to safely lift as much. Knowing the typical dimensions and weight of your loads will allow you to work with a Stacatruc sales engineer to determine the exact capacity you need.

Also consider how much variation there is in your loads. If you constantly produce identical pallets of products, you know exactly what capacity you need. However, in a more mixed environment, or one where the load size changes over time, you may want to buy a truck with more capacity than you need currently to make sure it gets the job done now and in the future.

Mast or upright type

A close second to &#;How much do you need to lift?&#; is &#;How high do you need to lift it?&#; If your primary use for the fork lift is loading and unloading trucks, you may not need much height at all; if your warehouse has shelves 8 m high, that is a pretty clear indicator of the reach your lift will need.

What is the available headroom inside the building or lowest doorway, in order to determine the mast configuration required. Masts come in various configurations consisting of simplex mast, which is a single channel, duplex mast, which has two channels, triplex which has three and a quad which has four. The amount of free lift then needs to be considered. Free lift is the amount the forks will lift without the mast increasing in overall height. Masts therefore come with no free lift and as soon as the forks are lifted the mast will increase in height normally by a ratio of 2 to 1. There are masts with part free lift where the forks will raise by 200mm before the mast increases in height and full free lift where the carriage will reach the top of the mast before it increases in height. It is therefore important to consider the height of doorways and available headroom.

A Stacatruc sales engineer would be more than happy to advise the correct mast configuration in order to avoid damage to roller shutter doors, warehouse roofs and doorways etc.

Unlike load capacity, your height needs are unlikely to change over time barring new construction or major renovations. Buy for the height you need now.

 

Selecting the correct truck type

Different types of forklifts require more or less space to manoeuvre within.

For example: 4 wheel counterbalance trucks are capable of being used in yards over semi rough terrain, but will take up more space to manoeuvre. Typically a machine with kgs lifting capacity will require a minimum of 4.0m to perform right angle stacking.

Find below a list of the most popular types of trucks that should be used for guidance only. The dimensions shown are to perform a right angle stack with mm cubed load.

• 3 ton i.c. engine ride-on yard counterbalance, mm plus
• Compact i.c. engine ride-on, mm
• kgs 4 wheel electric ride-on counterbalance, mm
• kg 3 wheel electric ride-on counterbalance, mm
• kgs 3 wheel electric ride-on counterbalance, mm
• Reach trucks from mm to mm
• Pedestrian stackers, mm
• 4-way directional sideloaders, mm
• Articulated counterbalance, such as Bendi or Flexi, mm
• Very narrow aisle tri-lateral stackers, wire guided or rail guided, mm

 

New vs. used

Deciding whether you will buy a new or used forklift truck is a good place to start narrowing your options. Here&#;s a good rule of thumb: if you are going to be using your forklift more than 4 hours a day, you should invest in new equipment.

Fork lifts that are used more than 4 hours per day are major part of your operation. With this much use, the operating and maintenance costs for used equipment can quickly wipe out the initial savings you gained.

If the lift truck will be used only a couple of hours per day, you can probably benefit from buying a used fork truck. When the dealer gets a used lift truck back at the end of a lease, they usually recondition it with a new paint job, new tires, a thorough engine tune-up, and any other mechanical repairs that need to be made, so you can feel reasonably confident in the condition of the truck. &#;As-is&#; trucks can save you even more money, but may have original paint, worn tires, and generally not be in the shape you would expect.

Many dealers offer both new and used forklift trucks, so you can compare prices easily. Make sure to enquire about the difference in service plans between new and used models. The best compromise maybe to acquire an ex-rental machine where the dealer has maintained the liftruck during the previous contract and has therefore received rental revenue from the machine. It should then be of lower capital value but will have been well maintained.

 

Forklift fuel choices

The two main options for powering your forklift are electric &#; powered solely by an on-board battery &#; or internal combustion (IC), which use a traditional engine that runs on one of several types of fuel.

Electric

Electric fork lift trucks are powered by large, heavy lead-acid batteries &#; the same kind found in your car, but considerably bigger and more powerful. The batteries typically provide enough power for one standard eight-hour shift, which translates into 5 or 6 hours of constant usage.

There are two primary advantages to electric-powered forklifts. One is that they produce zero emissions &#; if you are going to be using your lift indoors, this is a very important consideration. Of the internal combustion models, only LPG-fuelled lifts can be used indoors, and they require very good ventilation. Diesel-powered models should not be used inside at all.

The other primary advantage is fuel cost. Electric lifts have a lower cost per hour of operation than any of the internal combustion models. This helps to offset one of their disadvantages &#; their higher initial cost. New electric forklifts can cost 20% to 40% more than similarly rated IC forklifts.

Additional advantages of electric lift-trucks include their quieter operation &#; a big plus indoors &#; and no fuel storage requirements. Because they have fewer moving parts and are often used in cleaner environments than IC trucks, they also tend to have a longer life span.

The biggest downside of electric lift trucks is the battery downtime. Charging a forklift battery takes 8 hours, plus 8 hours of cooling time before it can be used. Due to this slow charging speed, if you need forklifts for two or three-shift operations, you will have to buy extra batteries so you can always be charging the next one.

If you want to learn more, please visit our website 5 ton forklift diesel consumption per hour.

Other disadvantages include the need for a battery charging station. The chargers should be located in a dry, ventilated, and temperature-controlled location. If you have multiple batteries, you will also need special cranes to change the batteries.

 

  Internal Combustion Electric Maximum available capacity Kg or more 600 kg to Kg Power source LPG, Diesel fuel, Battery Costs Lower purchase price

Higher operating costs

Higher purchase price

Lower operating costs

Best used Outdoors

(LPG Indoors or Outdoors)

Indoors Typical Applications yards, construction,

loading docks

Indoor warehouses, manufacturing Refuelling time 5-10 minutes Diesel

5 minutes LPG

8 hours to recharge a battery.

Internal combustion

Internal combustion engines run on a two kinds of fuels: Diesel fuel and liquid propane gas (LPG). The main benefit of IC forklifts is their ability to be refuelled on the fly: simply fill it up at the pump or load a new LPG canister on and your forklift is ready to continue working in no time. Their price points are the inverse of electric: they are cheaper to buy initially, but cost more per hour to run.

Only IC forklifts are capable of handling the largest loads &#; if you require greater than 15,000 Kg capacity, you definitely need an internal combustion engine. IC forklifts also stand up to certain types of misuse better than electric lifts &#; specifically, using a forklift to push or tow loads, instead of lifting and driving &#; and usually have better acceleration and top speeds.

Choosing lift truck options

Once you know what lift truck capacity and fuel type are best for your situation, there are other options to consider as well.

• There are three types of tyres to choose from: press-on band cushion tyres, which are made of solid rubber, and pneumatic tyres, which are inflated with compressed air and pneumatic profile solid tyres, know as superlastic. For internal applications, cushion tyres are the best choice. For outdoor use over rough ground where more suspension is required pneumatic tyres maybe the best choice.

The third option, know as superlastic are ideal for outdoor environments where there&#;s a high risk of punctures on regular pneumatic tyres: wood yards or recycling centres where nails or glass can be scattered around. They combine the solid-rubber construction of cushion tires with the rough terrain capabilities of pneumatic tires, and typically are more expensive than the other two types.

Because they are used for inside work, electric fork lifts are usually only available with superlastic or cushion tires. For heavy-duty lifting outdoors on uneven terrain, a LPG or diesel lift truck with pneumatic tires is the most common choice. The Stacatruc sales engineer should be able to provide guidance on your specific application.

Other considerations you should take into account:

 

• Safety features. Back-up beepers, flashing amber lights, headlights, and other safety features are sold standard with most forks lift trucks.
• Ergonomics. They may seem like amenities, but for employees who will be using your lift trucks all day long, adjustable seats and comfortable controls can reduce the risk of repetitive stress injuries and make for a more productive workforce.
• Attachments. You can tailor your lift truck to better handle specific types of materials: tools to pick up rolls of cable or steel, tongs for handling 40 gallon drums, flat panels for lifting items that aren&#;t on pallets, and more. Most attachments are standardized so they can be used on any forklift, so if you only occasionally need to move odd-shaped loads, you may be able to buy one attachment and use it with any of your lift trucks.
• Side shift. This very popular option allows the operator to move the load left and right without moving the truck, allowing much more precise placement of loads.
• Tilt mast. The ability to tilt the mast and forks forward and back greatly simplifies loading the truck on uneven ground. Tilting the mast back slightly also provides greater stability while moving a loaded truck.

 

Parts availability and Service

After selecting the most suitable equipment you will need to ensure that there will be full parts availability for years to come and the supplier has the infrastructure to maintain your equipment with satisfactory response time to breakdowns to suit your requirements. The Service provider maintains quality of workmanship and follows current health and safety standards and is also fully insured to carry out the work provided on your premises.

 

Specialised trucks

Should you be unable to determine the correct truck for your application from the guide above, Stacatruc are able to offer specialised equipment which are bespoked to your specific requirements, such as high capacity battery electric, high lifting capacity, die handlers and lifters, 4-way pedestrian stackers, coil handlers, high capacity powered pallet trucks, container handlers, drum handlers, carpet and coil booms, man-up order pickers, man-down order pickers, flameproof protection systems that perform to ATEX94/9/EC, Pyroban, Mitrex, Flametec, Sichelschmidt systems can be used for explosion protected forklifts.

 

Features and Benefits

Different types of trucks from different manufacturers provide an array of features and benefits of their equipment, which may or may not be suitable for a particular application. In order to guide you through the process of determining which features and benefits are most suitable to your application can only be determined after an on-site survey by one of our experienced Stacatruc sales engineers. If you are in any doubt please see below a list of different types of trucks available, followed by a list of just some manufacturers providing equipment in today&#;s market place.

Truck Types

Diesel forklift, gas forklift, electric forklift, high capacity heavy duty forklift, pallet stacker, reach truck, hand pallet truck, pallet truck, order picker, 4-way truck, sideloader, rough terrain liftruck, telescopic forklift, telehandler, container handler, cherry picker, reach stacker, tow tractor, flat bed platform tow tractor, truck mounted forklift, demountable forklift, man-down narrow aisle truck, man-up narrow aisle order picking truck, explosion protected forklift, hybrid liftruck.

Truck Manufacturer&#;s

Abeko, Advance, Agria, Ahlmann, Aisle Master, Allis Chalmers, Almocar, Amlift, Amog, Apache, Amanni, Armax, Artison, Asea, Alt, Atlas, Atlet, Auramo, Ausa, Autolift, Automatic, Azzolini, Baka, Baker, Baker-Lind, Balduin, Balkancar, Baoli, Barlow World, Barrett, Bartels, Battioni-Pagani, Baumann, Belet, Belotti, Bendi, Bendi Truck, Berzoimi, Beta, Big Joe, Bishamon, Bison, BKC, BKR, BKS, Blizzer, Blue Giant, Bobcat, Bollans, Bolzoni, Bonser, Boss, Bradshaw, Brieletta, Brunilift, BT, BudaBV, Cangaru, Cardo, Careffe, Carer, Cascade, Case, Caterpiller, Cesab, Champ, Charitou, Charlatte, Claas, Claas Unitruck, Claerr, Clark Drexel, Cleco, Climax, CMEC, CML, Combilift, Comet, Conveyancer, Crown, CTC, Cukurova, Cvitalia, CVS, CVS-Ferrari, Daewoo, DAF, Dalian, Dambach, Dantruck, Datsun, DeAnomi, De Carli, Deca, Deere, Dentoni, Desta, Detas, Dicei, Dimex, Doosan, Eaglepicher, Ecoa, Elcar, Electricar, Elettrocar, ELM, Elme, Elwell parker, EP, Erickson, Esslingen, ETWO, Euro forklift, Euro Lifter, Faba, FAC, Fantuzzi, Feeler, Fendt, Fenwick, Ferro, Fiat, Fiat Hitachi, Fimsa, Fiora, Fischer, Flexi, Folli, Forager, Foresin Handlers, Frenzen, Gehl, Genie, Genkinger, Gerlinger, Gemer, Giovannini, Gliwitz, Gradall, Gregory, Grove, Grunig, Guldner, H-Lift, HKO, Halla, Halla-Cimox, Hamech, Heden, Heili, Heli, Henley, Herculift, Hoist, Hubtec, Hunslett, Hyco, Hydrolectric, Hydrolift, Hyster, Hytsu, Hyundai, Icem, Incab, Irion, Irioncar, Irismann, JCB, Je-lau, JLG, John Deere, Jumbo, Jungheinrich, Kaiser Kraft, Kalmar, Kalmar/Irion, Kelvin, King Lift, King Lifter, Komatsu, Kooi-oop, Kramer, Lafis, Lancer, Lancer-Boss, Lansing, Lansing Bagnall, Lift King, Lift All, Lifter, Lift Master, Lincon, Linde, Lugli, Mafi, Manitou, Mariotti, Massey Ferguson, Matbro, Mikado, Mitsubishi, Mossfett-Kooi, Montgomery Reid, Mora, Narrow Aisle, New Holland, Nexen, Nichiyu, Nissan, Noble, Nuova Detas, NYK, OM,OM- Pimespo, OMG, Ormmig, Pafinger, Pfaff Siberblau, Pimespo, Power Lift, Powerlifter, Pramac, Puma, Q-lift, Ramsone, Rapid, Raymond, Robur, Robustus, Record, Rocal, Royal, Salev, Samag, Samsung, Samuk, Sanderson, Saxby, Shangli, Shaw, Shinko, Sbicar, Sidetracker, Silent Hoist, Simon, Stanley,
Steinbock, Still, Svetruck, Tailift, Taylor, TCM, Tecna, Titan, Towmotor, Toyota, Translift, Transmanult, Truckman, Valmet, Vestergaard, Wanger, Walsted, Wilmat Handling, Yale, Yam, Yang, ZV.

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Forklifts Buyer&#;s Guide

The following guide is for those interested in a basic knowledge of how to determine the correct machine for their particular application. Maybe even to ensure that they have a basic knowledge prior to taking expert advice. No matter how good you believe your expertise to be, there is no substitute for an experienced Stacatruc sales engineer carrying out a full site survey.

Below are some basic questions that would need to be answered in order to determine your requirements:

• How heavy and what size are your typical loads?
• What types of pallet or stillages are used?
• How high do you need to lift the load?
• Will you be using it indoors, outdoors, or both?
• How much room do you have to manoeuvre? How wide are your narrowest aisles?
• How many hours per day will it be used?
• Is an attachment required, either manual or hydraulic?
• What is the available headroom or lowest doorway?
• Is the forktruck used in a hazardous/corrosive environment?
• The terrain the truck will be working on, i.e. yard area, soft or hard ground etc?

These answers will help you determine exactly what kind of forklift trucks you need.
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