A forklift is one of the most useful machines that lifts heavy loads easily. But it has many different types. So, it is not easy to select a suitable forklift for your specific needs.
To solve this problem, we have made a guide. In this article, you will learn about all the types of forklifts and how to choose the best one for your business.
Major Types of Forklifts and Their Applications
| Forklift Type | Best Possible Use Cases |
| Counterbalance | Ideal to use in indoor places; load and unload heavy goods, lift and move raw materials in a horizontal direction |
| Reach Truck | Perfect for narrow indoor spaces; stack and retrieve packages in vertical order, manage tall-racking inventories |
| Side Loader | Used in compact steel warehouse, yards; mainly handles long and bulky products like pipes, steel bars and wooden planks |
| Multidirectional | Good for tight spaces; used to transport and handle large, unshaped and bulky packages |
| Truck-Mounted | Ideal for outdoor muddy and uneven locations; load and unload goods, transfer cargo at remote sites |
| Container Handler | Specially designed to carry, move and stack large shipment containers, handle both empty and fully loaded containers |
| Articulated | Works in very tight indoor places or construction sites; load and unload load goods from trailers |
| Standup Rider | Preferred in super congested storage; load and unload material where operator need fast entry and exit from the machine |
| Sitdown Rider | Used in large outdoor places; transport goods from one section to another, unload trucks quickly |
| Pallet Stacker | Perfect for indoor sites; place packages on racks, unload delivery trucks, take workers at desired height to pack goods |
| Telehandler | Ideal for outdoor places; transport bulky goods like steel pipes, rocks, concrete and bricks, shift goods at the top of the roofs |
| Rough Terrain | Best to use at outdoor, uneven and muddy locations; transport heavy materials and equipments at remote places |
| Walkie Stacker | Manufactured for narrow, indoor spaces; move and stack small to medium sized products, load and unload trucks at short distances |
| Warehouse Forklift | Wider warehouses use this forklift to transport, load and unload heavy products, organize pallets at tall shelves |
| Industrial | Used for both indoor and outdoor environments; move containers on or off from vehicles, manage heavy goods in large and heighted racks |
Forklift Types According to Design & Functionality
Counterbalance Forklifts
A counterbalance forklift is one of the most commonly used bulky forklifts. You may find forks at its front and a heavyweight at its backside. This weight is used to provide balance to the machine. You can use this forklift where you want to move at 360 degrees.
Reach Trucks Forklift
You can buy it for indoor use only. It is a special kind of forklift which can extend its forks forward. So, you can arrange your goods into deep shelves. You can drive it easily because it has an open cabin to provide you a better view.
Sideloader Forklift
As its name shows, this forklift carries load at its side. You can carry irregular shaped, heavy material with this forklift. You have to operate it from a sided cabin which needs a more experienced driver. Moreover, it has 360 degree movement wheels.
Multi-Directional Forklift
The most important thing that you will find in this forklift is its four directional movement. Basically, you can change its direction with both manual and sensor control systems. In addition, you can work in a very small area without turning around the whole machine.
Truck-Mounted Forklift
A truck mounted forklift (portable forklift) is a small lightweight machine. You can attach it with the rear of the truck trailer. This thing will allow you to load and unload goods at delivery points without other traditional equipment.
Container Handler Forklift
This forklift has hydraulic clamps and spreaders to handle heavy containers. You may find these attachments on the top or sides of the machine. In the case of a full container handler, you can lift 100000 lbs and stack up to 5 containers in one time.
Narrow Aisle Forklift or Articulated Forklift
You can use it in very tight spaces. Actually, it allows you to store more items with its narrow aisles (1.5 to 1.8 meters wide). You can store products on very high shelves at more than 14 meters high with this forklift.
Stand Up Rider Forklift
If you want a noise-free environment you can choose a stand up rider forklift with an electric engine. It can lift over 2000 to 5500 lbs easily. You have to stand straight to operate it. Basically, this is good for you when you need fast on/off movements at your workplace.
Sit Down Rider Forklift
It is designed for long distance travels so you can sit down in this type of forklift when you operate it. You can use it at both indoor and outdoor sites due to its fast speed. Moreover, It uses a steering wheel, hydraulic levers or joysticks to control overall movement.
Pallet Stacker Forklift
When you want a tall vertical storage (8 to 12 feet) in your warehouse, a pallet stacker is for you. Generally, they are smaller than other types of forklifts. You can lift 1000 to 3000 pounds with this simple machine.
Telehandler
A telehandler forklift is a huge machine. Basically, you can use it as a crane and forklift at a time. You can see a long telescopic boom at its front side which can be extended. You can attach many attachments with this forklift. For example; pallet forks, buckets or clamps.
Rough Terrain Forklifts
You can choose this forklift when you have to work in agriculture fields, muddy areas and uneven sites. It comes with a powerful engine to lift heavy goods on unsurfaced areas which increase the danger of overturn. Therefore, you have to place proper warning boards.
Walkie Stacker Forklifts
This is a mini version of a standard forklift. You can operate it easily while walking behind this machine with a handle (tiller arm). You may find an electric motor in it. That’s why it is suitable for small and low budget warehouses.
Warehouse Forklift
If you want to load and transport goods in a large warehouse then a warehouse forklift is perfect for you. You can load up to 1 to 5 tons of weight on it easily. It can be operated in both large and small spaces to stack your products.
Industrial Forklift
This forklift has a huge engine with heavy load tolerance. Therefore, you can pick and transport more than 30,000 to 50,000 lbs. You need special training and experience if you want to operate this forklift.
Forklift Types Based on Power Sources
IC Forklift
An IC (internal combustion) forklift has an engine that burns different types of fuel. These fuels produce an adequate amount of energy to lift things up and down (50 tonnes). But this fuel produces harmful emissions so you will need proper ventilation on the worksite.
- LPG Forklift (propane forklift)
- Gasoline Forklift
- CNG Forklift
- Diesel Forklift
Electric Forklift
Well, you can see a large rechargeable battery in electric forklifts. These machines make the environment eco-friendly and noise free. Moreover, an electric forklift has less fuel and maintenance cost. But it can lift about 3 tonnes of load.
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Forklift
You can see this is a modern technology that uses hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity. You can refuel them easily. Therefore, you can get consistent power supply in the entire shift without any delays.
Dual Fuel Forklift/Hybrid Forklift
A dual forklift means its engine can use two different types of fuel to generate the energy. Mostly, this combination is present between electric motors and IC fuel. For example you can switch a motor into electric during light-weight operations. But for heavy duty tasks you can convert it into an IC engine.
Manual Forklift
You can say it is a human powered simple machine. You will find a hydraulic system, which is used to lift your palletized goods. It is a cost-effective option for smaller workplaces. But it needs physical effort to load, unload and move packages.
Forklift Types According to Tires
Cushion Tire Forklift
You can use a forklift with cushion tires at your indoor places. Because they can turn around easily in a small radius. As you know, they are made up of solid rubber (no air filling) so they will not get flat. Plus, you can buy and repair them at a reasonable price.
Pneumatic Tire Forklifts
Well, these tires are filled with air or foam. Therefore, they can absorb shocks and provide you a smooth ride without any product damage. You can choose these tires for your outdoor forklifts because they are perfect in muddy, gravel and uneven surfaces. They can work in indoor places too.
Non Marking Tires Forklift
Basically, this type of forklift is designed to work in a neat and clean environment. You will find them in light grey, beige, and white colors. These forklifts do not leave black marks on the floor.
Classes of Forklifts By OSHA
OSHA has classified and set some specific rules for these lifting machines. They categorized them on the basis of tires and power sources.
- Electric Motor Rider Trucks
- Electric Motor Narrow Aisle Trucks
- Electric Motor Hand Trucks or Hand/Rider Trucks
- Internal Combustion Engine Trucks (Cushion Tires)
- Internal Combustion Engine Trucks (Pneumatic Tires)
- Electric and Internal Combustion Engine Tractors
- Rough Terrain Forklift Trucks
Warehouse Forklift Types
In a warehouse, you may need different forklifts. You can buy one of these forklifts according to your basic requirements (size and capacity).
- Counterbalance
- Forklift Reach
- Truck Walkie Stacker
- Order Picker Pallet Jack (Manual/Electric)
- Turret Truck (Very Narrow Aisle Truck)
- Side Loader
- Electric Forklift
How to Choose a Forklift?
If you are ready to buy a forklift you have to check these 5 things in your machine.
- Environment: The indoor environment needs a small, space adjusting and noise-free forklift. And the outdoors needs a powerful engine.
- Tire Selection: You have to select bigger pneumatic tires for large outdoor places. But non markings and cushion tires are helpful for you at closed sites.
- Fork Height: You can choose your forklift according to specific height needs. For example; reach truck for heighted shelves and pallet jack or walkie stacker for ground level.
- Load Capacity and Size: When your business is related to heavy and big goods then select a heavy-duty forklift.
- Fuel Type: Mostly, at indoor sites electric forklift is preferred because it is cost-effective with no emissions. But if your work is related to heavy loading and outdoor transport IC forklifts are better.
Always keep in mind, you have to select a forklift that has more capacity than the heaviest item and tallest shelf. This will give you an extra safety margin.
How to Buy a Forklift?
You can buy your required forklift from JACKWIN. We have a wide range of forklifts (from a manual pallet stacker to an industrial heavy-duty machine). Just tell us about your business needs and budget. Our team will provide you the best options that can automate your work.
Final Words
So today we tried to educate you about all the major forklift types with their applications. You can see each category of forklift has its own benefits and use cases. If you successfully choose the best option for your project, the efficiency of your work will be increased a lot.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Does a Forklift Mast Work?
A mast is the part of your forklift that is used to move the fork up and down. It uses a hydraulic system for this movement.
What is a Forklift LOLER?
Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulation set safety rules that are used to inspect forklifts. You have to perform it after every 12 months by a professional person.
What is a VNA Forklift?
A Very Narrow Aisle forklift is an electric forklift that is used in the narrowest warehouse.
How Can a Forklift Lift Cars Heavier Than Itself?
This is possible because of the counterweight that is attached to the rear of a forklift. Basically, it balances the load and avoids roll back.
What Size Forklift Do I Need?
The answer to this question depends on your workplace needs and the heaviest load you want to lift. Talk to our team and we will be happy to provide you free consultation as well.
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