It’s important to choose the right forklift for your needs. Using the wrong forklift can create inefficiencies, increase costs, and even present safety risks at your facility. In this guide, we’ll help you understand how to choose the right forklift capacity for your operations to maximize safety and productivity.

Determining the right forklift capacity for your operations is essential for safety and efficiency. Whether you’re handling heavy materials or lighter loads, selecting the appropriate forklift with the correct lifting capacity ensures optimal performance, reduces downtime, and prevents costly accidents. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the factors that influence forklift capacity and provide tips on choosing the right one for your business needs.

Are you ready to dig deeper into selecting the ideal forklift for your facility? Keep reading to find out how to assess your forklift capacity needs and ensure you have the right equipment to improve your processes!

What Is Forklift Capacity?

Forklift capacity is the maximum weight a forklift can safely lift. It is important to understand this because you want your forklift to operate at its best, in a safe manner, and with the best efficiency. Using a forklift that
is the wrong capacity can lead to inefficiencies, more maintenance costs, or were worst case scenario for safety and accidents. Forklifts are designed to operate within strict lifting capacities based on their size, type, and the weight of the material they are moving.

Types of Forklift Capacity:

• Forklift Lifting Capacity: This is the amount of weight a forklift can lift to a given height. Typically, the higher the lifting height, the lesser the lifting capacity. This is due to the leverage and stress put on the forklift as the load is raised.
• Forklift Weight Capacity: This is the total weight of the load that a forklift can carry. This is the sum of the load, plus any additional equipment, and should never be exceeded.
• Load Center: The load center is the horizontal distance from the middle of the forklift’s forks to the middle of the load. A bigger distance reduces the lifting capacity of the forklift. By knowing the load center, a company can modify its capacity needs based on the type of cargo being transported.

If you’re in doubt about the best forklift capacity for your operations, talk to the company where you’ll be getting your forklifts. They should be able to help you make the best choices for your business operations.

How to Determine the Right Forklift Capacity for Your Operations

Choosing the right forklift capacity comes down to knowing your specific operational needs, load types, the environment you’ll use the forklift in, and what kind of power sources you have available. Here are some easy steps to take when you need to determine what kind of capacity you need all together.

Assessing Typical Load Size:

Begin by evaluating the material your forklift will handle. That means you need to understand the average weight of your loads. For example, are you:

• Pallets: Most standard pallets weigh 1,000 to 2,000 pounds. However, some specialty pallets might weigh more. Your forklift capacity should be enough to lift your heaviest pallet load that goes through your warehouse.

• Heavy Stuff: If you’re lifting really heavy materials like steel I-beams or concrete blocks, the forklift you choose will need a very high lifting capacity. There are forklift truck manufacturers whose niche is producing forklifts for these high-capacity uses.

Understanding Business Needs:

Warehouse vs. Construction: Warehouses typically move lighter materials. In those environments, you may need forklifts with a little bit less lifting capacity but great maneuverability. Construction sites build buildings, so you’re moving heavier and bulkier materials, which means you need forklifts with higher weight capacities and extra durability.

If you have any doubt about what forklift capacity range is best for you, contact the people who are selling you the forklifts. Manufacturers like Toyota, Raymond, and Mitsubishi have knowledgeable reps who can help you determine the best forklift capacity for your commercial needs.

How Can a Forklift Capacity Chart Help You Choose the Right Forklift?

A forklift capacity chart is a tool that helps you determine which forklift to buy based on a variety of factors, such as how high you need to lift the load and how far out from the forklift the load will sit. Your forklift truck manufacturer or distributor will have a capacity chart to help make sure you buy the right forklift for your needs.

Understanding Forklift Capacity Charts:

The forklift capacity chart shows you how much weight a forklift can safely lift at various load centers and heights. Usually, the chart has the following axes:

• Vertical Axis: This shows the cost of the book in dollars.
• Horizontal Axis: This indicates time in months

It is not recommended to utilize a forklift with its maximum lifting capacity at its highest lifting height. This is because the capacity of a forklift decreases as its lifting height increases. The further the load is from the machine, the less it can lift.

Using the Chart Effectively:

For example, to lift 10 feet, a forklift may be able to lift 3,000 lbs at 3 feet, but only 1,500 lbs at 10 feet. If you have heavy loads, or lift high often, you need a forklift capable of lifting that weight at that height.

What Factors Influence Your Forklift Capacity Needs?

There are several factors that affect your forklift capacity needs and it’s not just about the weight of the materials you’re handling. It’s all about picking the right truck for the load. Here are some things to think about:

Types of Materials:

If you handle both light and heavy materials, and you drive a sit-down counterbalanced forklift, you might want an adjustable weight capacity. A few forklifts have an adjustable capacity. Some brands have proprietary systems on their order pickers and reach trucks, such as Toyota’s products, where you can adjust your forklift weight capacity in just a few seconds.

Furthermore, if the operations entail handling a mixture of light and heavy materials, you may need an adjustable-capacity forklift. This type allows for the lifting capacity to be easily adjustable. As the materials handled change from light to heavy and back, the forklift can be adjusted as needed.

Warehouse and Site Layout:

Does your warehouse have racking? Now let’s talk about the layout of your warehouse or job site. This directly affects the size and capacity of the forklift you should use. If you have narrow aisles, then you will need a lower capacity forklift, but you need it to have excellent maneuverability. However, if you have wide open spaces or are on a construction site, then you will want a big forklift that can lift a lot.

For example, you may require a forklift with a high lifting capacity, but only in those areas where you have wider spaces and higher stacking needs. You will also probably require a smaller forklift truck for those confined spaces, but be sure this type of vehicle can still carry the maximum load you plan to move, which may be a pallet with several tons of items on it.

Manufacturer Consultation:

The forklift manufacturers can help you decide which forklift is appropriate for the specific lifting needs you have in mind. Brands like Toyota, Hyster, and Mitsubishi all offer a range of forklifts with varying lifting capacities used in a broad spectrum of industries and lifting situations. Some of these manufacturers provide light-duty forklifts for warehouse use. Others make heavy-duty forklifts primarily designed for heavy construction work or manufacturing environments.

A good consultation will also help you choose the right forklift capacity chart for your specific work and requirements. Additionally, the forklift manufacturers will also review whether you need a “crawler” forklift for rough terrains or a wheel forklift for smoother surfaces.

How Can Forklift Capacity Impact Operational Efficiency and Safety?

The correct forklift capacity is important for both safety and efficiency. If you choose a lift truck with an insufficient capacity, you will overload the lift, reducing its usability and increasing potential downtime for maintenance. If you choose a lift truck with too much capacity, it may use more fuel than necessary and require more maintenance, both costing you money.

Overloading Risks:

The most dangerous thing you can do with a forklift is to overload it. When you overload a forklift, you lose stability. An overloaded forklift is more likely to tip over than one operated within its load capacity. Tipping over forklifts is one of the most common accidents in warehouses and construction sites in the United States. In addition, overloading a forklift puts a huge strain on the lifting mechanism and hydraulics, so it will wear out much faster than if the forklift were utilized within its designed capacity.

A forklift that is not overloaded will operate more efficiently, experience fewer maintenance costs, and last longer. Using the right forklift weight will also ensure that the forklift can actually handle the load well, reduce the chance of accidents, and get the work done faster.

Compliance with Safety Regulations:

You also need to make sure you’ve taken into account forklift safety regulations in your country or region. Forklift regulations vary by country and even within various states of the United States. But to my knowledge, in all cases, you as a business have to have the right forklifts and make sure you are not overloading your forklifts. This provides a safe working environment for your employees and keeps you in compliance with the law. Being in compliance with forklift regulations means you’ll never have to pay fines to OSHA in the United States or similar agencies in other countries for a forklift-related accident. 

Efficiency and Productivity:

Right-sized forklifts also keep your operation safe! Lifting something that is too heavy for the forklift is dangerous. Not just for the operator and the people around, but also for the product being moved and the fork truck itself. Using a lift truck that matches the load ensures that you don’t accidentally tip, spill, drop, or mishandle the load. Lastly, it keeps you in compliance!

Testing Forklift Capacity in Real-World Conditions

Another consideration is the mast height. Some masts may be too tall to fit through doorways. If the forklift cannot fit through the openings available in your facility, it cannot do the work required. Once again, real-world, on-the-job conditions are the deciding factor.

On-Site Testing:

You test the forklift in your environment to see how it works, how it handles different loads at different heights and at different angles, and if it will really do what you need it to do. You need to load it with what it will be lifting to see if it will do the job you are buying it for. You want to see how fast it is, how quickly it accelerates, how fast it stops, what is its maximum speed, and how fast it will go if you are without a load. 

Simulated Load Testing:

A forklift may have the weight-carrying capacity you need, but a long load carried out in front of the forklift shifts the center of gravity and overloads the forklift since the load isn’t carried on the rear tires to help keep the wheels on the ground. Remember our earlier discussion—the longer the load is that you carry, the less weight you can carry. Now you need a forklift with a greater lifting capacity because it must carry a longer load. 

Adjusting for Safety:

Safety testing is very important. Having a forklift with a little more lifting capacity than you need gives you a margin of safety. It doesn’t put the forklift under as much strain, particularly for heavy loads. You want the forklift lifting as close to the capacity you need for production as possible to be efficient, but you need to be safe doing it.

Which Forklift Truck Manufacturers Offer the Best Capacity Options?

The best forklift for your business isn’t just about forklift capacity; it’s about the reputation of the brand you buy from in terms of long-term reliability and durability, along with the array of products they offer. You want a forklift that will meet the needs of your operation, but it needs to be from a manufacturer who produces high-quality equipment known for its longevity.

Top Forklift Manufacturers:

• Toyota: Toyota forklifts have a very good reputation for being highly reliable and high-performing. They have a large offering of forklifts with different forklift capacities, from small, nimble models good for tight warehouse spaces to large, heavy-duty trucks designed for industrial application.
• Mitsubishi: Mitsubishi forklifts are built to handle hard workloads, especially in rough environments. They offer forklifts with high forklift capacity chart at a more manageable capacity, which is great for you. When you need a forklift to help you get your job done every day, all day, they are a reliable option with a wide array of forklift capacities for your needs.
• Hyster: Hyster forklifts are built to work hard all day, every day. They have forklift models that can lift an incredible amount of weight. Hyster is a good name when you need a forklift to help you get your job done or meet specific forklift capacities for your industrial needs.

How to Prepare for Future Growth with the Right Forklift Capacity?

Selecting the right forklift capacity not only meets your current needs but also sets you up for future growth. As your business grows, your lifting needs will grow, and your lifting capacity will grow as well.

Planning for Expansion:

We have found the most common problem for companies is underestimating their capacity needs in the future. When you plan for growth, you need to plan for lifting things you’re not currently handling. Here’s an example. Let’s say you lift an A-frame upright, but in the future, you add a piece that goes on top of the upright. An upright that took two people to make a lift now takes four people to lift due to the object you added to the top.

Future-Proofing Your Equipment:

By buying a forklift with a little extra, the forklift can handle the things that you put on it in the future that you’re not currently doing. By planning for growth, you avoid having to buy something new too soon. You maintain your workflow and keep from spending additional money which cuts into your profits. By planning ahead, you can get more flexibility, and you can avoid downtime and stay more productive no matter how your operation changes.

Conclusion

In conclusion, selecting the proper forklift capacity is a critical decision that will impact your business’s efficiency, safety, and success. By assessing the size of the typical loads you handle, the height and depth of the areas where you will be moving loads, and asking the professionals at your forklift truck dealership, you can figure out the best forklift capacity for your needs.

Don’t forget to use forklift capacity charts and conduct a real-world test to ensure the forklift you select will meet all your needs and requirements. If you are going to expand your business, or you are doing research to improve the efficiency of your business, selecting a forklift with the capacity to handle your loads is the first step toward improving efficiency and reducing costs. If you need help choosing the perfect forklift capacity for your business, contact us today!