How to Choose an Off-Road Forklift

Rough terrain forklifts, also known as field forklifts, are suitable for uneven ground and can perform handling operations such as loading, unloading, and stacking. They offer excellent off-road capability, maneuverability, and reliability. They can be equipped not only with forks but also with various attachments, enabling multiple functions in one machine and improving operational efficiency. So, how should one choose a suitable rough terrain forklift? When purchasing, it is necessary to first understand its technical parameters, which indicate the structural characteristics and working performance of the rough terrain forklift: Rated capacity: This refers to the maximum weight of cargo that is allowed to be lifted when the distance from the cargo center of gravity to the front face of the fork does not exceed the load center distance, measured in tons (t). If the cargo center of gravity on the fork exceeds the specified load center distance, the lifting capacity must be reduced accordingly due to the longitudinal stability limit of the forklift. Generally, the larger the rated capacity, the higher the market price of the rough terrain forklift. Load center distance: This refers to the horizontal distance from the center of gravity of a standard cargo placed on the fork to the front face of the vertical section of the fork, measured in millimeters. The load center distance is specified as 500 mm for 1-4 t forklifts; 600 mm for 5-10 t; 900 mm for 12-18 t; and 1250 mm for 20-42 t. Maximum lift height: This refers to the vertical distance from the upper surface of the horizontal section of the fork to the horizontal ground on which the forklift is located when the forklift is fully loaded on flat, solid ground and the cargo is raised to its highest position. This height determines the height at which the forklift can load and unload cargo, and usually it only needs to meet the requirement. Mast tilt angle: This refers to the maximum forward or backward tilt angle of the mast relative to the vertical position when the forklift is unloaded on flat, solid ground. The forward tilt angle facilitates picking up and depositing cargo, while the backward tilt angle prevents cargo from slipping when the forklift is traveling with a load. Generally, the forward tilt angle of a forklift is 3°-6°, and the backward tilt angle is 10°-12°. Maximum lifting speed: This usually refers to the maximum speed at which the cargo is lifted when the forklift is fully loaded, measured in meters per minute (m/min). Increasing this speed can improve operational efficiency, but if it is too fast, it can easily cause cargo damage and machine damage accidents. At present, the maximum lifting speed of domestic forklifts has reached 20 m/min. Maximum travel speed: For a 1 t internal combustion forklift under full load, the maximum travel speed is not less than 17 m/min. Minimum turning radius: This refers to the minimum distance from the outermost and innermost parts of the vehicle body to the turning center when the forklift is traveling unloaded at low speed with the steering wheel turned fully, respectively called the minimum outer turning radius and the minimum inner turning radius. The smaller the minimum outer turning radius, the smaller the ground area required for the forklift to turn, and the better the maneuverability. Minimum ground clearance: This refers to the distance from the fixed lowest point on the vehicle body, excluding the wheels, to the ground, reflecting the ability of the forklift to pass over protruding obstacles on the ground without collision. The larger the clearance, the better the passability of the forklift. Wheelbase and track: Wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the centerlines of the front and rear axles of the forklift, and track is the distance between the centers of the left and right wheels on the same axle. Increasing the wheelbase helps improve the longitudinal stability of the forklift, but it increases the body length and the minimum turning radius; increasing the track helps improve lateral stability, but it increases the overall body width and the minimum turning radius. Minimum width of right-angle passage: This refers to the minimum width of a passage for the forklift to travel back and forth and intersect at right angles. The smaller the value, the better the performance. Minimum width of stacking passage: This refers to the minimum width of the passage during normal operation of the forklift. Maximum gradeability at full load: This refers to the maximum slope that a fully loaded forklift can climb on a dry, solid road surface in low gear. In addition, a newly purchased forklift has a running-in period, generally about 50 hours from the start of use of the new machine or about 500 kilometers of driving mileage.