For a counterbalanced forklift, regardless of the brand or manufacturer, the maximum lift capacity is defined by what’s known as the 80:20 rule – where a maximum of 80% of the combined weight of a forklift and its load (at a 24” load center) can be carried on the front axle. To understand why, you need to know how rated or maximum lift capacities are calculated for lift trucks. It should be noted, however, that this counterbalanced system isn’t foolproof. For example, if you moved the counterweight far enough away from the fulcrum, you could theoretically double the maximum capacity of a forklift without increasing the size of the counterweight provided the engine and hydraulics can provide enough power to lift the new rated capacity. As you move the counterweight further from the fulcrum, the ratio between how heavy the counterweight is and the unit’s maximum capacity decreases. This difference allows the rear counterweight to offset the added weight of a load (i.e., counterbalance it) and ensure the unit’s stability. Since the weight of the load is positioned closer to the fulcrum, more force is required to move it than the rear counterweight. Basically, a forklift is able to lift loads without tipping forward by operating as a lever, where the force applied to either side of the pivot point is a function of their relative distance from the fulcrum (i.e., the front load wheels). As mentioned above, the underlying principles behind the counterbalanced forklift were first discovered by the ancient Greeks, who first detailed the physics behind the function levers in the 3rd century BCE. How this works, at least in terms of what we can cover in a 1,500 word blog post, is a relatively simple concept: the lever. While a bit on the nose for some, this is why these units are referred to as counterbalanced forklifts as the heavy weight at the rear of the unit is intended to offset or counterbalance the weight that can be added to the front of the unit whenever it is loaded. Since a forklift is designed to lift and transport heavy loads using front-mounted mast, however, its center of gravity must be positioned towards the back end of the unit to accommodate these changes in operating weight. This low center of gravity and even weight distribution helps the vehicle maintain balance under normal operations. In an ordinary vehicle, or one that doesn’t have a mast or lift components, the center of gravity typically lies dead center at the bottom of the chassis. There’s a reason why what you likely picture in your head when you think of a lift truck is known as a counterbalanced forklift. The Basic Principles of the Counterbalance In fact, these laws and principles are ancient, literally, they were discovered thousands of years ago in ancient Greece. Most traditional forklifts and lift trucks – even the most innovative high-tech models, like those that are capable of moving in 4 directions with an articulating mast or boom – rely on set of simple physical laws to stay upright while lifting a heavy load or while travelling along a curve. Nor are the basic principles behind the operation of a counterbalanced forklift based on some ground-breaking technology or innovative AI. Just how does this work?ĭespite what your 5-year-old self might proclaim, it is not done with magic. increments) and/or extending it 24’ or more into the air while keeping all 4 wheels firmly on the ground.Īt the end of all this wonderment, you’ll probably ask a simple question with a deceptively simple answer: just how does it work? These same sorts of questions might also pop into your head as that same forklift rounds a tight corner with that elephant-sized load then travels up or down a ramp while maintaining its stability. As the unit lifts a load the size and weight of an elephant into the air, you might find yourself wondering: what keeps the forklift from tipping forward into an abrupt and impromptu meeting with the ground? This feeling is particularly apparent if the forklift is elevating a heavy load (which is almost always the case as forklift weight capacities are typically measured in 1,000 lb. If you’re not in the forklift or material handling industry, or are unfamiliar with heavy duty forklifts in general, you might wonder if the laws of physics are being violated while watching a state-of-the-art forklift in action, especially one with a quad mast and/or a bulky, extremely heavy load.
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