Choosing the Perfect Forklift for the Job

Whether you are buying a forklift or renting one, finding the ideal option for your needs is usually crucial to how functional it will be. However, selecting a forklift is not always easy especially if it is your first time doing it. Some factors will always come into play to help you narrow down your options and find the most appropriate forklift for your applications. Here are some of things you should consider when making your selection.

Weight and Height Measurements

You need to estimate the maximum amount of weight or load capacity of the items you intend to lift with the forklift. Once you have your estimate, it is always important to choose a forklift that can lift slightly heavier weights than what you thought was your maximum. This ensures you do not end up having problems in case there's any margin of error in your measurements.

How high you need to lift your items is another thing you should have in mind. This will affect the size of forklift you need. If you only need to unload materials from a flatbed truck for instance, a standard or small sized forklift should suffice. When evaluating height, look at the mast's collapse height too. This is essential if you intend for the forklift to manoeuvre through structures with fixed heights such as a garage door.

Power Source

Forklifts can be powered by electricity, petrol, or diesel. The type of power source you choose will in most cases depend on where you are working. Electric forklifts are usually ideal for indoor use because unlike their fuel-powered counterparts, they do not emit any fumes. However, recharging an electric forklift usually takes a while compared to a case where you were to refuel a fuel-powered forklift. This may result in some delays so you need to have that in mind when selecting this type of forklift.

Petrol- and diesel-powered forklifts both emit fumes so if you must use them indoors, make sure the place is properly ventilated. Most diesel-powered forklifts tend to be more powerful compared to other forklifts so they will be your ideal choice if you need heavy-duty lifting. However, they are usually larger so if you will be working in tight spaces, such as indoors, they may not be the perfect choice because of manoeuvrability issues.  

With this guide, you should be able to find the most suitable forklift for your application.