Your guide to commonly used lift trucks

Here's a pictorial walk through of 17 standard lift truck models and their typical uses in warehousing and manufacturing operations followed by a source selection chart. Illustrations are organized by Industrial Truck Association guidelines.

By Staff -- Modern Materials Handling, 4/1/1998

Counterbalanced rider type, stand-upSuited to short-distance moves of pallets and other loads that require the operator to frequently mount and dismount the truck.

Three-wheel electric, sit-down

Made for longer distance travel and operation in restricted floor space that re-quires a tight turning radius aided by the single rear wheel.

Counterbalanced rider, sit-down

Used to move loads up to 10,000 lbs extended distances and in standard width storage aisles for putaway and picking in racks of various heights.

Class II Electric motor narrow aisle trucks

High lift straddle

Intended for stacking pallet loads up to 4,000 lbs in multi-level storage racks. Straddle arms provide stability in the absence of a counterbalance.

Orderpicker

Designed to lift the operator on a platform along with the forks to a storage location for picking items or cases.

Sideloader, platform

Designed to handle oversized loads in narrow aisles, the outrigger platforms provide load stability during transportation. The mast does not pivot, making putaway and retrieval much like counterbalanced trucks.

Reach type outrigger

Built for two-pallet deep storage in narrow aisles using the reach pantograph which extends into the rack. The outrigger arms provide stability.

Sideloaders, high lift pallet

Used to store pallets in very narrow aisles to heights of 25 ft or more using a rotating mast that swings to one side.

Turret trucks

Suited to positioning loads in very narrow aisles using rotating forks that face right or left and traverse side-to-side across the front of the truck.

Low lift pallet

Made to transport loads longer distances and precisely position them on the floor or on a platform of minimal height.

Class III * Electric motor hand trucks

High-lift straddle

Built to lift loads to various heights depending on the length of the straddle arms which provide stability for the truck.

Low lift walkie pallet

Intended as an economical, powered lift truck for transporting loads distances that an operator can comfortably walk. Tines raise just a few inches to clear the floor during transport.

Low lift walkie rider with center control

Designed to carry the pallet load and operator long distances as well as short ones while providing centered access to controls.

High-lift counterbalanced

Suited to accessing racks that the high-lift straddle truck cannot reach as well as heavier loads.

Class IV * Internal combustion engine truck-cushion tires

Fork, counterbalanced

Intended as a general-purpose indoor lift truck for loads up to 10,000 lbs. Models come with multi-staged masts for accessing loads at various rack heights. Engines are typically powered by LP-gas or gasoline.

Class V * Internal combustion engine truck-pneumatic tires only

Fork, counterbalanced

Suited to carrying loads as heavy as 10,000 lbs both outdoor and indoor. Pneumatic tires make for softer rides and greater traction. Multi-staged masts and LP, gas, and diesel engines are available.

Class VII * Rough terrain lift trucks

All rough terrain fork lift trucks

Ruggedized for outdoor conditions and difficult to traverse surfaces, these models transport loads that might exceed 10,000 lbs. They can also be used as the transportation interface between a storage yard and warehouse.