Counter Balance Forklifts and how they Work

Posted on 18 Sep, 2017

Counter Balance Forklift work as the name suggests.

Example of incorrect counter balance

With the front wheels being the pivot point.

Forklift Counter Balance Diagram

Like a See-Saw from your childhood.

The load when picked up by the fork tines on the forklift as shown above as the Large crate on the right hand side of the See-Saw is Counter Balanced by all the weight as pictured on the left hand side of the see-saw, pictured as the body of the forklift, including the driver and the last heavy cast iron weight you see on the back of a forklift, termed the counter weight.

With mast show over the pivot point being the front wheels for ease of this explanation.

Now the forklift is safe and stable, as long as the force of the countering weight ( The left hand side ), is greater than the force exerted by the load carried on the tine of the forklift – The large crate on the right hand side. Pictured as the see-saw sloping and touching on the ground on the left hand side.

The back wheels are on the ground.

If the force exerted by the Large crate carried on the tine of the forklift( the right hand side ), is greater than the countering wieght on the left hand side, including the counterweight. The forklift will tip forward as shown for simplicity with the see-saw, with the right hand side touching the ground.

But as shown in the attached picture when the right hand side ( the load ) , is greater than the left hand side – The Countering Balance Weight, the forlift tips forward into a very dangerous situation.

This first sign of this begining to occur is the driver will loose steering control as the rear steer wheels come off the ground.

At this stage the load should be lowered slowly and safely to the ground as this situation and any further vertical lifting of this load by this forklift is very dangerous as it is overloaded.

Never over load a forklift.

The distance out from the load face, face of the tine, is termed the “ Load Centre “ and is another factor which will be explained in the next article:

“Load Centres – how it effects the opertaion of Counter Balanced Forklifts”

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Why Reach Trucks May Be Perfect For Your Warehouse Environment

Posted on 4 Sep, 2017
While counterbalance forklifts are the most commonly used vehicles in Australia, a number of businesses are achieving exceptional results and substantial savings optimising their operations for reach trucks. Reach trucks differ from counterbalance forklifts in a number of ways, but fundamentally allow your business to more effectively use its space without sacrificing employee comfort or efficiency. Read on to learn more. More room for shelving Reach trucks offer a significantly smaller turning circle than counterbalance forklifts. A warehouse optimised for reach trucks only requires roughly 2.5 metres between shelves, rather than closer to 4 metres in the case of counterbalance forklifts. This means you regain as much as a third of every aisle for use in storage, allowing you to install more shelving closer together. Ideal for smaller properties For business-owners with smaller warehouses, reach trucks allow them to compete with companies with access to larger storage areas. Savvy owners can achieve exceptional savings and enhanced productivity making the jump to reach trucks, helping them make maximum use of every square metre of their property, allowing you to achieve the output of a larger facility with a much smaller warehouse. Safer load carrying The unique design of a reach truck means that less of the load protrudes over the edge of the vehicle. This allows the vehicle to turn on a tighter circle, it also enhances occupational health and safety by reducing the chance of passers-by being struck by the load. The design of the reach truck also means that the load is carried over the drive wheel, centring the weight of the vehicle better and protecting against tip-overs. Lightweight and energy efficient without sacrificing power or versatility Despite their smaller stature, many reach trucks can carry up to 2 tonnes of weight with ease, making them a surprisingly flexible option for companies working with goods of all sizes. Reach trucks are capable of working inside and outside as long as the loading surface is flat. Being battery powered, they also cannot be used outside during rain. This said they are a great choice for warehouses and docks, and are the preferred forklift for many businesses. To learn more about why a reach truck may suit your warehousing requirements, speak to the team at Eureka Forklifts, Queensland’s leaders in the hire and sale of forklifts of all designs.