When selecting forklifts, you should primarily be guided by their technical parameters. Undoubtedly, one of the most important is the forklift load capacity, which is nothing other than a value that indicates how heavy a load can be handled using a given device model. Information regarding lifting capacity can be found on every vehicle – therefore, the ability to read and understand a forklift load diagram can be useful. What’s worth knowing about this topic?

Forklift Load Capacity – What Is It?

The maximum weight that a forklift can lift to a specified height is called the nominal lifting capacity. This parameter is determined by the forklift manufacturer. However, it’s worth remembering that in case of lifting a load heavier than the specified capacity, the manufacturer is not responsible for forklift damage.

How can you find out what the forklift load capacity is? For this purpose, you should use the load diagram, which is found on every machine regardless of model or manufacturer.

Forklift Load Diagram – What’s Worth Knowing?

The forklift load diagram is usually placed in the operator’s field of vision as a plate or sticker, and in the vehicle’s technical documentation. It’s often called a lifting capacity table or chart, because that’s exactly the form it takes.

All diagrams contain the same type of information, however they may look slightly different depending on the machine’s brand or model and its parameters.

Forklift Load Capacity – What Values Determine It?

The forklift load diagram is based on three values that determine the target technical parameters and vehicle capabilities. These are:

  • maximum permissible load weight,
  • height to which the load can be lifted,
  • distance of the load’s center of gravity from the front of the forks.

Having information about the load mass and the position of its center of gravity, you can easily check to what height it can be safely lifted. Similarly, when you want to lift a load to a given height, additionally knowing its center of gravity – nothing stands in the way of checking what the maximum load mass should be so that lifting it is completely safe. In turn, having a load of a specific weight that you want to lift to a specific height, you can easily verify how to pick it up on the forks so that its center of gravity is where it should be.

This type of information is essential to safely use a forklift, fully utilizing the capabilities that the machine offers.

See selected forklifts with specific tonnage/capacity in FLT’s offer: