Counterbalance lift trucks are essentially lift trucks which are engineered with counterweight at the back of the machine. The counterweight works to balance the weight which the blades are carrying at the front of the load. This design is engineered to stabilize traditional lift trucks. As far as electric counterbalance lift trucks are concerned, the counterweight is formed by the battery itself.
Nearly every lift truck producer will have in their product range, a counterbalance lift truck. These machines will come in a wide assortment of fuel sources, sizes and configurations. These lift trucks can be designed with 4 or 3 wheels, or be fitted. They are capable of working in diverse applications. These forklifts are equipped with various kinds of accessories. Common attachments and options include: side shifts, hydraulic clamps, slip sheet attachments and fork shifts just to name a few.
Counterbalance lift trucks have changed the material handling industry. They have become the cornerstone of storage and distribution systems where they perform loading, stacking, unloading and horizontal transport functions. The average warehouse forklifts are normally utilized for lift heights less than 20 feet or 6 meters. There have been some models recently developed that are capable of lifting to heights 31 feet or 9.5 meters. The smaller 1-1.8 ton or 4000 lbs. forklifts are the main workhorses within the majority of warehouses. These are the most common units that most small companies will have. The average warehouse counterbalance forklift is actually a wide-aisle truck that needs approximately 11 feet or 3 meters to turn in.
Counterbalance forklifts are not necessarily limited to the warehouse. They are usually used for carrying containers and heavy use together with basically every application in between. Counterbalance forklifts are the most widely utilized and versatile of all materials handling machines.
The counterbalanced forklift is common in many working environments, such as production, retail and warehousing. This is due to their versatility and durability. Some of the industrial use consist of: food, chemical, automotive and timber businesses.