Electric Forklifts

1. Heaviest load including pallet, packaging and any attachment? Rule of thumb: use at most 80 % of rated capacity for safety and service life.
2. Dimensions (L×W×H) of the largest and of the heaviest load? Is the centre of gravity known and centred? The load centre moves away from the mast as the load gets longer; real capacity falls with load-centre distance and lift height (capacity diagram). Tall loads raise the COG.
3. How high must the load be lifted — top rack beam, vehicle bed, machine table? How many rack levels? Capacity at maximum height is much lower than nominal (residual capacity). Customers know 'the rack', not millimetres — ask them to measure the top beam.
4. Lowest passage in the working area (doors, beams, pipes, mezzanine, container, lift)? Ceiling height where stacking happens? Lowered mast height must pass every obstacle; extended mast must fit under ceiling, lighting and sprinklers.
5. Aisle width between racks and the narrowest passage / door? Every truck has a stacking-aisle width (Ast). Compare with Ast, not with the truck width.
6. Indoor, outdoor or both; floor surface; gradients? Tyre type and drive follow; the counterbalance forklift is the only truck type designed for gradients > 5 % over > 20 m.
7. 3-wheel or 4-wheel: tight manoeuvring or stability with heavy loads/outdoor?
8. How long must the truck run continuously, how many hours per day and shifts? Pallets per hour, distance per trip? Battery capacity and truck class follow from this. Most buyers under-specify on price and end up with a truck that stops mid-shift.
9. Attachments (side shift, fork positioner, clamp, rotator)? Every attachment changes mass, COG and residual capacity.

Helpful to have ready: Load/COG · Pallet · Max height · Plan · Doors · Floor/gradient · Shifts · Desired attachment