When the time comes to incorporate a brand new pallet truck into your warehouse, there are a few aspects that have to be considered in order to ensure you make the best purchase efficiency and cost-wise. Personally, I find the following 5 considerations essential for helping set one’s mind on a particular pallet jack.
Length
Purchasing the pallet jack that’s the wrong length is something you generally want to avoid doing. Fork width and length refers to the wideness and length of the fork from the outermost part of all 4 sides of the jack. The length of the fork is the deciding factor on what it can and can’t carry. Moreover, it can affect the maneuverability of the pallet jack, which can reduce its efficiency and its overall value.
Lifting Capacity
The lifting capacity of the pallet jack you’re going to buy should exceed the weight of the items you’re going to transfer for safety reasons. Moreover, you’ll lose both the pallet truck and the products, which is something you want to avoid at all cost. Not all pallet jacks are built to withstand the same weight, and they typically range between 2000kg to 2500kg. However, there are heavy duty models that can carry as much as 10T.
Maximum Lift Height
This refers to how high the fork on the pallet truck can be lifted. Standard is about 8cm at the lowest point, up to 20cm at the highest. However, you can probably find models that go below the standard lower height, and models that can lift higher than the standard highest height, but you’ll have to make sure that the jack can safely lift the weight it’s carrying to the desired height. Once the materials the jack is carrying get to a certain height, it can tip over.
Pallet Truck Weight
How much the pallet truck weights is also an important aspect to take into account. When you move materials with it, you aren’t just moving the weight of the materials, but also the weight of the pallet truck. This is important, because you might find yourself using it on surfaces that also have a limited lifting or weight capacity, like vehicle trays and container floors. Avoid buying a jack that’s too heavy, as it can damage parts of the warehouse and other pieces of equipment when transporting them.
The Wheels
The wheels on the jack are of crucial importance, as they serve two important purposes: to provide safe maneuvering throughout the warehouse, and to not damage the floors on the warehouse. Choosing wheels that are made of the wrong materials can cause damage to the warehouse floors. This is why the wheels should be made of polyurethane since polyurethane wheels are non-staining.
