All about forklift masts
With a wide range of mast types available, what is the right mast type for your operation? There are two main criteria to take into consideration.
How high do you need to lift?
Lift height
Locate and measure your highest shelf to understand lift requirements and then add another 150-200 mm to your measurement.
The extra space allows a truck operator additional clearance to lift the load off the rack, avoiding having to drag the product while loading or unloading shelves.
How low should your collapsed mast height be?
Low doorways
Some truck applications call for entering and exiting doorways. Perform a walk-through of your building and measure doorway heights to learn your lowered or collapsed height requirement.
If your forklifts also operate on lorries, or work outside under a roof, you need to take these measurements into consideration too.
Importance of free lift
When working in a confined space the feature called free lift should be considered. The free lift function enables the forks to be lifted to a certain height with the mast at collapsed height.
All mast types explained
One of the many ways to keep productivity high in your operation is having the right truck fitted to your specific application and your environment. The type of mast for your truck can already make a difference: so here are all models you can choose from.
Single-stage mast
- This one mast section relies on a single frame and has limited lift height.
- Maximum mast height remains the same, even during lifting.
- A simple solution that suits applications not requiring high lift heights.
Single-stage mono mast
- This is a centrally positioned mast.
- Suitable for low lift heights where the operator often works close to the truck, e.g., when using it as a worktable.
- It is easy to move around the mast with a very small risk of injuries.
Two-stage mast with limited free lift
- This mast, with two sections has two cylinders positioned along the sides.
- It has limited free lift.
- Clear view on the forks.
Two-stage mast with central lift cylinder
- A two-section mast with maximum free lift range.
- This mast combines high lift heights with a low mast height.
- Suitable for stacking applications in halls with limited ceiling heights, on covered lorries and places where the truck must pass through doorways with low clearance.
Two-stage mast with side cylinders
- This mast uses two mast sections with two cylinders positioned along the sides.
- Optimises operator visibility for easy and safe fork positioning.
- It has free lift, useful for low-height applications.
Three-stage mast with central lift cylinder
- A three-section mast with central lift cylinder and maximum free lift for very high lift heights in combination with a low mast height.
- Higher lift height gives you a higher free lift.
- Well suited for stacking or for operations on covered lorries and most commonly used in distribution centers, warehouses and other high-height applications.
Three-stage mast with side lift cylinders
- A three-section mast with side lift cylinders and maximum free lift for high lift heights in combination with a low mast height.
- The side cylinders offer good forward view.
- Higher lift height gives you a higher free lift.
- Well suited for stacking or for operations on covered lorries and most commonly used in distribution centers, warehouses and other high-height applications.
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