Load Capacity
The load capacity of a forklift truck is
the maximum weight of the material that can be handled as a
�load� on the forks at a specific �load center�. Load
capacity is sometimes called rated capacity of full
load. It is always computed with the mast in a vertical
position.
Moment Rating
This is another term indicating the true
loading ability of a forklift truck. It can be obtained
by using the simple formula noted below.
A maximum permissible weight of load for any given load
center C, which is greater than A can be calculated by:
If C<A, however, the maximum weight of the load remains
unchanged and equal to the rated capacity load of a truck.
Load Center
The horizontal longitudinal distance of the
forks to the center of gravity of the load. It
constitutes the standard or base for rating the load capacity
of the forklift truck. According to Japan Industrial
Standards (JIS), this distance is 500 mm on 1 to 3 ton trucks
and 600 mm on trucks with a capacity over 5 tons. On SAE
standards, this distance is 24 inches on all general-purpose
forklifts.
