Rough Terrain Forklift - What You Need to Know

Today we are going to explain what a rough terrain forklift is.

We have over 40 years in the material handling industry and we would love to share our expertise and experience with you.

This comprehensive guide will outline the different types of rough terrain forklift trucks and how they are used. So, let's get started.

A rough terrain forklift can be used on rough and uneven surfaces.

What Is a Rough Terrain Forklift?

Forklifts are categorized into 7 different classes. Class VII refers to all rough terrain forklift trucks.

A rough terrain forklift truck is one that is designed to operate on rough, natural terrain, unpaved surfaces, and disturbed or dug-up surfaces such as those found on construction sites.

They are also often used for military applications. However, this does not mean that a rough terrain forklift can be operated safely over any type of difficult surface.

Make sure that you consult your owner’s manual to see if your forklift is capable of operating on the type of terrain at your workplace.

Types of Rough Terrain Forklifts

Vertical Mast: The vertical mast forklift has, as its name suggests, a vertical mast that will lift your load up and down vertically.

Variable Reach: This type of rough terrain forklift has a telescoping boom that allows it to reach out in front of your forklift, giving you more flexibility with the exact placement of your load. The larger models are able to reach up to 12m vertically, and 7m or more in front of your machine. They also have lifting capacities of up to 4,540kg.

Truck/Trailer Mounted: This final type of rough terrain forklift is transported to your job site, mounted to the back of a truck/trailer.

Once it is unloaded, it is used to move and unload heavy items from the truck/trailer at the job site. However, not all truck/trailer mounted forklifts are designed for use on rough terrain.

Vertical mast forklifts raise and lower their loads vertically.

Features of a Rough Terrain Forklift

Pneumatic Tires: Rough terrain forklifts are equipped with large, pneumatic tires that help them safely navigate over uneven and very rough surfaces.

Often, these types of tires will be filled with foam instead of air to make them more durable and puncture-resistant around sharp objects like nails or glass found around construction sites.

Learn more about the difference between forklift tires in our post "Forklift Tires: Cushion, Solid Pneumatic and Air Pneumatic."

Internal Combustion Engine: A rough terrain forklift will usually be powered by an internal combustion engine that runs on either gas, diesel, or propane.

Low Profile: Many rough terrain forklifts are designed with a very low profile so they can pass through openings in structures as low as 2m in order to go inside buildings.

Various Steering: You can get rough terrain forklifts with various steering configurations, such as two-wheel and four-wheel steering. There is even a four-wheel crab steering option that lets you turn all wheels in the same direction.

Rough terrain forklifts usually have an internal combustion engine.

Attachments for Your Rough Terrain Forklift

A wide variety of attachments have been developed to improve the functionality of a rough terrain forklift.

Winches, Booms and Rotating Fork Carriages: Winches, booms and rotating fork carriages are designed to enable your forklift to place its load more accurately.

Articulating Booms: Articulating booms have two separate extendible arms that will allow you to lift your load up and over obstacles or structures in order to place it on an interior roof slope or in the middle of an upper floor.

The following video will demonstrate how a forklift boom attachment works.

A forklift boom can be attached to the front of your forklift to help you place objects more accurately.

Top Rough Terrain Forklift Manufacturers

There are many rough terrain forklift manufacturers. Here are a couple of the top ones.

Komatsu: FH-2 Tier 4 Final Diesel forklift

Komatsu is a world-leading forklift manufacturer. They build strong and durable rough terrain forklifts that are capable of operating on the toughest of surfaces. Their FH-2 series is specially designed to handle the rigours of any construction site.

Stärke: XV1 20-35 Range of Professional Series Forklifts

Stärke's XVI 20-35 professional series forklifts range from 4,000 to 7,700 lbs in capacity. They are suited to a wide variety of work environments without sacrificing operator comfort or performance.

Looking for a Quality Pre-Owned Rough Terrain Forklift? Trust Forklift Hub.

If you need extra forklift equipment, why not consider buying used? Pre-owned forklifts require a much smaller investment to purchase than new, so they make sense if you just need them for a temporary increase in volume.

If you are looking for a high quality, great priced pre-owned forklift, trust Forklift Hub. We make it possible to purchase pre-owned rough terrain forklifts and other forklift equipment with confidence.

How do we do that?

We thoroughly check every used vehicle

Wayco takes the worry out of purchasing used equipment. Before we sell any pre-owned vehicle, we thoroughly check each one to make sure that it's in top working order.

We certify every used vehicle

We then certify all of our used inventory, so you can be confident that you are purchasing a used forklift that you can rely on to be in great condition!

We offer incredible warranties

At Forklift Hub, we want to make sure that you are completely satisfied with your used forklift purchase.

That's why in addition to inspecting and certifying all of our pre-owned vehicles, we also offer incredible warranties to further assure you that you are purchasing a forklift you can trust.

Better Value than New:

Buying used can be a wise investment. Just like a brand new car, the moment you drive your new forklift off the lot, it loses value. Quality used forklifts depreciate at a much slower, rate so they are often the better choice.

Immediate Delivery:

Used forklift equipment can usually be delivered immediately, but if you order new equipment, you often have to wait 4-12 weeks before you get it, depending on the model and the manufacturer.

So, if you need your equipment immediately, used is the way to go.

Looking for the best deal on quality used forklift equipment? Contact Forklift Hub today!