The earliest forklift was built in 1906 and the forklifts we know today were developed in the 1960’s.
Forklifts have become the most effective and versatile load-lifting machines on the planet.
How much do forklifts weigh?
The most common forklifts weigh between 7,000 and 10,000 pounds (3,175-4,535 kg). That’s as heavy as a Hippopotamus!
But, there are also much larger models that have the capacity to lift and transport loads as heavy as 50 tons.
Weights Of Various Forklifts
- Hyster H1150HD-CH – 171,070 pounds (77,596 kg)
- Yale GP280DC – 35,301 pounds (16,012)
- Yale GP210DC – 29,284 pounds (13,283 kg)
- Hyster H80-120FT – 13,076 pounds (5,931 kg)
- JCB 930 – 12,995 pounds (5,984 kg)
- Komatsu FB25SH-6 – 9,610 pounds (4,359 kg)
- Crown SC 4540-40 – 8,860 pounds (4,018 kg)
- Clark CMP25 – 8,254 pounds (3,744 kg)
- Caterpillar 2C5000 – 8,157 pounds (3,700 kg)
- Toyota 8FBCU30 – 7,700 pounds (3,493 kg)
- Caterpillar DP50CN – 6,850 pounds (3,107 kg)
Different types and models of forklifts have emerged that are powered by electricity, petrol, diesel, propane and batteries.
Counterbalance lift trucks, tele-trucks, side loaders, powered pallet lift trucks, pump trucks, and hand pallet lift trucks, are just some of the models available. They make light work of lifting and transporting containers, pallets, and other heavy loads.
Knowing the weight of a forklift is crucial because it must have the lifting capacity required in order to use it safely.
How Much Does A Forklift Battery Weigh?
Forklift batteries serve two important purposes. Obviously, they are used to power a forklift.
Secondly, the weight of a forklift battery acts as a counterweight to make it much easier for these machines to lift heavy loads.
The most common forklift batteries weigh between 600 and 4,000 pounds (272-1,814 kg). They consist of a battery case, battery cells, battery bars, and battery cables.
How Much Does A 5000 lb. Capacity Forklift Weigh?
A 5,000-pound capacity forklift weighs in the region of 7,500 to 10,000 pounds.
Easy Way To Know The Weights Of Most Any Forklift
The forklift industry has made it easy to pretty much know the weight of any forklift. The formula is actually quite simple.
Take the greatest weight that the forklift can lift and multiply it by 1.5 to 2.
For example, if the lifting capacity is 5,000 pounds, the weight of the forklift should be 7,500 to 10,000 pounds.
~ Fun Fact ~
Forklifts are the weight-lifting champions of the industrial world. In 1989, one forklift proved just how good they are at doing this type of work. It managed to lift a mind-boggling 180,000 pounds (81,647 kg), which is more than the weight of the Space Shuttle!