What Is the Difference Between a Forklift and a Rough Terrain Forklift?

What Is the Difference Between a Forklift and a Rough Terrain Forklift?

Meta Description: This article discusses the difference between conventional and rough terrain forklifts—a guide for choosing the suitable all-terrain forklift model based on lifting needs.

This article explores various rough terrain forklift applications and the critical differences between conventional and rough terrain forklifts. It discusses how their design features impact performance on different indoor and outdoor surfaces.

Operators and facility managers must understand these differences to select the right forklift equipment that matches their specific lifting and material handling needs. The performance characteristics of each type are examined to help determine the most suitable forklift model.

Key Takeaways

• There are three main types of forklifts: conventional, rough terrain, and specialized equipment like telehandlers.
• Conventional forklifts are designed for indoor use on level surfaces, while rough terrain can handle uneven outdoor terrain.
• Features like more extensive tires, higher ground clearance, and four-wheel drive provide rough-terrain forklifts with better traction, stability, and maneuverability for heavy loads on challenging job sites.
• Proper equipment selection depends on evaluating each facility’s surfaces, lifting needs, and load characteristics to determine the best suitable forklift model for safe and efficient operations.

Types of Material Handling Equipment

Several types of material handling equipment are available to suit different industrial environments and tasks. The main types include conventional forklifts, used trucks, rough terrain forklifts, and other specialized equipment.

Conventional Forklifts

Conventional or counterbalance forklifts are commonly used for indoor tasks in facilities with smooth and level floor surfaces like warehouses. They have cushion or pneumatic tires suitable for operation on solid and even terrain.

Conventional forklifts are typically powered by electric motors or internal combustion engines using diesel, gasoline/petrol, or LPG as fuel. These forklifts have a lower overall height for operation in areas with restrictions like low ceilings. They provide good maneuverability for confined indoor spaces but offer limited traction and stability on uneven or slippery surfaces.

Rough Terrain Forklifts

Rough terrain forklifts are specifically designed to handle loads on outdoor construction sites and other applications involving uneven terrain like slopes and soft ground conditions. They have more extensive and thicker pneumatic tires that offer enhanced traction for operation on rough terrain. The frame and body design of rough terrain forklifts provides higher ground clearance and the ability to navigate slopes than standard forklifts. Models with two- or four-wheel drive configurations are available for optimal stability when lifting heavy loads in difficult conditions.

Other Specialized Equipment

Other specialized materials handling equipment types include all-terrain forklifts, telehandlers, scissor lifts, boom lifts, and special application trucks for loading docks, marine ports, and road construction sites. All-terrain forklifts bridge the capabilities of conventional and rough-terrain forklifts.

Telehandlers offer vertical lift capacities and lifting and handling capabilities on rough terrain. Scissor lifts and boom lifts are suited for elevated access applications. Specialized trucks handle specific bulk material or load-handling needs. Proper equipment selection depends on each industrial site’s lifting and handling needs, load characteristics, and workplace conditions.

Design Features for Intended Conditions

Material handling equipment design varies significantly depending on the intended operating conditions and tasks. Forklifts and other lifting equipment are engineered with specific frame, wheel, and drive system features to effectively handle indoor and outdoor environments.

Frame and Body Designs

Conventional and rough terrain forklift frame and body designs differ notably. Conventional forklifts feature a lower-profile frame for indoor use in warehouses and facilities with height restrictions. Their frames are optimized for lift capacity rather than ruggedness.

In contrast, rough terrain forklifts have a higher and thicker frame design that provides enhanced ground clearance to navigate uneven terrain and slopes at road construction sites and sites. Their frames are reinforced for heavy loads in demanding outdoor conditions involving uneven surfaces and terrain.

Wheel and Tire Types

Wheel and tire selection for rough terrain forklift operators depends highly on the expected surfaces. Conventional forklifts use pneumatic or cushion tires suitable for smooth, level indoor floors.

Rough terrain forklifts are equipped with larger pneumatic tires having thicker tread patterns to handle rough, slippery, or soft outdoor terrain involving uneven ground, mud, and debris. Their tires offer optimal traction and stability for lifting heavy loads in wet conditions and on uneven surfaces like slopes at construction sites.

Drive Systems

While most conventional forklifts have standard two-wheel drive, rough terrain forklifts can be specified with either two or four-wheel drive configurations. Four-wheel drive provides enhanced traction for improved maneuverability when operating heavy loads on rough terrain under challenging conditions.

It allows the distribution of engine power across more wheels to better control the lift truck in outdoor applications with poor, slippery, or uneven surfaces.

Performance on Various Surfaces

The performance of forklifts differs significantly depending on the type of surfaces they are designed to operate on. This includes maneuverability, traction, stability, and lifting capacities, crucial for safe and efficient material handling.

Maneuverability

Rough terrain forklifts tend to have superior maneuverability compared to conventional forklifts when handling loads on uneven terrain and challenging conditions commonly found at construction and building sites everywhere. Their larger, wider pneumatic tires provide better surface contact and traction for navigating rough terrain involving uneven ground, slopes, and debris.

Features like four-wheel drive systems further aid their ability to turn smoothly on slippery or soft surfaces. This allows them to carry heavy loads within easily tight job sites. With their smaller tires, conventional forklifts perform best on level, solid indoor surfaces where their faster turning capability is well-suited for confined warehouse aisles and facilities with height restrictions.

Traction and Stability

The traction and stability of a forklift are vital for safely lifting and transporting heavy construction materials and loads. Rough terrain forklifts with large, multi-lug pneumatic tires offer optimal traction on outdoor surfaces like slopes and uneven terrain. Their tread patterns, thicker than standard forklift tires, provide enhanced grip even on slippery surfaces under wet conditions commonly found at outdoor job sites.

This helps maintain stability when lifting or lowering loads, which is critical for safety. In contrast, conventional forklifts rely on their cushion or pneumatic tires. However, they have less traction and stability than the rough terrain forklift models when handling loads on uneven, slippery, or soft outdoor surfaces.

Lifting and Load Capacities

Load capacity and lifting capacity are other critical factors. Rough terrain forklifts typically have higher rated capacities ranging from 3,000 to 15,000 pounds compared to 2,000 to 8,000 pounds for a standard rough terrain forklift. Their reinforced frames allow the lifting bulky and heavy construction materials safely on sloped or unstable terrain that may involve difficult conditions. This higher lifting capacity is essential for job sites that handle loads in challenging outdoor environments.

In contrast, conventional forklifts offer sufficient but lower capacities suitable for level indoor facilities where loads are generally lighter.

Indoor Facilities

Conventional forklifts optimally serve the needs of indoor facilities like warehouses, distribution centers, and manufacturing plants. The surfaces in these environments are typically smooth, level, and solid concrete floors. Their maneuverability suits confined spaces with little ground clearance and restricted headroom.

Outdoor and Uneven Job Sites

Rough terrain forklifts are built to handle the rigorous lifting and transport needs at outdoor construction sites, mining yards, quarries, and other areas involving uneven terrain, mud, debris, and slopes. Their enhanced traction, stability, and higher load capacities safely support heavy load handling in challenging outdoor environments and complex conditions that standard forklifts can’t navigate as safely operated effectively. Proper equipment selection depends on evaluating the specific surfaces and lifting/handling tasks at each location.