usually will be larger than a comparable IC truck because it
requires a larger-than-usual battery box to provide the extra
power typically needed for outdoor applications.
An outdoor lift truck’s larger width, length, and turning radius affect how it performs in a warehouse or DC’s
aisles. An outdoor truck needs 10-
to 14-foot-wide aisles to turn while
carrying a load or to pass another
truck, according to MCFA’s experts.
Further, introducing outdoor IC trucks
into an aisle configuration designed
for electrics with a short wheelbase can
compromise productivity, says Clark’s
Johnson. If operators have to do multi-
point turns to pick or put away pallets
in racks, they will have a problem, he
says. “They probably have throughput
commitments per shift, and if they can’t do [the operation]
in one turn, it will slow them down and make it hard to
meet those commitments.”
Operators should be especially conscious of the dimen-
sional differences between indoor and outdoor trucks while
loading and unloading trailers, Hyster’s McGowan says. To
illustrate his point, he offers three examples of cases where
operators could run into trouble.
b A pneumatic forklift with a 48-inch overall width that’s
unloading pallets that are 48 inches wide from a standard
eight-foot-wide trailer can grab two pallets that are posi-
tioned side by side. However, if another receiver’s pallets
are positioned front to back along one side of the trailer, the
forklift won’t be able to pass the other
receiver’s shipment to grab pallets far-
ther back.
b The taller tires and higher ground
clearance of an outdoor forklift make
it a few inches taller than indoor equip-
ment. This becomes a problem when
working inside a trailer. Even though
both lift trucks may have masts with
89-inch down heights and 189-inch
up heights, McGowan says, the greater
overall height of the outdoor truck
restricts the working mast height inside the trailer, to the
point where it may not be usable.
b Dock-height variations must be accounted for when an
outdoor truck enters a trailer. According to McGowan, the
typical dock height is about four feet, and the typical dock
plate adds a three-inch hump. Similarly, adding a dock
board to a loading dock that’s 3 feet 10 inches raises the
entry point by four to six inches and creates a steeper angle
RETHINK MFG.
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