Forklifts are the star of any warehouse, but it’s actually their useful attachments that make them shine.
Any warehouse manager knows the importance of these handy additions in getting the job done—forklift accessories make loading, unloading, and transporting items significantly easier and more efficient. From industrial to agricultural jobs, forklift attachments enable a truck to perform countless jobs at optimized performance.
But which forklift accessories do what?
Here’s a quick guide on some of the most common forklift attachments and their uses.
Reasons to Upgrade Your Forklift
Before going into detail on the various forklift supplies and attachments, let’s first take a look at why every warehouse manager should consider upgrading their forklift:
● Increased Productivity and Efficiency
The right forklift accessory can dramatically increase your warehouse productivity. For example, there are some forklift fork accessories that are attached to the regular forks to increase lifting capacity. The ability to carry more loads at once means fewer trips up and down, saving both time and energy—for the forklift’s battery as well as for the driver.
● Safety
Using the right forklift attachments can improve employee safety. Accessories ensure your forklift is suited for the type of job you want it to do, and getting the right specifications makes operations easier and less vulnerable to damage.
● Versatility
Fork truck accessories turn a basic truck into a machine that can do almost any job in the warehouse. With attachments, a forklift can be upgraded to handle different weights, heights, and many other requirements.
Common Forklift Accessories and Attachments
There are numerous forklift truck accessories available on the market. Therefore, what you need will depend on your specific application.
Below are six attachments and accessories that are likely to be required across industries:
1. Forklift Sideshifters
Use: Shift the forks right and left.
One of the most common attachments, sideshifters allow forks to move a load from side to side horizontally. This allows the forks to make small adjustments to align with the pallet without having to move the entire forklift.
Benefits: Efficiency and productivity are improved as a result, as pallets are loaded and unloaded faster and less fuel is used. It also reduces damage to pallets.
2. Slip Sheet Attachments
Use: Eliminates the use of pallets in the warehouse.
These attachments come in two types: Push-pull attachments and roller forks. Push-pull attachments clamp onto the slip sheet and pull the load onto the forks, while the latter helps roll the load up onto the forks.
Benefits: Slip sheets are a great alternative to pallets in many applications. They’re thin and come in a variety of shapes and sizes, making them easier to use and store. They’re also relatively inexpensive to use, costing far less than pallets.
3. Fork Positioners
Use: Allow the forklift operator to align forks with odd size objects and different size pallets.
Similar to sideshifters, these attachments allow the forklift forks to be positioned hydraulically. They come in handy where loads differ in width, as the operator can position and align the forks faster without having to make the adjustments manually for every load.
Benefits: Fork positioners greatly reduce load handling times, while reducing fuel consumption and pallet damage. They also reduce truck wear in the long run.
4. Forklift Clamps
Use: Enable the forklift to grab and hold loads of different sizes and materials. Some come equipped with a pressure valve to squeeze the load.
This fork lift accessory comes in different types:
- Paper roll clamps
- Carton clamps
- Drum clamps
- Pipe clamps
- Bale clamps
Benefits: These essential tools increase efficiency and productivity in the warehouse while reducing the damage of fragile loads such as paper rolls and cartons.
5. Fork Extensions
Use: Enables the forklift to reach loads that are farther away and handle long loads.
These forklift fork attachments make it possible for the operator to pick up loads that are farther to reach than the parent fork handle can handle. They also allow better and safer handling of long, awkward loads.
Benefits: Extensions offer enhanced stability and safe handling of loads. They are particularly useful in tight spaces where truck maneuverability is limited.
6. Battery Accessories
Use: Ensure forklift batteries operate at maximum capacity.
Battery accessories do everything from reducing your forklift’s fuel consumption to controlling power and keeping track of maintenance requirements.
They include:
- Battery sequencers
- Charging stands
- Charger supports
- Battery status systems
- Battery watering accessories
Benefits: Ensuring your forklift is reliable and operating at its best. Fuel efficiency also helps to reduce operating costs of the warehouse.
Ensure Your Forklift Equipment Is at Its Best
Forklift accessories and attachments are great for maximizing your forklift’s capabilities. Keeping everything in good condition ensures you have a productive, efficient warehouse.
Texas Motive Solutions has a seasoned sales and tech support team that can create a planned maintenance program tailored to the specific needs of your operation. We can also support you and connect you with one of our partners for your forklift repair needs.
Contact us today to find out more about our rapid-response, service-first technical support services.
