There are actually numerous alternatives and attachments available for lift trucks. Although most attachments are manufactured to be utilized on typical lift trucks, there are actually some designed to be utilized on reach trucks and VNA. It is vital to note that OSHA requires approval for any attachment which should be approved for use by the particular lift truck manufacturer.
The most important common attachment is the sideshift and is considered to be standard equipment. The sideshift apparatus allows the fork carriage to slide right and left as well as allow for more accurate load placement. The sideshift allows the operator to be more versatile with the machine.
Fork positioners are an attachment choice which allows the operator to adjust the distance between the forks from the cab of the truck. This particular attachment is mainly utilized in high volume operations where there is a wide range of crate and pallet sizes handled.
Fork pivots makes it possible for the forks and carriage to rotate or pivot. These attachments could be specifically designed for dumping and transporting hoppers. These attachments are very helpful for numerous industrial operations.
The slip sheet attachment is utilized to slip sheets of plastic, or paperboard or a sheet of cardboard that is used instead of pallets. The slip sheet attachments use a push and pull device which clamps onto the slip sheet and pulls the cargo onto a thin platform. Then, the load is pushed off the platform when the truck reaches the destination.
Drum handling attachments come in many different designs. They are many different models attached to handle 55 gallon drums. There are several smaller versions of a paper roll clamps that go around the roll and also are capable of a full 360 degree rotation. There are other drum attachments which could pick up various drums all at once.
Tilt control is one more option which enables you to preset fork tilt angles. The fork extensions are specialized extensions which slide over the existing forks on the truck in order to help you lift and move longer loads. The Carton clamp operates similar to a paper roll clamp except instead of being round, the clamping surface is flat.