Smooth-floored factories and warehouses aren’t the only places where you might need to lift heavy material. However, standard forklifts with smooth tires aren’t equipped for outdoor use or uneven ground.

A rough terrain forklift can solve this problem. These forklifts have larger, sturdier tires and different lift styles and attachments to accommodate a variety of worksites.

When to Use a Rough Terrain Forklift

While the purpose of a rough terrain forklift is the same as a standard class forklift (to move heavy material from one place to another), rough terrain forklifts are built to work on rocky, uneven ground.

These lifts usually come equipped with large, reinforced tires with a lot of texture to help them maintain control. These tires are also strong enough to withstand puncture from any debris or sharp rocks.

Additionally, rough terrain lifts will typically have four-wheel or all-wheel drive. This gives them the necessary power to move over obstacles without sacrificing load capacity.

The most common use for a rough terrain forklift is for outdoor work sites, such as construction projects or military bases. This kind of forklift is a more powerful machine than a standard factory lift and has different safety and training requirements.

While rough terrain forklifts are designed for outdoor work, they can be useful in any situation that needs to move heavy objects in less-than-perfect conditions.

All around, these are stronger and more powerful lifts than a standard factory lift. There are lots of rough terrain forklift uses, so there are a variety of lifts to fit these jobs.

Outdoor Forklift Types

Rough terrain forklifts fall into three main categories, based on the type of lift they have. There are vertical mast, variable reach, and truck/trailer mounted forklifts. Each design has a specific strength suited for a particular job.

Vertical Mast Forklift

The vertical mast design has a mast to lift loads up and down vertically, as the name suggests. While this is similar to the design of many standard lifts, these lifts usually have larger front tires to keep the lift from tipping while carrying heavy loads over uneven ground.

Variable Reach Forklift

The main feature of a variable reach forklift is the telescopic boom lift. The boom lift is a great option for when you need a lot of height. This makes the lift a great tool for building and masonry.

Truck/Trailer Mounted Forklift

The truck/trailer mounted lift is usually delivered to a job site via another truck, as indicated in the name. The primary use for these lifts is to load and unload materials from trucks at a job site, which makes them useful for farmers, construction workers, and the military.