A rough terrain forklift is engineered and designed for transporting things over challenging terrain that a pneumatic tired lift truck would not traverse. The most visible feature on the rough terrain forklift is its aggressive, oversized treaded tires. This tire design allows the equipment to travel bumpy, muddy or soft terrain without getting stuck. There are various rough terrain unit lift trucks that are 4-wheel drive too. The rough terrain forklift falls into a Class 7 lift truck.
The unique nature of the rough terrain lift truck and its exceptional versatility and quality has led to widespread popularity throughout North America. These machinery have earned a positive reputation and have become the machinery of choice, earning a strong following from various industries and companies.
4-wheel drive lift trucks are very well accepted by lots of local markets. These equipment are common on construction and heavy lumber industries work sites. The less expensive 2-wheel drive machinery target the lumber and industrial markets and are high quality. The 4-wheel drive forklifts are very popular to see at any particular local building supply store.
Multi-purpose forklifts are used by many businesses including: recycling industries, shipbuilding, agriculture and sod farming industries. Within the mining and lumber industries where space is truly limited and usually a concern, extremely compact forklift models are used.
Rough terrain lift trucks were created more than 6 decades ago, when a 2-pronged lift attachment was fitted to a power buggy. The power buggy was a materials handling machine, around the size of a wheelbarrow. Today, these heavy industrial machinery are common sights on construction projects and in lumberyards.
These rugged, strong cousins of industrial forklifts continue to become a larger part of the industry. These equipment are have endured a rough economic climate, specially for vehicles that have farming or military applications.
On the North American lift truck market, there are about 20 different types of rough terrain forklifts. There are over 1200 models to pick from. Additionally, there is a wide selection of rough terrain telehandlers on the market, with more than 25 various brands. In addition, a range of top companies like for instance Manitou and JLG manufacture both types of machine.
These 4-wheel drive equipment are suited for the harshest of environments. These kinds of machinery handle well in all kinds of weather conditions and are able to perform the hardest tasks with ease.