The average forklift dimensions are often lost in the amount of information you may find about these tricky vehicles. Before you understand the classifications and forklift types, it’s important to know the specifications. Without these, you could be using the wrong forklift and putting your employees at risk.
In this article, we will cover:
- Forklift dimensions
- Average forklift sizes
- Standard forklift heights
- Standard forklift widths
- Typical forklift lengths
- Forklift capacity classes
- How to measure a forklift
- And how heavy forklifts are
What Are the Average Forklift Dimensions?
What Are the Average Forklift Sizes?
There are no average forklift sizes as this depends on the class and type. However, the most popular forklift types are any that can be used in medium-sized warehouses.
For example, a standard warehouse forklift is:
- Seven feet tall
- Five feet wide
- 10 feet long
- And has a weight capacity of 5,000 pounds or 2,267 kg.
You should consider the overall forklift dimensions, capacity, and how easy it is to manoeuvre them around your warehouse, people and other forklifts.
What Are the Average Forklift Heights?
The average forklift heights are between four and 40 feet. Ultimately, it depends on the type of forklift you need.
For example, a typical warehouse forklift is seven feet tall, or 14 feet with the masts lifted as far as they can go.
What Are the Average Forklift Widths?
The narrower your aisle, the smaller your forklift will need to be. With bespoke storage solutions, you can combat any forklift width. However, if you can’t shift your pallets, shelves or racking, you’ll need to consider the width of your forklift against its capacity limit.
For example, the average forklift widths are between five feet and under. However, heavy-duty vehicles can be eight feet wide.
What Are the Average Forklift Lengths?
Forklift lengths vary depending on the class of your vehicle. If you require a forklift that can carry more than 10,000 kg and is suitable for everyday use, you will likely require a long forklift.
For example, a typical warehouse forklift is 10 feet long, but others can be more than 23 feet long.
What Are the Forklift Capacity Classes?
Forklifts can lift between 3,000 and 70,000 pounds, or 1,360 and 31,751 kg. You can learn more about the capacities of forklifts in our previous article.
The below chart is only a rough guide to the carriage and capacity classifications. You should always conduct professional training on the weight limits before using a forklift.
| Class | Carriage Height (inches) | Capacity (kg) | Forklift Type | Application |
| Class 1 | 13 | <997 | Electric motor rider trucks | Manufacturing facilities and warehouses |
| Class 2 | 16 | 997-2,494 | Electric motor narrow aisle trucks | Large storage warehouses with high shelves |
| Class 3 | 20 | 2,494-4,988 | Electric motor hand trucks | Loading areas and long distances |
| Class 4 | 25 | 4,989-7,983 | Internal combustion trucks | Smooth floors and loading docks |
| Class 5 | 28.66 | 7,984-10,976 | Internal combustion trucks | Indoors and outdoors, construction sites, lumberyards and warehouses |
How Are Forklifts Measured?
If you’re in search of a forklift, most sellers will already know the measurements and won’t hesitate to pass them on to you. However, if they don’t know or you want to double check, here’s how to measure a forklift yourself:
Forklift: Measure the length x height x width down to the wheels, but not the actual forks.
Fork Width: Measure the fork from side-to-side, ideally from the middle or widest part. You also need to measure the bottom of the fork to the top, ideally where the thickest part is.
Fork Length: Measure the fork from the front to end; where it starts on the forklift to where it stops at the tip.
Fork Height: Measure from the top of the mast to the bottom, just where the fork starts.
How Heavy Is a Forklift?
There are many types of forklifts, so it’s difficult to determine an average size. Typically, the average weight is 9,000 pounds or 4,082 kg.
Most forklifts weigh between 3,000 and 20,000 pounds, or 1,360 kg and 9,071 kg.
Forklift Advice and Sales at Trucks Direct
With this article, you are ready to measure any forklift, though we hope you won’t ever need to. At Trucks Direct, we offer both new and used forklifts, and are more than happy to share any measurements with you before you make your decision.
As you now know, choosing the wrong forklift can be detrimental to your business and employees. We 100% value quality and customer service, so we won’t ever advise you on a bigger or better forklift than you need.
Please contact us today if you have any questions about our stock or if you’d like advice. We also offer forklifts for hire if you are unsure about making a purchase just yet or only need one for a short amount of time.