A rough terrain forklift is engineered and designed for transporting things over challenging terrain that a pneumatic tired forklift would not traverse. The most visible feature on the rough terrain lift truck is its oversized, aggressive treaded tires. This tire design enables the machine to travel bumpy, muddy or soft terrain without getting stuck. There are a variety of rough terrain model forklifts that are 4-wheel drive also. The rough terrain forklift belong to Class 7 lift truck.
The unique nature of the rough terrain forklift and its excellent versatility and quality has led to widespread popularity across North America. These machines have earned a positive reputation and have become the equipment of choice, gaining a strong following from a range of industries and companies.
4-wheel drive lift trucks are very well accepted by many local markets. These machines are common on heavy lumber and construction 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 common to find at any specific local building supply store.
Customers in the recycling industries, agriculture, shipbuilding and sod farming businesses utilize multi-purpose lift trucks. In both the lumber and mining industries where space is truly limited and often a concern, extremely compact forklift models are used.
More than 6 decades ago, the rough terrain forklift was born when a 2-pronged lift attachment was fitted to a power buggy. The power buggy was a materials handling machinery, approximately the size of a wheelbarrow. Today, these heavy industrial equipment are common sights in lumberyards and on construction projects.
These rugged, strong cousins of industrial forklifts continue to become a larger part of the business. These kinds of equipment are have endured a rough economic climate, especially for vehicles that have farming or military applications.
On the North American lift truck market, there are about 20 different kinds of rough terrain lift trucks. There are more than 1200 units to choose from. In addition, there are different rough terrain telehandlers on the market, with more than 25 various brand names. Moreover, various top companies such as Manitou and JLG manufacture both kinds of machinery.
These 4-wheel drive machinery are suited for the harshest of environments. These types of machinery handle well in all types of weather and can perform the hardest jobs with ease.