If you have a lot of skids and pallets to move around your warehouse or manufacturing facility, especially if you need to lift them onto lower shelves or into working position by a machine, then you will want to consider an adjustable span straddle fork stacker to add to your collection of useful material handling equipment. These small, but mighty tools can help add safety and efficiency to the problem of how to move and place these loads where you need them.
Fork stackers are a great alternative to large and expensive forklift trucks when the extra power and lift height of these machines are not needed. The small size and great maneuverability of a fork stacker can help to get the material you need to the tight places where it is stored. If moving pallets and skids into place without undo safety concerns is a priority for your business, then now is the ideal time to buy a fork stacker.
The Benefit of the Straddle Legs
One of the limitations of some fork stackers is the ability to get under pallets. If the legs of the stacker are directly under the forks, the slats across the bottom of the pallet can prevent the unit from maneuvering under the pallet in order to lift it. Some stacker manufacturers have addressed this by removing the legs altogether, but this design can limit the lift load capacity since the legs are what provide the stability needed for larger loads.
The straddle stacker addresses the pallet problem by having the legs wide and outside the forks. This allows the forks to go right to the ground while the legs reach past outside of the pallet or skid. This ability to straddle allows the operator to move right under the pallet without the slats getting in the way so that the load can be properly lifted with the forks fully underneath.
The Benefit of Adjustable Span Straddle Legs
The beauty of the adjustable space legs on these stackers is the versatility offered for different types of pallets or skids. If you have different sized skids or pallets that have widths from 25” to 35” you have two choices; get a large fork stacker for the 35” pallets and a smaller stacker for the 25” pallets or just use the larger straddle fork stacker that can handle the biggest 35” pallet.
While this second alternative would work, it is better to have the forks as close to the center of the load as possible and you would need a bigger space to store the larger stacker when not in use. This is where the adjustable legs come in handy. You can reduce the leg span for storage and use with the smallest pallets while still being able to use the same fork stacker on the larger pallets and skids. Below are two adjustable span straddle fork stackers that we carry at Douglas Equipment to satisfy the needs for either a hand winch model or a power lift model:
- Adjustable Straddle Hand Winch Model HWLSD-5: This Wesco hand winch stacker model is an aluminum and steel construction with adjustable straddle legs that can change from 21.5” inside width to 36” inside width. The unit includes 8” rear wheels and 2” front swivel casters that are non-marking for easy maneuverability in tight places and the inclusion of top frame rollers facilitates laying the truck horizontal for transport. The hand winch crank handle locks to secure the carriage for safety.A unique feature of these trucks is their ability to invert the forks to allow for two different lift heights. Dimensions are width 29”, height 68”, depth 43” with a lift height range of 48.5” or 71”. Units with smaller maximum weight limits in this series are also available with lift heights of 99” or 120.5” for a maximum load of 400 pounds and 144” or 165.5” for a maximum load of 350 pounds. The smaller the maximum load the higher the lift range of the model.
- Adjustable Span Straddle Model PASFL-76-40S: This Wesco powered stacker model has extra deep (40”) straddle legs and forks for lifting pallets and the proven Wesco hydraulic cylinder for lifting. The adjustable-span straddle legs can be set from 34” to 50” inside dimensions to handle most pallets. Forks are 3” thick to safely handle any pallet up to a capacity of 1000 pounds. The stacker has 5” phenolic front wheels and 4” phenolic swivel back wheels for easy maneuverability.An optional power drive can be added with easy fingertip controls and variable speed steering that allows a single operator to easily control the forward and reverse movement of the stacker. An automatic emergency safety switch that instantly reverses direction if the control post comes in contact with an obstacle makes this power device a safe and maintenance free model. Dimensions are width 54” max, height 92”, depth 58.75” with a lift height of 76”. Smaller units in this series are also available with lift heights of 56” and 64”.
The Best Customer Service for Your Material Handling Equipment Needs
When you have questions about choosing the right material handling equipment for your unique needs and requirements, you will want to turn to a company with the experience to help. Douglas Equipment has been in the business of quality casters and material handling equipment since 1955. With six decades of experience, our dedicated service team has the knowledge and ability to help you with any questions you may have when it comes to adjustable span straddle fork stackers or any other piece of material handling equipment that is right for your needs. Contact us today!
