UNDERSTANDING SLT30AC TRUCK
3-15
Principles of Forklift
Operation
Understanding Stability
DANGER
IMPORTANT
The leading causes of accidents
involving forklift trucks are due to
the lack of understanding of how
forklift trucks operate, especially
when it comes to stability. If you
don’t understand the concepts of
stability, you may tip over your
SLT30 AC forklift truck, which can
cause serious injury or death.
Basic Principles
The concepts concerning stability
are actually quite simple. As the
angle between the forks and the
body of the truck approaches 90° to
the right, the truck is in its least
stable position. See Figure 3-12.
Unlike an automobile, which has
four points of suspension, SLT30 AC
forklift trucks operate on a
three-point suspension. Two of the
suspension points are on the front
axle (item 1 and item 2). The third
suspension point is the center point
of the rear wheel (item 3). The
center of gravity, an imaginary point
at which all of the truck’s weight is
concentrated, is located at point A
as shown when:
• The forks are straight ahead.
• The forks are centered on the
front of the truck.
• NO load is placed on the forks.
• The truck is at rest.
Imagine a triangle is drawn between
the three suspension points. This
triangle is commonly called the
stability triangle. Since the center of
gravity is an imaginary point, it will
shift for various reasons that we will
explore in a moment. The crucial
thing to remember is, as long as the
center of gravity of the truck remains
within the border of the stability
triangle, the truck will not tip. If the
center of gravity shifts so it falls
outside of the border of the stability
triangle, the truck will tip around the
fulcrum.
The forklift is most vulnerable in
three conditions: See Figure 3-12.
• NEVER load a truck
beyond its rated capacity.
Loading beyond rated
capacity can cause axles to
break, trucks to tip over or
loads to fall, causing serious
injury or death. See
identification plate for rated
capacity and load center
information.
• NEVER allow anyone to
stand beneath or pass under
the lifting mechanism. The
load could fall causing
serious injury or death.
• Make sure that the load is
centered and the forks are
fully engaged. Failure to do
so can cause the load to fall,
or the truck to tip over,
resulting in serious injury or
death
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