The counterbalanced lift truck is a lift truck that uses a counter balance which is attached to the back end of the machine. This counterbalance effectively balances loads that are positioned on the forks at the front end of the machine. This design is engineered to stabilize conventional lift trucks. As far as electric counterbalance lift trucks are concerned, the counterweight is formed by the battery itself.

Nearly every lift truck manufacturer will have in their product range, a counterbalance lift truck. These machines will come in a wide range of fuel sources, sizes and configurations. These lift trucks could with pneumatic or solid tires, and be designed with 4 or 3 wheels. They can work in various applications. These kinds of forklifts are outfitted with various kinds of accessories. Common attachments and options comprise: side shifts, hydraulic clamps, fork shifts and slip sheet attachments just to mention a few.

Counterbalance forklifts have changed the material handling business. They have become the cornerstone of storage and distribution systems where they perform loading, stacking, horizontal transport functions and unloading. The average warehouse forklifts are normally utilized for lift heights less than 20 feet or 6 meters. There have been some models recently developed that can lift to heights 9.5 meters or 31 feet. The smaller 1-1.8 ton or 4000 pound forklifts are the main workhorses in most warehouses. These are the most common models which the majority of small businesses will own. The average warehouse counterbalance forklift is really a wide-aisle truck that requires roughly 11 feet or 3 meters to turn in.

Also, the counterbalanced lift truck is not necessarily limited to warehouse settings. They are often used for heavy use and container carrying along with pretty much every use in between. Counterbalance forklifts are the most widely utilized and versatile of all materials handling equipment.

The counterbalanced forklift is common in numerous working environments, like warehousing, production and retail. This is due to their durability and versatility. Some of the industrial applications include: chemical, food, automotive and timber businesses.