Indiana Forklift Clamps Make Unique Lifts A Cinch

Forklifts Yale Equipment


Let’s face it. Certain container shapes, coupled with their unique contents or composition, can be a little harder to move, lift and stack with standard forklift types. For an experienced lift operator, every second safely saved in a single move can add up to greater productivity and revenue opportunity over time.

That’s why many Indiana industrial warehouses consider the addition of specialized forklift clamps for their lifts.

What Is A Forklift Clamp?

A forklift clamp is an attachment that is both designed and engineered to perform a specialized lift task by integrating into an existing truck design. Think of forklift clamps as custom-designed pliers that allow the operator to “pinch” or “grasp” payload.

Usually retrofitted by a qualified dealer representative, forklift clamps are hydraulic piston-driven frameworks with specially designed brackets and adapter plates that integrate into the front chassis of a forklift. Clamps can be positioned horizontally or vertically as needed by the operator.

Types Of Forklift Clamps

While there are numerous specialized attachments available for forklifts and trucks, the most common clamp types have been designed to handle the most common mass storage shapes – round paper rolls, barrels and oil drums; and square or rectangular appliances, material bales and storage boxes.

Carton Clamps: For large square or rectangular objects that don’t require a pallet (or can have the pallet eliminated based on unit packaging), carton clamps provide square or rectangular aluminum side panels that compress and release to allow the operator to pick up, move and stack appliances, electronics, bales, boxes – even fragile goods when clamps are equipped with automatic pressure sensing systems.

Paper Roll Clamps: Featuring curved, contoured and tapered side panels, paper roll clamps encircle and grasp rounded rolls of paper, tissue, circular bales of newsprint and more. Paper roll clamps can be used for a side approach to a bale or lowered from above in tight spaces. Clamp pressure can be varied for material weight and density, and the attachment usually features a 360° pivot joint for off-angled pickup or placement.

Drum Clamps: Specifically designed for large industrial drums with enclosed lids such as oil drums or barrels, drum clamps feature two, thin gripper arms that encircle the drum and pivot up or down along the side of the container. When raised, the lifting arms “catch” the upper lip of the drum container itself. Like paper roll clamps, drum clamps often feature a 360° pivot joint for full rotation.

Things To Remember About Forklift Clamps

Your forklift clamps should be fitted by a qualified dealer or experienced lift mechanic. Since clamp apparatus and the subsequent loads you will be carrying reduce your nominal load rating, you will have to replace your forklift plate. What’s more, each potential driver of a retrofitted forklift should consider additional training to understand the new capacity – and capability – of a lift outfitted with a forklift clamp.

Get to know the in’s and out’s of forklift clamps by contacting Tynan’s aftermarket sales team.

Forklift clamps can help Indiana businesses move material more efficiently.

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