There are at least three sizes of basic pallet jack

[S_W_Bausch]

Yes, I am bored, but the information is valuable.

What is the fork spacing? Typical GMA (Grocery Manufacturers of America) pallets is what the typical pallet jack is designed for.

There are Euro Pallets;

your pallet jack forks need to be closer together.

There is also the matter of fork length, and it matters.

Use the shorter length pallet jacks on typical pallets, and you will pry the bottom board from the back of the pallet.

I worked in a plant with such a pallet jack; great way to destroy CHEP (painted blue, pallet pool) $$$$$ pallets.

 

[Milacron]

I used to get the below type for free from our local newspaper. Great for light duty shipments and cool that they are stackable and you can enter from all 4 sides without the pallet jack wheels having to go over boards on the bottom.

Euro Pallets, Euro Pallet in Stock - ULINE

I say "used to" because the Beaufort Gazette consolidated their printing with The Island Packet on Hilton Head Island and now I'd have to travel too far to get more.

Re wood pallets, over the years I've never ceased to be amazed at the number of 42 x 48 ones where whoever made them seemed to have no regards for their use with standard pallet jacks...i.e. the lower boards were located in places where it was nearly impossible (or absolutely impossible, without removing a board) to use a standard pallet jack without the wheels getting caught up on boards. As if they were thinking in terms of "forklifts only" applications.

 

[bigais]

Thye standard size for handling the 48 x 40 gma pallet is a 27" wide x 48" long x 3.25" lowered ht truck- You can get all types of special specs at added costs but usually they only create problems in one way or another?

 

[Mud]

Thye standard size for handling the 48 x 40 gma pallet is a 27" wide x 48" long x 3.25" lowered ht truck-

That's the size 'everybody' has, like in every LTL trailer, and the easiest to buy. I have one that size and just bought a 20 X 36 from Crown because I get so many pallets just an inch or so too narrow to move with the std. one.

20 and 21 width are the 'std' narrow sizes, and 36" is the 'std' short length. I also found narrow long and wide short pallet trucks when I was searching. I even found adjustable width trucks.

https://www.crown.com/cart/products/usa_electric_forklift/hand_pallet_trucks/pthHome.htm