15k rated fork lift for 13.5k machine - will it lift?

jhov · Nov 4, 2021

I realize there is not a straightforward theoretical answer, but I'm hoping someone here might have experience with the same lift. I have an 1988 Clark C500Y150 in good condition (rated 15,000 lb @ 24" from fork face and 101" in the air) and I'm considering purchasing a machine that is 103" x 75" and 13,500 lbs. So assuming that the center of gravity of the machine is in the center (worst case) that puts the load center at 37.5" from the fork face after moving it to the edge. Some basic statics says this would be overloaded, but what factor of safety is built into the rating? I only need to lift the machine off a flat bed and drive it down my driveway.

Does anyone have any experience with the same lift? I'm told it's very conservatively rated but I've not had it long enough to get a feel for it's limits.

Admin5 · Nov 4, 2021

Have no experience with that specific forklift but with CAT 15,500 (really a Mitsubishi) I have lifted (or attempted to lift) that scenario a few times and IMHO it would be pretty iffy without extra (temporary) counterweights. I used about 750 pounds of steel plates in a chip bin that was strapped to the rear of the forklift to load/unload from semi truck that sort of thing (VMC's) with no drama.

EmGo · Nov 4, 2021

jhov said:
... and I'm considering purchasing a machine that is 103" x 75" and 13,500 lbs.

Not enough info. Type of machine has a huge influence. For instance, vmc will have center of gravity way to the back (so lift from the back). Hmc is going to be much more centered. Lathe should be easy, except sometimes you can't get close enough to the weight because they have sticky-outty stuff. (Cincinnati 12CU for example.)

Might be easy, might be a pain. Depends on the machine.

And personally, I avoid the two-lifts situation at all costs. If one gets more than its share of the load and starts to tip, it's all over but the crying. Seen it come that close, with 32,000 lbs. Would have been ugly, really really ugly.

jhov · Nov 4, 2021

EmanuelGoldstein said:
Not enough info. Type of machine has a huge influence.

It's a Miyano turning center. Also, I forgot to add I have some 8 ton steel wheel skates for when it gets to my concrete pad, but the drive way is 10 year old hard packed gravel with a few small dips and ruts I really should sort out some time.

EmGo · Nov 4, 2021

jhov said:
It's a Miyano turning center.

Usually lathes are pretty easy, you can get the heavy part right up close to the mast. Some slantbeds with a lot of sheetmetal put the weight farther out, which can be a lot more problematic. You have to take a look, but if the ways are way to one edge where you can get close, should be a pickanick.

Also, I forgot to add I have some 8 ton steel wheel skates for when it gets to my concrete pad, but the drive way is 10 year old hard packed gravel with a few small dips and ruts I really should sort out some time.

So much for the pickanick

Ouch. Going down a gravel driveway, maybe I'd want a bigger lift with pneumatic tires. Solids on gravel can be no fun. Some steel plates for driving on can be a help.

@termite : biggest machine I've personally moved was 32,000 (Sundstrand hmc) and biggest one I've been responsible for (5 meter Maag shaper) was 110,000 lbs, give or take a few. How about yourself ?

jhov · Nov 4, 2021

EmanuelGoldstein said:
Usually lathes are pretty easy, you can get the heavy part right up close to the mast. Some slantbeds with a lot of sheetmetal put the weight farther out, which can be a lot more problematic. You have to take a look, but if the ways are way to one edge where you can get close, should be a pickanick.

So much for the pickanick Ouch. Going down a gravel driveway, maybe I'd want a bigger lift with pneumatic tires. Solids on gravel can be no fun. Some steel plates for driving on can be a help.

@termite : biggest machine I've personally moved was 32,000 (Sundstrand hmc) and biggest one I've been responsible for (5 meter Maag shaper) was 110,000 lbs, give or take a few. How about yourself ?

My Clark has pneumatic tires and dually drive wheels. It sounds like I might be okay if I take my time and use some counterweight.

Same model as pictured, but mine has a short mast and 6ft forks.

jhov · Nov 4, 2021

thermite said:
Ohio.. you can rent heavy steel plate, same place the road repair, telco, water, gas, sever repair folk rent it. Common item. Very. No need to own it.

It is slotted so you can place it with chains off your FL.

10-yr gravel should be decent "waterbound" Macadam by now. IOW few/no surprises as to load-bearing. Plates do the rest. Work in increments. You have the advantage of OWNING the FL, so once the flatbed has been released, you can take yer time, move a length or two, reposition plates, repeat 'til you hit the slab.

Not as if you had to move this f****r every two days, is it?

DO NOT try to slither by with plywood. Point-loading is too high. All you'll do is piss-away the price of the plywood.

My driveway is 400ft long. I don't think plating it is going to be feasible. With 6 pneumatic tires, I would think I should be okay. 20k lb lift carrying ~14k lbs = 34k lbs. I have water trucks with 1800 gallons of water down the drive all the time and I think those would weigh close to the same on about the same point loads. My biggest concern is that it is not perfectly smooth or flat.

EmGo · Nov 4, 2021

jhov said:
My Clark has pneumatic tires and dually drive wheels.

I'd probably try it but no guarantees

Have done worse stuff and got away with it ... just make sure you have some tarps handy in case you get stuck and it starts raining. Then you can haul 'er out in the spring ...

You'll know the instant you take her off the truck whether it's going to work or not.

jhov · Nov 4, 2021

thermite said:
So?

My DW was 480 ft in Annandale. I brought the house itself to the foundation over that!

A) Why would you not bring the flatbed to the shop?

B) AFTER unloading, you only plate in sections long enough for an incremental roll of the load & FL, not the flatbed.

Then you move the plates.

Repeat.

Get impatient? Think to just snatch and trundle with the FL?

Lybarger's Corollary to Sod's Law takes charge:

"All else being equal, you lose!"

Not many drivers are willing to attempt to back down my driveway. It's why I bought the fork lift in the first place so I can unload at the street. I've had a few short trailers get backed in, but no 53 footers. It's also only maybe 10 ft wide before one side drops down a hill and the other side has a pond, so I'm not sure there's room to leap frog plates past a machine sitting in the middle.

I may just see if a local rigger would take delivery and deliver it on a 20ft flat bed.

Overland · Nov 4, 2021

Some thoughts, if I may.

15,000 lbs at 4 feet to the axle center-line (approx) is 60,000 ft-lbs, "capacity".

13,500 lbs at 5 feet is 67,500 ft-lbs. Increase of maybe 10%.

I think the idea of blocking under the mast to lift it off the truck is excellent, as this is the most difficult part of the lift.

I guess the machine is on a skid, so chain the skid on the forks, so it can't slip off, then back down your drive, maybe dragging it a bit occasionally.

500 lbs of "ballast" on the back of the truck, maybe 6 feet back from the front axle gives you about 3,000 ft-lbs. Would probably make it a none issue.

Wish I had that Fork lift !
Bob

john.k · Nov 4, 2021

When running max loads on slopes ,I always go backwards....better visiblity,and the fork wont tilt forwards if you hit the brakes....Always chain /secure machines to the carriage before lifting off the truck.....oily cast iron on hard steel forks can skate like on ice.......Driving out from under a load is OK if the truckdriver is sane .....a big ask..........one took off when I had a shipping container slung up and nearly pulled the crane over......driver hadnt released one of the container locks.

Garwood · Nov 4, 2021

I would probably rent a bigger forklift than take the chance. 15K isn't much of a forklift for doing this kind of lifting. Not saying it can't, but a 25k or 30k sure makes it a lot easier and safer.

kustomizer · Nov 4, 2021

unload it, pull it onto a rollback back it to the shop

jhov · Nov 4, 2021

kustomizer said:
unload it, pull it onto a rollback back it to the shop

Yeah, I'm starting to lean towards renting a flatbed and paying a rigger to take delivery and load it on the flatbed for me to drive to the shop. This way I'm not holding up a truck trying to figure out how to pick it up safely while they block a lane on a 2 lane country road. Then I could take my time and not have to worry about the trek down the gravel driveway. I also have another concrete pad out back that is slightly sloping that I could use for a slight advantage.

kustomizer · Nov 4, 2021

If your leaning that rent one of the drop deck trailers they use for concrete rollers

I have has several largish tractors delivered on a rollback, they make it easy too

Smokeonthewater · Nov 4, 2021

Seems like it would be pretty easy to do a test lift... do the math... whatever heaviest object you have available at whatever load center balances the same as your anticipated lift... ie 15k at x" from fulcrum or 7.5k at 2x" from fulcrum both equal same tipping force.... might need fork extensions depending on weight of test item

matt_isserstedt · Nov 10, 2021

Hyster, Clark usually have +25% extra @ 24" center "unadvertised" from my various attempts at testing them.

With that you'd be just adequate to do the job.

Gotta be very careful at the limit as the torque reaction of trying to reverse under load can start to tip...gotta be careful with back tilt as the load moves slightly forward as you go down. Blocking the mast channels as suggested is a good solution if you recognize trouble.

Another problem is that if on a 102" wide truck, the load starts at 51" away from your mast. Potentially you can pivot one end at a time back to get the proper grip but that can be abusive to leveling bolts and or trailer beds.

Working near max also puts essentially 2x the carried weight on the forklift front tires and that can cause issues with subgrade (aka sinking).

A reasonable solution would be to find a person with a deckover gooseneck trailer to transport the machine up to your shop where you'd handle it again. Even the 4 tired versions should be able to handle the slight overload of 13k for the length of a driveway.

tdmidget · Nov 10, 2021

Give it up. Go rent a proper machine unless you love to shed tears at wrecked machines.

15k rated fork lift for 13.5k machine - will it lift?

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