Say one has a 15,500 lb rated forklift and one wants to lift a VMC that weighs 15,500. But it is 88" wide, such that the best one can do is 44" load center.
15,500 x 24 = 372,000 / 44 = 8,455 lbs.... which would indicate even with additional counterweight added it is unlikely the 15,500 truck could be coaxed into lifting this VMC. In fact one would need 28,000 lb capacity to lift the VMC with one forklift*
Now, assuming one has two forklifts to lift the VMC at both ends... but the second forklift is a little smaller... 10,000 lb capacity. At 44" load center this one would lift only 5,455 lbs. Thus even with two folklifts, one on each side of the VMC, the lift could not be done. (8,455 + 5455 = 13,910 lb )
Or could it ? Intuitively, in spite of the math, it seems like my particular two forklift scenario would work however... am I missing something ? Perhaps in that scenario the load center is really where the fork of each forklift first encounters the edge of the cast base of the VMC ?
https://www.practicalmachinist.com/yang1.jpg
*And yes I know once one gets to that sort of capacity sometimes forklifts are rated at 36" load center but that is besides the point
15,500 x 24 = 372,000 / 44 = 8,455 lbs.... which would indicate even with additional counterweight added it is unlikely the 15,500 truck could be coaxed into lifting this VMC. In fact one would need 28,000 lb capacity to lift the VMC with one forklift*
Now, assuming one has two forklifts to lift the VMC at both ends... but the second forklift is a little smaller... 10,000 lb capacity. At 44" load center this one would lift only 5,455 lbs. Thus even with two folklifts, one on each side of the VMC, the lift could not be done. (8,455 + 5455 = 13,910 lb )
Or could it ? Intuitively, in spite of the math, it seems like my particular two forklift scenario would work however... am I missing something ? Perhaps in that scenario the load center is really where the fork of each forklift first encounters the edge of the cast base of the VMC ?
https://www.practicalmachinist.com/yang1.jpg
*And yes I know once one gets to that sort of capacity sometimes forklifts are rated at 36" load center but that is besides the point