3 types of Class 2 Forklifts: Order Pickers, Reach Trucks, and Turret Trucks

Class 2 forklifts are electric narrow aisle forklifts. These material handling trucks run on lead acid, lithium-ion, or hydrogen fuel cell batteries and handle anywhere from 1,500 to 5,000 lbs. of lift capacity. The narrow aisle forklifts come in three different types.

If this is your first foray into the wonderful world of lift trucks, you may be unaware that there are different types of forklifts. In fact, there are seven different classes of forklifts, and many variations within each class. Today, we’ll discuss three types of class 2 forklifts.

Class 2 forklifts are electric narrow aisle forklifts. They run on lead acid, lithium-ion, or hydrogen fuel cell batteries and can handle anywhere from 1,500 to 5,000 pounds of lift capacity. They’re meant to be used to reach racks and shelves, typically in warehouses, so these machines are kept indoors. Easy to maneuver in tight spaces, class 2 forklifts come in three different types, and the difference between the three is how they are operated.

• Order Pickers: These are the forklifts most commonly used in warehouses for fulfillment. They lift the operator while making picks by connecting the forks to the operator platform. The base remains on the ground and the platform, controls, and mast move up and down. Because operators often lean out to grab items, there’s also a harness to use while the operating the forklift. The width of an order selector is about 50 inches, and it has a turning radius between 65 and 70 inches. Order pickers have a lift height between 18 and 25 feet and a load capacity between 1.500 and 3.000 pounds.
• Reach Trucks: These take the smallest amount of space of any class 2 forklift. Reach trucks are ideal for storing and retrieving pallets in racks and come equipped with a pantograph mechanism that allows them to place pallets two-deep on a shelf. These forklifts typically have a load capacity of 3,000 to 4,000 pounds. While the standard factory model reaches a maximum height of 25 feet, newer models can have a max fork height of 42 feet.
• Turret Trucks: Also known as very narrow aisle trucks, these forklifts are designed for efficiency and optimal storage capacity. They have an articulating carriage that lets them rotate 180 degrees within an aisle, which means they can rotate sideways and navigate comfortably in very small spaces, as small as 60 inches. Turret trucks have a main mast that can reach up to 40 feet, and the whole carriage moves with the mast so that the operator has a clear view of the picking area.

Need more advice on reach trucks, order pickers and other warehouse equipment? Come and talk to a Ring Power Lift Trucks advisor. For more than 60 years, our locally-owned and operated business has provided superior products and the newest technology in forklift vehicles, meeting or exceeding our customers’ expectations. With dealer locations throughout Florida, Ring Power Corporation is one of the largest Cat® dealers in the Southeastern United States. Whether you need to buy a new or used forklift, or you’d prefer a short-term or long-term forklift rental, we’re here for you. We also supply forklift parts and service in north and central Florida for every make and model of forklift.  Call +1-904-448-5438 or visit our website for more information.