Forklift Load Centre Distance Explained: What It Is and Why It Matters
What Is Load Centre Distance on a Forklift?
Forklift load centre distance is one of the most important factors affecting lifting safety, yet it is often misunderstood or ignored in day to day operations. While many operators focus on load weight alone, it is the distance of that weight from the forklift that determines how stable the machine really is.
Understanding
load centre distance helps prevent tip overs, dropped loads, unstable steering, and incorrect forklift selection. It also explains why a forklift may lift a load physically, but still be operating outside safe limits.
Forklift Load Centre Distance Definition
Load centre distance is the horizontal distance from the vertical face of the forklift forks to the centre of gravity of the load being lifted.
If the load is uniform and balanced, its centre of gravity sits halfway between the front and back of the load. Load centre distance measures how far forward that balance point sits in relation to the forklift.
This distance matters because the further the
load’s centre of gravity is from the fork face, the more leverage it places on the forklift’s front axle, reducing stability.
What Is Load Centre in a Forklift Used For?
Load centre distance is used by manufacturers to determine and rate a forklift’s lifting capacity.
Most standard forklifts are rated at a 500mm or 600mm load centre. This represents a typical pallet with evenly distributed weight under ideal conditions. The rated capacity shown on the data plate is only valid at that specified load centre.
Load centre distance is also used to assess stability. As the load centre increases, the forklift’s safe capacity decreases, even if the load weight remains unchanged.
Where Is Load Centre Distance Measured on a Forklift?
Load centre distance is measured from the vertical face of the forks, not from the tips of the forks or the mast.
The measurement runs horizontally to the centre of gravity of the load. For a standard pallet, this is often assumed to be halfway through the pallet depth. For example, a pallet that is 1,000mm deep will typically have a load centre distance of 500mm.
Pallet depth, load shape, overhang, and uneven weight distribution all affect where the
centre of gravity sits, which means the
load centre distance must be assessed based on the actual load, not assumptions.
How to Work Out Forklift Load Centre Distance
To work out forklift load centre distance, start by measuring the total depth of the load from front to back.
Divide that measurement by two to find the approximate centre of gravity for evenly distributed loads. That distance, measured from the fork face, is the load centre distance.
If the load is uneven, overhanging, or irregularly shaped, the centre of gravity may sit further forward. In these cases, visual assessment alone is unreliable and conservative assumptions should be made.
Common mistakes include measuring from the fork tips, ignoring overhang, assuming all pallets are standard, and failing to account for attachments that move the load forward.
Why Load Centre Distance Reduces Forklift Capacity
Forklifts rotate around the front axle when lifting. As load centre distance increases, the load applies more leverage around this pivot point.
This increased leverage shifts the combined centre of gravity of the forklift and load forward. As that shift occurs, stability decreases and the forklift’s safe working capacity is reduced.
This is why a forklift may be able to lift a load hydraulically but still be unsafe to operate. Lifting force and stability limits are not the same thing.
Common Situations That Increase Load Centre Distance
- Oversized or non standard pallets often push the load centre further forward than expected. Double stacked pallets increase both load centre distance and height, compounding instability.
- Stillages, IBCs, and irregular loads rarely have evenly distributed weight. Liquids can shift during movement and frames can concentrate weight toward the front.
- Long loads such as timber, steel, and pipes extend past the forks, increasing leverage even when the load is balanced side to side.
- Attachments such as fork extensions, clamps, jibs, and rotators physically move the load away from the fork face, increasing load centre distance before any weight is added.
Load Centre Distance vs Load Weight
Load weight alone does not determine whether a lift is safe. A relatively light load can be dangerous if its centre of gravity is far forward.
Load centre distance and load weight work together. As either increases, stability decreases. When both increase at the same time, risk rises quickly.
This is why forklifts can appear to handle loads comfortably while operating outside safe limits. The issue is not the weight itself, but where that weight sits.
How Load Centre Distance Affects Residual Capacity
Residual capacity is the forklift’s true safe lifting capacity once real operating conditions are considered.
Load centre distance is one of the biggest factors reducing residual capacity. As the load centre increases, the amount of weight the forklift can safely lift drops, sometimes significantly.
This is why data plates and load charts must be read with the actual load centre in mind, not just the headline capacity figure.
*The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to serve as a substitute for professional training or certification. Operating a forklift requires proper training and a valid licence in Australia. All forklift operators must obtain the necessary license and undergo comprehensive training to ensure safe and compliant operation.
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