Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Heavy Duty Jibs

Fork Truck & Forklift Construction Equipment Attachment.

Easy Rack Heavy Duty Jibs are intended for use on industrial lift trucks and rough terrain straight-mast or extendable-reach forklifts. Heavy duty jibs install on the forklift by inserting both forks fully into the fork pockets. The rear of the jib then seats against the back of the fork. A safety chain wraps forklift carriage to hold it in place.

Each heavy duty jib features two swivel hooks. One is fixed at the end of the jib and the other can be positioned in any location on the underside of the boom. This allows you to pick up loads with two hook points. Every hook is rated at 4000 lbs. on the mid-sized model and 6,000 lbs on the larger model. One or both hooks can be used to pick up the load but the total weight cannot exceed the rated capacity of the jib as shown on the load chart for that extended or retracted position.

Heavy Duty Jib Load Capacities

Maximum load capacity for each model in the various extended or retracted positions range from 1935-6000 lbs. Ask a material handling specialist about your specific application. Please remember that load capacity ratings are for the heavy duty jib itself and not the forklift nor the maximum load that can be safely handled with a particular forklift. Whenever heavy duty jibs, or any other forklift attachments for that matter, are added to a lift truck, the weight of the attachment, the new center of gravity, will reduce the lift capacity of the forklift.

Forklift Load Capacities

You must make absolutely certain not to exceed the capacity of your forklift. There are two ways to determine this reduction of forklift capacity. Ideally, you should contact the forklift manufacturer for a de-rated load capacity chart. If you cannot find one, simple foot pound calculations can be made to estimate the reduced load capacities. For example, a forklift that is rated in the desired lift position at 8000 lbs (at a 2 ft load center) has a lift capacity of 16000 foot lbs. (2 ft X 8000 lbs.) To calculate, for instance, the load when using our mid-sized jib at its maximum extension of 11'7", simply deduct the 1850 foot lbs for the weight of your heavy duty jib (cg x weight of jib) from the 16000 ft lbs and then divide the remainder by the new load center, 11.6 feet, which results in a 1221 lbs maximum lift capacity.

These calculations provide an approximate estimate of the reduced forklift capacity when using heavy duty jibs. They are based on a standard 24´forklift load center. The maximum load capacity for each hook position is shown under the forklift's rated capacity for that fork position. Calculations must be individual and precise. Again, if you do not have time to do all this calculation yourself, contact one of our experts.

Safe Usage

Before you use a jib, make certain that it is properly secured to the forklift with shackles and hooks, and that the screw pins are tight. Also, determine that every load falls within the capabilities of the forklift. Keep in mind that rated capacities will often decrease when the boom is in a raised position, or when the mast is tilted forward, or in the case of telehandlers, when the boom is extended.

Please do not pull loads with heavy duty jibs, because they are made for vertical lift only. Always carry a load low and keep it from swinging. Any time a load is raised; extreme caution should be exercised as the forklift is far more vulnerable to tipping with a raised load.

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