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What are Flexi-Forklifts?

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Flexi-forklifts offer a unique advantage in material handling: the ability to adapt their forks to various load types. But what exactly are flexi-forklifts and what capabilities do they offer? 

“Flexi” refers to a specific type of forklift equipped with a special front axle. This axle, featuring hydraulic controls and a high pivot point, grants the forks exceptional flexibility. This unique design enables them to easily handle a diverse range of loads.

How Do Flexi-Forklifts Work?

Conventional sit-down counterbalanced forklifts have solid fixed front axles with non-pivoting wheels. This limits forks to lifting square loads on standard pallets only. In contrast, flexi-forklifts incorporate:

  • An oscillating high-pivot front axle which acts as a flexible joint
  • Hydraulic cylinders tied to the pivot axle
  • Rear drive wheels coupled to the chassis using a second pivot point

Key Benefits of Flexi Forklifts

Agile fork flexing provides several advantages:

  • Conform to uneven loads – Effortlessly contour uneven loads and eliminate the need for precise lifting.
  • Grip irregular and off-centre loads – Wrap around awkward items securely, gripping them for safe and stable transport, not just the pallet underneath.
  • Load and unload freely – Easily slide flexi-forks into tight spaces, making loading and unloading a breeze even in cramped conditions.
  • Compact storage – Flexed forks can park compactly in confined areas, maximising the available space.
  • Less product damage – Flexing provides smoother insertion and retrieval, minimising impacts and reducing product damage.
  • Operator comfort – Axles absorb shocks and vibrations, ensuring a smooth and comfortable ride.

The flexible fork design provides versatility for handling unstable, unbalanced and unconventionally shaped loads, protecting product integrity and reducing manual handling to lift and align loads.

What is the West Bend Flexi?

Produced by Toyota, the West Bend flexi-forklift is one of the most well-known and widely used flexi models. Key Features of the West Bend Flexi Forklift include: 

  • Tilt angle of up to 5 degrees left and right
  • Lift heights up to 7 metres
  • Load capacities from 1.5 to 3.5 tonnes
  • Cushion non-marking tyres
  • 2WD and optional 4WD models
  • Spacious operator compartment 
  • Side battery extraction
  • LED lights for vision
  • AC motors for efficiency

With excellent flexibility, lift height, capacity and compact dimensions, West Bend flexi trucks are highly manoeuvrable. Its intuitive controls make it easy to angle the oscillating axle and forks.

What Applications Are Flexi-Forklifts Suited For?

Flexi-forklift trucks prove invaluable in operations that need adaptable load handling, including:

  • Timber handling – Flex forks grip rough-sawn lumber.
  • Refuse and recycling – Pick varied and irregular waste items. 
  • Farm material handling – Lift loose hay bales and feed bags.
  • Container unloading – Remove intermodal containers from trucks and rail cars.
  • Tight space manoeuvring – Compact parked footprint.
  • Masonry and construction – Manipulate bricks, concrete forms and materials.
  • Landscaping and nurseries – Lifting trees, shrubs and loose materials.
  • Automotive manufacturing – Handle loosely assembled frames and components.

Flexi forklifts excel at handling non-standard and loose loads, offering versatile lifting solutions where traditional rigid forks face the risk of slips and falls.

What Are the Limitations of Flexi-Forklifts?

While highly adaptable, flexi-forklifts have some disadvantages:

  • Reduced lift capacity – Oscillating axles mean their rated capacities are 10-15% lower than fixed-axle forklifts.
  • Not recommended for extended ramp use – Flexing puts side stresses on masts when ascending and descending steep slopes.
  • Initial operator learning curve – Requires training and experience for operators to coordinate correct fork angles for load handling smoothly.
  • Higher acquisition cost – Flexi trucks typically cost around 20% more than fixed-axle variants.
  • Increased maintenance requirements – More moving parts increase the flexi-forklift’s service needs.

While flexi-forklifts offer superior productivity and safety in specific applications, it’s important to remember they are specialised tools with limitations. Not all material handling scenarios are a good fit for them.

Find Your Forklift Fit at TAG Forklifts

Flexi-forklifts like the West Bend Traigo offer a highly versatile handling solution for irregular, loose and variable loads. Before investing in flexi equipment, consider typical load and handling applications carefully to determine if fork flexibility provides sufficient benefits over traditional forklifts. 

Our team of experts can offer advice on finding the ideal handling equipment to boost your operational productivity and efficiency safely. Contact TAG Forklifts today to discuss your needs.