A rough terrain forklift is built to work off tarmac. Large pneumatic tyres, high ground clearance and, on most models, four wheel drive let it carry a load across mud, gravel, hardcore and sloping ground that would stop a standard warehouse truck within a few metres.
Acclaim Handling has supplied and serviced materials handling equipment since 1982, and we are the biggest independent supplier of used forklift trucks and MHE in the UK. Rough terrain machines are not standing stock.
They are sourced to specification, new to factory order, used, or on hire for the length of a contract, which means the machine is matched to your ground and your load rather than to what is sitting on a yard. Serviced by our own engineers from eight depots.
Success built on quality service.
What makes a truck rough terrain
Three things, and all of them matter more than the capacity figure on the plate.
Tyres. Deep tread pneumatic tyres spread the load and grip loose ground. A solid tyred warehouse truck sinks into it.
Ground clearance. The chassis sits high so the underside clears ruts, kerbs and site debris.
Drive and traction. Two wheel drive is enough on firm hardcore. Four wheel drive is what you want on mud, slopes and unmade ground, and it is the difference between finishing the job and towing the truck out.
Where they earn their keep
Construction sites and builders merchants, timber and brick yards, agriculture, plant hire, recycling and waste, and any yard that turns to mud in winter. Anywhere the load has to be moved across ground that has not been laid.
Tell us the heaviest load, the lift height and what the ground is actually like. We will come back with the right machine rather than the biggest one.
Capacity and lift height
Capacity on rough ground is not the same as capacity on a flat floor. Load charts derate as the mast is raised and as the ground slopes, so a machine rated at a given capacity will not carry that load at full height on a gradient.
Tell us the heaviest load, the height it has to reach, and what the ground is actually like, and we will work back to the right machine rather than the biggest one.
Rough terrain or a standard diesel truck?
A standard diesel counterbalance on pneumatic tyres will cope with a well kept yard, a firm surface and the occasional pothole, and it costs less to buy and to run.
A dedicated rough terrain machine is for genuinely unmade ground, slopes and sites in all weathers. If your yard is tarmac that happens to be uneven, you probably do not need one. If it is a field in February, you do.
New, used or hire
New machines are placed as a factory order to the specification the site needs. Used machines carry the same inspection and sign off as the rest of our used stock. Hire is available short term for a single contract or long term where a machine is needed for the duration of a project, which is how most site based work is covered.
Servicing, tyres and thorough examination
Rough terrain work is hard on a machine. Tyres, hydraulics and the drive line take more punishment than they would indoors, and service intervals should reflect the conditions rather than the calendar.
Like any lift truck, a rough terrain forklift needs a thorough examination under LOLER at least every twelve months when it is lifting loads only.
Operator training
Rough ground, gradients and outdoor visibility are not what a warehouse trained operator has practised. Training on the machine and the site conditions is both a legal requirement and the practical difference in how the truck gets used.
Talk to us
Call 01708 861 414 or contact the team. Tell us the load, the lift height, the ground and whether you want to buy or hire, and we will come back with what fits.
All prices ex VAT.
Tell us the heaviest load, the lift height and what the ground is actually like. We will come back with the right machine rather than the biggest one.
Rough terrain forklifts: common questions
Eight depots across the UK
Our own engineers, out of our own depots - wherever you are, service comes from us.
Talk to us about Rough Terrain Forklifts
Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm.
Additional Services
Checkout our range of other machine services below
