When buying an electric pallet stacker, many buyers focus first on lifting capacity and lift height. But fork size is equally important because the forks need to physically enter, support, and move your pallets.
A 1.5-ton electric pallet stacker is not automatically suitable for every 1.5-ton pallet application. The pallet dimensions, fork entry direction, fork length, fork width, load center, and warehouse layout all need to work together.
For most standard warehouse applications, a fork length around 1,150 mm is common. For example, one 1.5-ton electric walkie pallet stacker specification lists 1,150 mm forks, with optional overall fork widths of 570 mm and 695 mm. Another 2-ton electric pallet stacker uses 1,150 mm forks with 550/685 mm overall fork widths.
The right question is therefore not simply “What fork length do I need?”
It is:
“Which electric pallet stacker fork configuration matches the pallets I actually use every day?”
1. Start With Your Actual Pallet Size
Before requesting a quotation, measure the pallets used in your warehouse.
The three dimensions buyers should provide are:
Pallet length
Pallet width
Fork entry opening
For example, suppose a warehouse uses 1,200 × 1,000 mm pallets. If the pallet is normally entered from the 1,000 mm side, the required fork arrangement can be different from a pallet entered from the 1,200 mm side.
This small difference can affect the required fork position and working space.
For an equipment supplier, a simple pallet drawing or photograph is often more useful than only saying:
“We need a 1.5-ton electric stacker.”
If you send the pallet dimensions and a photo showing the bottom structure, the supplier can recommend a more suitable fork configuration.
2. Is 1,150 mm Fork Length Suitable?
For many standard warehouse applications, 1,150 mm forks are a practical starting point.
For example, a 1.5-ton CDD-type electric pallet stacker can be configured with approximately 1,150 mm fork length. A published 1.5-ton specification also gives a 600 mm load center and 1,150 mm fork length.
Consider a warehouse receiving 1,200 mm-long pallets.
If the pallet is entered from the 1,200 mm side, 1,150 mm forks can provide substantial support under the pallet while keeping the stacker relatively compact.
This is one reason 1,150 mm forks are frequently seen on electric pallet stackers designed for general warehouse use.
However, that does not mean 1,150 mm is automatically correct for every pallet.
If your pallet is unusually long, your load is concentrated toward the front, or your application requires deeper support, another fork length may be more appropriate.
3. Fork Length Should Match the Load, Not Just the Pallet
Forks need to support the load correctly.
Imagine a customer purchasing a 1,500 kg electric pallet stacker for a warehouse handling 1,200 × 1,000 mm pallets.
The customer may think:
“The pallet is standard, so any 1,150 mm fork will work.”
But the actual load may be only 800 kg and concentrated toward one end.
In this situation, the supplier should look at:
Load weight
Load dimensions
Load center
Pallet construction
Fork entry direction
Required lifting height
A stacker's rated capacity is normally specified together with a load center. One published 1.5-ton electric stacker, for example, specifies a 600 mm load center.
For your quotation request, therefore, it is better to provide both:
Maximum load weight + load dimensions
rather than only the maximum weight.
4. Fork Width Matters When Pallets Are Different
Fork length is only one part of the matching process.
Fork width and overall fork spread also affect compatibility.
This becomes particularly important when a customer handles several pallet sizes.
For example:
Warehouse A
Pallet: 1,200 × 1,000 mm
Maximum load: 1,000 kg
Standard warehouse storage
One main pallet type
A standard fork configuration may be sufficient.
Warehouse B
Pallets: 1,200 × 800 mm and 1,200 × 1,000 mm
Maximum load: 1,500 kg
Multiple suppliers
Different pallet structures
Warehouse B should discuss fork spacing and pallet entry conditions with the supplier before ordering.
Some electric pallet stackers are available with different fork spreads or configurations. One 2-ton model, for example, lists fork widths of 550 mm and 685 mm.
The goal is not to choose the largest fork configuration.
The goal is to choose a configuration that fits your pallet system while keeping the machine practical to operate.
5. Open Pallets and Closed Pallets Need Different Attention
This is one of the details that overseas buyers sometimes overlook.
A pallet can look standard from the top but have a completely different bottom structure.
For example:
Open-bottom pallet
Closed-bottom pallet
Block pallet
Two-way pallet
Four-way pallet
A straddle-style electric stacker can be useful for certain pallet configurations because the support legs can be positioned around the pallet. Other pallet types may require a different truck design.
If you are buying an electric pallet stacker for a new warehouse, send the supplier:
Pallet length and width
Pallet height
Bottom opening dimensions
Pallet photo
Maximum load weight
This allows the supplier to check the fork and chassis configuration before production.
6. Example: Choosing a Fork Configuration for a 1.5-Ton Warehouse
Suppose a distributor in South America is purchasing electric pallet stackers for a customer warehouse.
The customer provides the following information:
Maximum load: 1,200 kg
Pallet: 1,200 × 1,000 mm
Lift height: 3,000 mm
Load center: approximately 500–600 mm
Indoor concrete floor
Daily pallet handling
Walkie operation
A 1.5-ton electric pallet stacker would be a reasonable configuration to evaluate.
A model with approximately 1,150 mm forks is also a practical starting point.
For reference, published 1.5-ton models show 1,150 mm fork lengths and working aisle figures around 2.0–2.1 m depending on pallet orientation and truck configuration.
The supplier can then confirm:
Fork dimensions
Fork spread
Turning radius
Aisle requirement
Residual capacity at 3,000 mm
Mast height when lowered
This is much more useful than selecting a machine only from the “1.5 ton” label.
7. Do You Need Longer Forks?
Longer forks may make sense when your pallet or load dimensions require more support.
However, longer does not always mean better.
If the warehouse has narrow aisles or frequent turning, excessive fork length can make the truck less convenient to maneuver.
For example, a buyer handling 1,200 × 1,000 mm pallets in a compact warehouse may prefer a standard configuration instead of adding unnecessarily long forks.
The same principle applies to special loads.
If you handle:
Long timber packages
Long steel products
Oversized cartons
Special industrial pallets
tell the supplier the actual load dimensions before ordering.
A customized fork length may be more appropriate than simply purchasing a standard pallet stacker.
8. Match the Forks Before You Match the Price
When comparing quotations from different electric pallet stacker suppliers, do not compare only:
1.5T + 3,000 mm + price
Instead, compare the complete configuration:
| Item | Example Requirement |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 1,500 kg |
| Load center | 500–600 mm |
| Fork length | 1,150 mm |
| Fork spread | Based on pallet |
| Lift height | 3,000 mm |
| Pallet size | 1,200 × 1,000 mm |
| Operation | Walkie |
| Turning radius | Confirm by model |
| Aisle width | Confirm with actual pallet |
This makes supplier quotations much easier to compare.
9. Ask for the Fork Configuration Before Ordering
If you are purchasing electric pallet stackers for distribution, warehousing, manufacturing, or retail storage, send the supplier your pallet information before asking for a final quotation.
We can recommend the appropriate electric pallet stacker configuration based on:
Pallet size
Maximum load
Load center
Required lift height
Fork length
Fork spread
Warehouse aisle
Indoor or outdoor application
For standard warehouse applications, 1,150 mm forks are a common configuration, but the correct specification should always be confirmed against the customer's actual pallets and working conditions.
Send us your pallet dimensions and required lifting height to get an electric pallet stacker recommendation and quotation.