Which Telehandler Should You Use?

In need of a telehandler ticket in Perth?

A telehandler (also known as a telescopic handler, a forklift or a boom lift) has the functionality of a forklift and the reach and strength of a crane that makes these machines great for a variety of jobs. The ability of telehandlers to lift, move and place a range of materials and tools makes it an extremely indispensable machine for most jobs. Like most construction equipment, telehandlers for hire come in different sizes, with a number of different attachment options, so hiring the right one or your job can be a difficult decision.

Before you hire a telehandler, make sure you choose a model that offers you the capabilities you need, whether it’s power, manoeuvrability, lift capacity or lift height, as there’s no one size fits all. To help you decide, we’ve come up with a few key questions to help you decide which telehandler is best suited to your job.
Why would you hire a Telehandler to do your job?

To get started, it’s important to understand why you should hire a telehandler and what benefits it can bring you. Telehandlers are widely used due to the versatility of the machine. They are often used in agricultural settings or in the construction industry, as they have a boom that can extend and lift heavy loads, with different types of end fittings also available. This allows telehandlers to take on a large number of jobs, making projects work quickly and efficiently.

Telehandlers have a range of functions that make them one of the best access equipment to hire for construction work. Telehandlers can lift a truck item, drive over to a building, and then lift it to the second or third floor. This can even be done on unstable surfaces due to the levelling of the frame. This significantly reduces the time for companies to complete projects.

There are two main types of telehandlers

• Fixed Telehandlers
• Telehandler Rotating

A fixed telehandler is equipped with a fixed cab and a telescopic boom. The cab of this telehandler can’t rotate, but it’s better to move heavy loads across the work site. The rotating telehandler is equipped with a cab and a telescopic boom that can rotate 360°. The machine can remain stationary while the cab and the telescopic boom rotate around the axis providing extreme manoeuvrability. The rotating telehandler is very useful when working in tight areas and in uneven terrain due to its stabilisers. They can also reduce the space needed on the job site compared to the fixed telehandler.

Telehandlers for hire consist of categories of multiple sizes:

Super Compact: small lifting capacity and between 3.3 and 5.6 metres. Like a forklift, with the exception of more versatility thanks to multiple attachments.
Compact: reaches up to 10 metres and can lift up to 4 tonnes.
Standard Lift: Working height range of 6 and 11 metres with a higher lifting capacity. These telehandlers for hire are the standard range and are ideal for most jobs.
High Lift: can reach up to 17 metres and can lift up to 4 tonnes. Designed to be extremely difficult to reach places.
High Load: Lift capacity ranges from 5.2 to 7.2 tonnes, with a range of up to 10 metres. Great for transporting a large quantity of materials across the work site.

Telehandlers can also come with various forms of steering, including front-wheel steering, four-wheel steering and crab steering. All of these telehandlers for hire may be used for a number of jobs in any agricultural or construction project. It is vital that you hire the right type of telehandler with the appropriate steering option that is appropriate for your job.

What kind of job will the Telehandler be hired for?

When choosing a telehandler to hire, it is important to understand the work that the telehandler will do, as this will have an impact on the decision that you ultimately make. Two of the main things that you can consider making your decision easier are: how heavy and high is the load you lift and how accessible the job is.
How high and heavy is your load?

When you hire a telehandler, you need to know what it’s like you’re going to pick up and how high and how far you’re going to lift it. Look at the heaviest material you’re going to lift to determine your maximum lifting requirements. The heavier the load, the larger the lift capacity that the telehandler you hire must have.

It is also important to know where the material is going. Are you going to get up or up and over something? This is important as the rated operating capacity of the telehandlers may change when the telehandler boom is extended, which may cause the telehandler to tip. It is important to review the machine load chart to determine how heavy the load can be.
How Accessible is your job, huh?

Considering the accessibility of your job, it is important to hire a telehandler. Does your job require you to reach a high-access area? If that is the case, you will need a telehandler that has a longer reach to insure that you can reach it. If your job is to lift pallets to a truck, you won’t need a high lift telehandler.

You should also consider the driving capability of your telehandler. If your job is in a tight access area that’s hard to turn in, a telehandler with crab steering is your best option. If you were on a farm with rough terrain, a four-wheel telehandler would best suit your job.
Do you need more than one job to complete?

Telehandler versatility is one of the key reasons why it is a widely used machine in the agricultural and construction industries. There are a wide variety of rental attachments that can be attached to the end of the telehandler, including:

Elevated Work Platforms/Carriage
Bullets
Truss Booms/Lifting Hooks
Gain Forks
Pipe Grapple
Augs.

The ability to drive on tough terrain and operate under harsh conditions makes the telehandler a great tool to use. From the collection and installation of palletized loads, to the work of buckets and the suspension of loads, a wide range of available attachments lends telehandlers to numerous tasks across a wide range of industries. It is important that you choose a telehandler that can accommodate all attachments that you may want to use, as not all attachments fit on all telehandlers.