Warehouse workers - electric walkie stackers

Weasel

Weasel

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Working on a new facility project and was asked last week what kind of pallet moving equipment we wanted. I think we got a bit screwed as the warehouse has racking for pallets but the ceiling is around 9'6" and not all the ilse are super wide.

We currently don't have a loading dock and use a skidsteer to unload but the new place will have a dock. they had a big assed forklift and narrow isle fork spaced but I don't think that's gonna work and be a waste of resources. the receiving area from the truck is big enough to turn the fork around and that's about it. Half of the warehouse space was laid out so a narrow isle fork won't even fit.

So what I'm thinking is one piece of equipment (stacker I think) that can:
  • unload double stacked pallets from a delivery truck.
  • Reduce a double stack pallet to singles
  • Move through the receiving area into the storage area and place a single pallet on a rack that is ~5' off the floor.
  • Heaviest items we get are copy paper and I don't think they would ever be double stacked
  • So some where's in the 3,000lb lift range
Any holes so far?

next issue is to go stacker or fork over. I was thinking for over as I don't know how the trucks are loaded and you will gain maneuverability over the stackers on the sides. Most of our stuff comes on a pallet. Any reason to look at a stacker vs a fork over?

Crown ES4000 is what I sorta looked at first off but I guess they are out of stock for 18-20 months. Fork Over Walkie Pallet Stacker | ES | Crown Equipment

Found this guy with Big Joe: S22 - S22-R but the lift rating is 2200lbs.

Presto Lift, Mobile Lifts, and Noble Lift has the single mast style as well, but I know nothing about any of these brands.

What should I know? Straddle vs fork over?
 
We use these at one of my distribution centers. They can be a bit of a PITA for the operator as they are jerky however our company uses them in the wrong role (stupid high volume area they should be using an RC style fork lift for). We handle everything from pallets of pillows to pallets of water, mostly double stacked. Sounds like they would work good for your application. They actually go pretty damn high, so easy for your 5'. We used that crown es series walkie stacker and the Yale version (POS) that telescopes in and out as well like a reach stacker. Pretty cool little machine overall.

My only concern is with narrow aisles with that machine is a dumbass could pin themselves pretty easily as the operator is exposed. Maybe this will work if it fits in a trailer MonoLift Mast Reach Truck - Narrow Aisle Forklift | RM | Crown Equipment
We use the RMD and there's no way it's going in a trailer.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Weasel said:
One of which? The local Crown rep said they haven't sold a ES in 7 or 9 years.
Click to expand...
The ES series walkie stacker with double boom and telescoping forks. He's an idiot, we had 7 of those at one of our DCs, major retailer that buys a ton of crown equipment.
 
A fork over type machine requires that ALL your pallets not have bottom slats.
If your pallets have bottom slats do not get a fork over machine.
I have a straddle type that I use in the shop and I wouldn't be without it.
One downside to a straddle type is getting pallets in next to the posts in the racking.
They do also make counterbalance type straddle lifts (like a small forklift but with a handle in the back instead of an operator's platform.
A small 3 wheeled ride on one may also fit the bill.

Side shift will make your life easier if its available, one with a "scissor" type extension to reach out when loading and unloading by the posts of pallet racking might be useful as well.

With your short ceilings, before to check the free lift to make sure you can get pallets up high enough without putting the mast through the ceiling, some of them won't fit.

Aaron Z
 
Look at the big joe PDS-40-104. It has a 104 inch lifting height and 4,000 pound lifting capacity. It has a reach function also.

I actually work on these at a plant i service. Just see some small issues with them.
 
Ah, I see on the fork over. I knew i was missing something there, thanks.

I think I got enough to find something. Thanks guys. I'll look at the Big Joe line as well, glad to hear they are good machines.
 
Just don't get a manual roller one, they suck. I worked somewhere with pallet racking in a hallway that was too narrow for a powered roller stacker which was really stupid. That thing sucked to maneuver with pallets of water on it.
 
What's the aisle width? Is the 9-6" ceiling the only height restriction? What's the loaded height of the pallets? How many pallets per day are we talking here? And how far from the dock to the racks?

I'm partial to Hyster and they make a couple that might work.
 
Aisle width is not great. But I think the minimum we set was 6' with around 8'-10' to access one side of the pallet racks for full pallet storage.

The door height into the space might be a greater height restriction then the ceiling.

Initially it's gonna be alot of pallets for move in and probably during the 1st year. Building is 4 time bigger then what we have now so sorta unsure on the volume. We have a skid steer delivery maybe 2-3 times a week now. Maybe 5' pallet height? Seen taller pallets before but at some point they would have to be broken down.

We will have all powered at some point, maybe not to start but soon after, way funding works.
 
Weasel said:
Aisle width is not great. But I think the minimum we set was 6' with around 8'-10' to access one side of the pallet racks for full pallet storage.

The door height into the space might be a greater height restriction then the ceiling.

Initially it's gonna be alot of pallets for move in and probably during the 1st year. Building is 4 time bigger then what we have now so sorta unsure on the volume. We have a skid steer delivery maybe 2-3 times a week now. Maybe 5' pallet height? Seen taller pallets before but at some point they would have to be broken down.

We will have all powered at some point, maybe not to start but soon after, way funding works.
Click to expand...

I think a Hyster W30ZA2 could work for everyday use. And then rent a small electric forklift as well for the big move-in workload. I bet you can get your sales rep to throw in a free rental if you bought the stacker new.
 
Roktoy829 said:
Look at the big joe PDS-40-104. It has a 104 inch lifting height and 4,000 pound lifting capacity. It has a reach function also.

I actually work on these at a plant i service. Just see some small issues with them.
Click to expand...
Mine is a older Big Joe PDI 24-T12, I was pleasantly surprised to find that they still offer parts and could tell me a little bit about it when I called.
Big Joe was very nice to deal with even as a "consumer" vs some places that won't talk to you and just pass you off to a dealer rep.

Filthy McChevy said:
Just don't get a manual roller one, they suck. I worked somewhere with pallet racking in a hallway that was too narrow for a powered roller stacker which was really stupid. That thing sucked to maneuver with pallets of water on it.
Click to expand...
This, a piece of gravel will stop a unpowered one in its tracks.

Weasel said:
Aisle width is not great. But I think the minimum we set was 6' with around 8'-10' to access one side of the pallet racks for full pallet storage.

The door height into the space might be a greater height restriction then the ceiling.
Click to expand...
Looking at the specs from the Hyster W30ZA2 that Yotota suggested: https://www.hyster.com/globalassets...erica/documents/trucks/wzczazr-tech-guide.pdf with creep mode it should be able to place a 48"x48" pallet in a 72" wide aisle. Lowered height with the short mast (which should lift as high as you need) is 72" so it should fit heightwise as long as the mast isn't too high with the forks up to your top shelf.

Yotota said:
I think a Hyster W30ZA2 could work for everyday use. And then rent a small electric forklift as well for the big move-in workload. I bet you can get your sales rep to throw in a free rental if you bought the stacker new.
Click to expand...
That's a nice looking machine and a good sales rep should be able to do that (or perhaps just charge for pickup/delivery).
Roktoy829 said:
Look at the big joe PDS-40-104. It has a 104 inch lifting height and 4,000 pound lifting capacity. It has a reach function also.

I actually work on these at a plant i service. Just see some small issues with them.
Click to expand...
That will be really close on the ceiling due to how they lift the forks but it looks like with the top of the backrest at 9' 4" the top of the mast would be around 8' 10"
If it is indeed 6' between aisles and most loads are under 3000#, the PDS-30-104 might be better on paper as it says it can handle a 48"x48" pallet in a 72.4" aisle vs the 80" that the PDS-40-104 wants (or 82" if you add side shift which I would highly recommend)

With either of those machines you might want to see if they will put a cylinder stop tube in the lift cylinder so that your people cant lift it high enough to put the top of the mast into the ceiling...

Aaron Z
 
aczlan said:
Mine is a older Big Joe PDI 24-T12, I was pleasantly surprised to find that they still offer parts and could tell me a little bit about it when I called.
Big Joe was very nice to deal with even as a "consumer" vs some places that won't talk to you and just pass you off to a dealer rep.


This, a piece of gravel will stop a unpowered one in its tracks.


Looking at the specs from the Hyster W30ZA2 that Yotota suggested: https://www.hyster.com/globalassets...erica/documents/trucks/wzczazr-tech-guide.pdf with creep mode it should be able to place a 48"x48" pallet in a 72" wide aisle. Lowered height with the short mast (which should lift as high as you need) is 72" so it should fit heightwise as long as the mast isn't too high with the forks up to your top shelf.


That's a nice looking machine and a good sales rep should be able to do that (or perhaps just charge for pickup/delivery).

That will be really close on the ceiling due to how they lift the forks but it looks like with the top of the backrest at 9' 4" the top of the mast would be around 8' 10"
If it is indeed 6' between aisles and most loads are under 3000#, the PDS-30-104 might be better on paper as it says it can handle a 48"x48" pallet in a 72.4" aisle vs the 80" that the PDS-40-104 wants (or 82" if you add side shift which I would highly recommend)

With either of those machines you might want to see if they will put a cylinder stop tube in the lift cylinder so that your people cant lift it high enough to put the top of the mast into the ceiling...

Aaron Z
Click to expand...

Good call on the mechanical stop! That wouldn't be too expensive to add and wouldn't detract from the value as it would be easy to remove.
 
Telehandler is always the answer for forking **** :flipoff2:

IMG_0918.jpg
 
Yotota said:
Good call on the mechanical stop! That wouldn't be too expensive to add and wouldn't detract from the value as it would be easy to remove.
Click to expand...
Easier than rebuilding the mast when they stuff the backrack into the ceiling and try to turn.

Yotota said:
LOL

Don't even need to drive in the aisle, just extend the boom as far as it needs to go. :lmao:
Click to expand...
Never seen one with a knuckle like that, that would be very useful in some cases.

Aaron Z
 
Sweet thanks guys. Very helpful.

And the facilities staff is getting telehandlers/skidsteer combos. MT420H is sitting at the local JD dealer.
 

Stand-Up Forklift - Standing Forklift | RC | Crown Equipment

In a busy work environment, Crown's RC Series stand-up forklift excels - whether on the dock or in an aisle. Crown developed industry leading, innovative features into the RC Series standing forklift with the operator in mind.
www.crown.com www.crown.com

I'd get them one of these, so they don't pin themselves against a rack and kill themselves.
 
Chevy_man said:

Stand-Up Forklift - Standing Forklift | RC | Crown Equipment

In a busy work environment, Crown's RC Series stand-up forklift excels - whether on the dock or in an aisle. Crown developed industry leading, innovative features into the RC Series standing forklift with the operator in mind.
www.crown.com www.crown.com

I'd get them one of these, so they don't pin themselves against a rack and kill themselves.
Click to expand...
You would want the straddle version of this, not the counterbalance version.
The counterbalance version needs more space to get into the racks.
Also I don't think it is short enough to be usable in the space as described.

Aaron Z
 
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