Fork size decides whether a pallet truck fits your pallets and your building, and it is the specification people most often skip. Two measurements matter: the external fork width (across the outside of both forks) and the fork length. This guide explains both, then matches them to the pallets you handle and the space you turn in. Every truck mentioned is on the pallet trucks page.
External fork width
The external width is the distance across the outside edges of the two forks. On all of our current trucks it is 550mm, with a 230mm gap between the forks. That width enters the fork pockets of the two pallets most UK businesses use:
- UK standard pallet, 1200 × 1000mm – entered from the 1000mm side or the 1200mm side.
- Euro pallet (EUR/EPAL), 1200 × 800mm – entered from the 800mm side (the short face) for the standard configuration.
A wider fork configuration – 685mm external width, with 1200mm forks – exists for wider pallets, plastic pallets with wide-set blocks and for loads that need more support across their width. We will be adding a wide-fork 3000kg truck to the range; until it is live, the 550mm trucks cover the standard and Euro pallets above. If you have an unusual pallet, measure the distance between its bottom boards and blocks before you buy any truck.
Fork length: 800mm, 1150mm and 2000mm
Fork length sets how much of the pallet is supported and how much room the truck needs to turn. Ours come in three lengths:
| Fork length | Truck | Rated capacity | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 800mm | Short fork pallet truck | 2000kg | Half pallets, Euro pallets from the short side, vehicle loading, tight stockrooms |
| 1150mm | Standard pallet truck (and Premium) | 3000kg | Full-size UK and Euro pallets, general warehouse use |
| 2000mm | Long reach pallet truck | 2000kg | Long loads, timber and profiles, two standard pallets end to end |
Standard 1150mm forks
The general-purpose length. 1150mm forks support a 1200mm pallet almost to the far edge, so the load is stable and the truck turns in a normal aisle. This is the fork on our 3000kg standard pallet truck in all four colours and on the Premium 3000kg truck. If you have no reason to choose otherwise, choose this – see 3000kg pallet trucks.
Short 800mm forks
An 800mm fork enters a Euro pallet from its 800mm side and stops flush with the far edge, and it carries half pallets, quarter pallets and display pallets without the forks poking out the back. The truck is shorter overall, so it turns in a confined stockroom, in the back of a van or a Luton box, and in a lift. The trade-off is less support under a full 1200mm pallet, which is why short-fork trucks are 2000kg rather than 3000kg. Ours is the 2000kg short fork pallet truck – see all short fork pallet trucks.
Long reach 2000mm forks
A 2000mm fork carries two 1000mm-deep pallets end to end (within the 2000kg rating in total), or one long load such as timber, tubes, profiles, doors or worktops. It needs considerably more room to turn – the truck is nearly a metre longer than a standard one – so check the aisle and the doorway swing before ordering. Ours are the 2000kg long reach pallet trucks, in red or orange.
Other fork configurations
Used trucks come in the sizes they were built in. The used Chadwick braked pallet truck, for example, has 680 × 1000mm forks: wider than our new trucks and shorter than standard, with a parking brake for ramps and vehicle loading. Always read the fork dimensions on a used listing rather than assuming a standard size.
How to measure before you buy
- Pallet size – length and width of the pallet, and which side the truck will enter from.
- Fork pocket width – the clear distance between the pallet's blocks or stringers on the entry side. The forks must fit inside it with clearance.
- Pallet depth in the direction of the forks – the forks should support most of it. 1150mm forks under a 1200mm pallet is right; 800mm forks under a 1200mm pallet is not.
- Turning space – truck length is forks plus the pump unit and handle. Allow the length of the truck plus the operator at the end of every aisle it serves.
- Doorways, lifts and vehicles – a short-fork truck fits where a standard one will not.
Frequently asked questions
What fork width do I need for a Euro pallet?
A standard 550mm external width with a 230mm gap enters a Euro pallet from the 800mm side. Choose 800mm forks to sit flush with the pallet, or 1150mm forks if the same truck also handles 1200 × 1000mm UK pallets.
Are 685mm wide forks better?
Only for pallets and loads that need them – wide-block plastic pallets, some export pallets and wide loads. On a standard wooden pallet, 550mm is the correct size.
Can I use a long reach truck as a normal pallet truck?
Yes, but it needs more room to turn and the forks will project 800mm beyond a standard pallet, which is a trip hazard in a busy aisle. Use it where the length is needed.
Does fork length change the capacity?
Each truck has its own rating: our short and long fork trucks are 2000kg, the standard and Premium 1150mm trucks are 3000kg. The 2000kg vs 3000kg guide explains how to choose the rating.
Browse by format: short fork, long reach and standard 3000kg pallet trucks, or see all pallet trucks.