Reach Truck

Reach trucks are designed to help distribute the load and have a tighter turn radius offering high stability and high manoeuvrability. This allows operators to navigate smaller spaces and reach higher racking. They can pick up a pallet in front of the truck and bring the pallet in.

Common reach truck application areas are daily goods distribution in large warehouses, including frozen storage areas, manufacturing industries, garden & landscape business, farm industry, food & beverage, … These high-performing trucks are ideal for multishift operation.

If during the day, you occasionally need a truck to place pallets high up in racking, pick a pallet from a conveyor, transport goods around a production area, etc., the Toyota BT Reflex B-series is the right truck. With load capacities from 1.2 to 1.6 tonnes, this forklift is perfect for drivers that need to handle a wide variety of tasks spread over the course of the day.

Lithium-ion batteries provide several advantages when it comes to efficiency, from consistent power delivery to faster charging capabilities. At Toyota, we offer different energy packs to fit your operations and charging habits.

A lithium-ion battery lasts up to 5,000 charges, while a lead-acid battery only lasts about 1,500.

With good charging discipline, you can normally work around the clock with a lithium-ion truck.

With an optimum balance between operation and opportunity charging, a lithium-ion battery is worth the cost from a sustainable and financial point of view.

There are many reach truck specifications to choose from, depending on the required capacity and the type of load you handle. Request a quote online or contact your local sales representative for the most suitable specification and the best price, either for purchase or for rent, on short or long term. 

In most cases, reach trucks handle EURO pallets from the short side. Some businesses have closed pallets or non-standard load carriers to transport goods.  The retractable mast makes it possible to handle all of those.

Depending on the model, Toyota reach trucks can reach up to about 13 meters with a maximum lifting capacity of up to 2.5 tonnes.

It allows for a compact truck design resulting in narrower aisles between the racking and thus more storage space.

In order to handle different pallet sizes, the Toyota reach trucks come with several widths between support arms.

Either the forklift roof height or collapsed mast height will determine the lowest height it can go under. Pay attention, when the forks are raised by a non-free-lift mast, the inner mast section will lift as soon forks go up, influencing the lowest passing point.

To know maximum lift height, find out the height of the highest racking beam and add 150-200 mm to give the operator some extra manoeuvring space to place the load.

A forklift’s load capacity or nominal capacity is calculated as the maximum weight it can raise to a pre-determined height, when its load centre is at a certain point. If the load needs to be lifted above that height, or the load centre is further away, then the capacity will be lowered. That’s what residual capacity is: the actual lifting ability in each situation, which may be less than the nominal capacity.

• 180° steering, available on the BT Reflex B-series, has a quicker learning process and is recommended for non-experienced reach truck operators or people that occasionally drive reach trucks.
• 360˚ steering for reach trucks is a “BT-first” invention. Change driving direction thanks to the continuous steering wheel. Unlimited rotation enables smooth and fast manoeuvring and puts less strain on shoulders and wrists. This is an advantage over 180° steering, especially when stacking and changing aisles. It does require experienced drivers.

The aisle width is the minimum space a forklift needs to turn in an aisle (or in between racking, or other, to place or retrieve a load).

Calculations differ depending on the truck model. The specifications that need to be considered to calculate the aisle width (Ast) are:

• Turning radius (Wa): the minimum radius a forklift needs to turn around fully.
• Load dimensions: the width (b12) and length (l6) of the load determine the space needed for the truck to place the load.
• Load distance (x): the horizontal distance from the centre of the front wheels to the front of the forks.
• Safety clearance (a): 200 mm for safer navigating in aisles.

Aisle width data is mentioned in the data sheet of each forklift. Comparing data sheets of various models allows you to find the best match for your operation.

A reach truck needs a minimum aisle width of about 2800 mm. A stacker is more compact and requires less space to turn (~2200 to 2500 mm).

If you want to buy a new reach truck, you need to make sure the truck is suitable for the space. Here are four things you should keep in mind to find the right forklift for the aisle width you have:

1. Measure the distance between the racking to make sure the forklift can turn in this area. Pay attention to racking protection, pallet overhang, pedestrian pathways, etc.
2. The aisle width for forklifts with standard load dimensions can be found in the datasheet. For non-standard loads, the aisle width needs to be calculated.
3. If you use different truck types, check the aisle width requirements for all.
4. When changing truck model, double-check the measurements, differences in turning radius may occur.

In general, it’s not recommended to use reach trucks outdoors. The Toyota BT Reflex O-series can be used for yard work as this truck is designed with higher ground clearance, durable wheels and comes with cab options. 

Low temperature operations require efficient solutions that minimise waste of space, resources and time, while also ensuring reliability in these demanding environments. Toyota offers dedicated cold store reach trucks for down to -30° operation. The version with heated cabin keeps drivers comfortable and productive throughout an entire shift.

Block stacking is a way to store goods: the loads (pallet or other units) are placed on top of each other on the floor building stacks up to a safe and stable height. For block stacking at elevated height, the BT Reflex N-series with 1120 mm chassis width is perfect to store EU pallets. This truck type can also be used for drive-in racking.

The unique Toyota BT Reflex E-series is designed to reduce the risk of strain for the driver in repetitive heavy-duty applications. The operator compartment tilts whilst the forks are moving up, as standard it is fixed at 2000 mm but can be set between 500 and 13000 mm.  This way the driver has an excellent view on the load without extra head movement.

When selecting a forklift truck, verify if the model is capable of operating on the gradients you have on your site. The gradeability rating can be found in the truck’s data sheet. The maximum gradeability is the maximum grade a forklift can climb over a short period. Not only is the ability to climb a slope important, so is safely descending it when loaded. The forklift’s ground clearance also has to be taken into account.