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Reviewed and updated by ICD - Week 24/2026
Load center is the horizontal distance from the front face of the forks to the load’s center of gravity. It is one of a forklift’s most important specs: rated capacity is always published at a standard load center, usually 500 mm. Misjudging it leads to overloading and tip-overs.
Why is 500 mm the standard?
Most pallets and packages have evenly distributed weight, so the center of gravity sits in the middle of the load along the fork direction. For a 1,000 mm load, that is 500 mm from the fork face - which is why 500 mm is the standard (some trucks use 600 mm). For example, an 1,100×1,100 mm pallet has a 550 mm load center; a 1,200×1,000 mm Euro pallet has 500 or 600 mm depending on orientation.
How load center affects capacity
A rated capacity (e.g. “3 tonnes at 500 mm load center”) only holds when the load’s center of gravity is no farther than 500 mm. If the load is longer or its center shifts out, the tipping moment rises and real capacity drops sharply. Adding an attachment also pushes the center of gravity out and you must subtract the attachment’s weight. The “stability triangle” explains this: the truck balances around the front axle; when the combined center of gravity (truck + load) leaves the triangle joining the front wheels and the rear axle, the truck tips.
How to read a load chart
Every forklift carries a load chart showing capacity by lift height and load center. An illustrative example:
| Lift height | 500 mm load center | 600-700 mm load center |
|---|---|---|
| Under 3 m | 3,000 kg | ~2,400 kg |
| 4.5 m | 2,500 kg | ~1,900 kg |
| 6 m | 2,000 kg | ~1,400-1,500 kg |
Always check the chart by lift height AND the load’s actual load center before lifting, not just the maximum capacity printed on the truck.
Reading the nameplate
The truck’s nameplate states rated capacity with the standard load center and reference height. When you change attachments (clamps, longer forks, roll clamps), the nameplate must be updated because allowable capacity changes. Do not use the maximum number for every case - the most common mistake.
Safety notes
Place the load against the fork backrest to reduce the load center; do not lift loads with an off-center mass; reduce the load per the chart when lifting high or using attachments. ICD distributes Xilin (Ningbo Ruyi) forklifts with clear load charts and advises on truck choice by capacity, rack height and actual load center.
More on forklifts
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Frequently asked questions
What does a 500 mm load center mean?
The truck’s rated capacity is measured with the load’s center of gravity 500 mm from the fork face. Farther out, real capacity drops.
How do I calculate a pallet’s load center?
Take half the load length along the fork direction. An 1,100 mm pallet gives 550 mm; a 1,200×1,000 mm pallet gives 600 or 500 mm by orientation.
Why does capacity drop at height?
Because height and a far load center move the combined center of gravity outside the stability triangle, so you must derate per the chart to avoid tipping.
What is the stability triangle?
The triangle joining the two front wheels and the rear axle; when the combined center of gravity (truck + load) leaves it, the truck loses balance and tips.
Do attachments affect capacity?
Yes. Attachments push the center of gravity out and add their own weight, so real capacity falls below the rating; the nameplate must be updated.
How do I read a load chart correctly?
Identify the lift height and the load’s actual load center, then read the matching cell - never use the maximum number for every case.
Contact ICD Vietnam
ICD Vietnam Industrial Manufacturing Co., Ltd - pallets, plastic crates, stretch film, forklifts and packaging solutions.
Hotline: 0983 797 186 / 090 345 9186
Email: sales@icdvietnam.com.vn | Zalo: Chat on Zalo
