Buyer’s guide
A reach truck is the machine you buy when the racking goes up and the aisles stay narrow. This guide explains what it does, how it differs from a stacker and a counterbalanced truck, and the six checks to make before you order one.
What a reach truck does
A reach truck carries the load between its legs and lifts it up a mast. To put a pallet on the rack it does not drive into the rack: the mast or the fork carriage slides forward, the pallet goes onto the beam, and the carriage slides back. The truck itself stays in the aisle. That is why it works in narrower aisles than a counterbalanced truck, and why it is the usual choice for high racking inside a warehouse.
It is an indoor machine. Small polyurethane wheels and a low ground clearance suit smooth concrete. Rough floors, ramps and yards are a job for a counterbalanced truck.
Reach truck, stacker or counterbalanced truck?
- Straddle stacker. The cheapest way to put a pallet on a beam. The legs go under the pallet, so it needs open-bottom pallets and a little more aisle. Fine for moderate heights; see how to choose an electric stacker.
- Reach truck. The answer when the beams are high and the aisle is tight. Our reach trucks lift to 5.0 m (QGB18X) and up to 6.0 m (Q20GA), and the operator rides seated.
- Counterbalanced truck. Drives straight up to any load, works outdoors, and needs the widest aisle of the three.
The six checks
1. Aisle width
Every spec sheet gives an Ast figure: the narrowest aisle in which the truck can turn, enter a pallet and set it down. For the Q15GB it is about 2,900 mm with a 1000 × 1200 mm pallet across the forks. Then add working clearance. Give yourself 200–300 mm over the spec figure, or every pallet becomes a three-point turn.
2. Lift height, and what the truck can lift up there
Measure to the top beam, not to the top of the rack. Then ask for the load chart: the capacity printed on the nameplate is for low lift, and a mast rated at full capacity near the ground carries less near the top. Ask the supplier for the capacity at your height, in writing.
Two more heights matter. The lowered mast height decides whether the truck passes under your doors. Free lift decides whether it can work in a container or under a low beam: our Q20GA can be ordered with a free-lift mast for work where height is restricted.
3. Capacity and load centre
The Q15GB is rated 1,500 kg at a 500 mm load centre. A deep or unevenly loaded pallet puts the centre of gravity further out and behaves like a heavier one. If your loads are long or odd-shaped, ask for the derated figure rather than scaling it yourself.
4. Battery
The Q15GB runs a 48 V / 420 Ah battery; the Q20GA runs 24 V / 280 Ah. Size the battery to your shifts, not to the truck. On the QGB18X the battery pulls out from the side, which makes a change at shift end quick. If you run more than one shift, ask about a second battery for the model you are considering.
5. Floor and wheels
Check the floor for ramps, expansion joints and dock plates. Several of our models use a large front wheel with a support wheel on each side of the drive wheel, which lifts the chassis and helps the truck cross small obstacles without grounding.
6. Operator comfort and safety
A reach truck is a full-shift machine, so look at the cab as well as the mast. Features worth asking about:
- A pedal switch that stops the truck when the operator’s foot comes off (Q15GB), and a backrest with a hand rest.
- A lift limit that cuts the lifting power when the forks reach the top, so the mast stops smoothly (Q20GA, Q15GC).
- Speed that drops automatically at height, and an emergency stop switch (Q15GC).
- A controller that shows fault codes, which saves hours on the first breakdown (Q15GB, Q20GA).
- A hydraulic system designed so that the mast does not drop quickly if a hose bursts (QGB18X).
The Accelift reach truck range
Four models, from 1.5 to 2 t. Open the product page for the full spec sheet.
| Model | Capacity | Key figures |
| Electric Reach Truck Q15GB | 1500 kg | 48 V / 420 Ah battery |
| Electric Reach Stacker Q15GC | 1500 kg | Shear-forward carriage, lift limit |
| Electric Reach Truck QGB18X | 1800 kg | 5.0 m lift, side-pull battery |
| Electric Reach Stacker Q20GA | 2000 kg | 3.0–6.0 m lift, 24 V / 280 Ah |
The checklist to send your supplier
Copy this into an e-mail. A supplier who cannot answer all eight is guessing.
- Narrowest aisle, measured, in mm
- Pallet size, and whether it sits across or along the forks
- Height of the top beam, in mm
- Lowest doorway or container height the truck must pass
- Heaviest load, and its load centre if it is not a standard pallet
- Shifts per day, and whether you can change batteries
- Floor condition: ramps, joints, dock plates
- Capacity at your lift height, from the load chart
Frequently asked questions
What aisle width does a reach truck need?
For the Q15GB, about 2,900 mm with a 1000 × 1200 mm pallet across the forks. Read the Ast line on the spec sheet and add 200–300 mm.
How high can a reach truck lift?
Our range goes to 5.0 m on the QGB18X and up to 6.0 m on the Q20GA. What matters more than the maximum is the capacity at the height you actually need.
Can a reach truck work outdoors?
Not well. It is built for smooth indoor floors. For yards, ramps and rough surfaces, use a counterbalanced truck.
Reach truck or stacker?
If the beams are high and the aisle is narrow, a reach truck. If the lift is moderate and the budget is tight, a straddle stacker is usually enough.