A telehandler? Discover the advantages of a telehandler in comparison with other machinery

Do you use cranes and all-terrain machinery? Then chances are big a telehandler will offer you plenty of advantages. Discover why it makes sense to use a telehandler.

Telehandler advantages

A telehandler carries and transports heavy loads. Using various attachments, you can use it as a lift truck, cherry picker, tractor, wheel loader, skid-steer loader or crane.

It’s often easier to use one single telehandler, than several other machines. A telehandler has three important advantages. It can:

• move heavy loads high and far at the same time
• carry different kinds of loads
• push and pull

1. A telehandler can move heavy loads high and far

Thanks to its extendable arm, it can reach very high. Lifting up one single roof tile is usually not an issue. But lifting up an entire pallet of roof tiles, that requires a stronger machine. A telehandler is equipped for this purpose: it has stabilizers, a set of feet at the front of the machine. 

Importance of stabilizers

‘What are these stabilizers for?’, I hear you say. Well, thanks to these stabilizers, the machine’s gravity point moves further away from the front of the machine, as these stabilizers shift the support point. This allows us to move heavier loads, or cover longer distances, without risking to tilt.

The image clearly illustrates it: the telehandler’s gravity point (blue arrow) has to stay behind the support point on the front side of the machine.  In a normal situation, without stabilizers, the front wheels are the support point (green arrow). When the telehandler lifts heavy loads, the gravity point moves forward. But if the load is too heavy and if the gravity points moves beyond the wheels, the telehandler will tilt.  That is why we have stabilizers. When they are extended, they become the support point (red arrow). As the gravity point is further away from the support point - a greater bearing surface - and the counterweight located behind the machine increases, the telehandler can handle heavier loads.

Because of the telehandler’s extendable arm, we also have to take into account the lifting power, if the arm is fully extended. In physics, this is called moment. This means that if the power (the load) increases, as discussed above, or also if the arm is extended, the tension increases. Because, if the arm is extended, the weight affects a longer distance. Holding a 5 kg weight close to your body, for example, is much easier than trying to hold it with your arms extended.

So, tension increases as the distance increases, even if the load remains the same.  Here too, the stabilizers can help. They increase the counterweight by bringing the support point forward, allowing the telehandler to work with a longer arm or heavier load.

The image below illustrates that this telehandler with extended arms and deployed stabilizers can lift up 950 kg. Without the stabilizers, it’s 0 kg. A telehandler is designed to lift loads up or down, without too much effort.

2. A telehandler can do more than just lifting a pallet

You can also use it to transport people or equipment.

You can fit various types of attachments on the telehandler, making it very versatile. 

• By default, a telehandler is fitted with forks, to lift and transport goods on a pallet.
• You can also attach a cabin to bring people up to places that are hard to reach.
• Using clamps, you can even lift round objects, like straw bales. This clamp for example, can also turn 360°.
• With a scoop, you can pick up soil. These come in different sizes.

3. A telehandler can push and pull

These applications are very popular in the agricultural sector especially, where they usually use tractors. With the right attachment, a telehandler can do this too. With rubber pushers, you can shovel snow, flatten soil or even clear away debris.

You’ll find all telehandler attachments on www.camattachments.com: a tipper to tip, forks to lift loads, a cabin to lift people...  

The multi-deployable machine

A telehandler is a fusion of several machines. By combining the crane, the tractor and the lift truck, you create the telehandler: a powerful tool for anyone working in the construction or agricultural industry. You can use it throughout the day, as soon as you arrive at your work place and until you finish the job. Thanks to its many advantages, it will help you performing various tasks on a daily basis.

Not fully convinced yet? Discover how and when you can use the telehandler and find out what the different types are:

• Find out more about when to use a telehandler.
• Find out more about how to use a telehandler in the agricultural sector.

Lisa, TVH blogger