Forklift Load Centre and Capacity — Why the Number on the Plate Is Not the Whole Story

A forklift rated 1500 kg does not lift 1500 kg in every situation. Load centre, residual capacity and the data plate explained with worked examples.

Last updated: 11 October 2026

A 1.5 t forklift is rated 1,500 kg — but only at a specific load centre. Move the load further out and the safe capacity drops, often dramatically. This is the most misunderstood number in material handling, and the cause of a large share of tip-over accidents.

What load centre means

Load centre is the horizontal distance from the front face of the forks to the centre of gravity of the load. A standard 1,200 × 1,000 mm pallet loaded evenly has its centre of gravity about 500 mm from the fork face — so 500 mm is the standard rating point on most trucks.

What happens when the load centre grows

Those figures are indicative and vary by mast and truck — always read the data plate on the specific machine. The pattern holds everywhere: capacity falls roughly in proportion to load centre, because the truck is a lever and you have just lengthened the lever arm.

The other two things that reduce capacity

• **Lifting height.** A mast is a column under compression and bending. At full height, most trucks lift less than at 500 mm. Triple-stage full-free-lift masts lose the most.
• **Attachments.** A side-shifter moves the load forward by 100 – 150 mm; a clamp or rotator adds its own weight and moves the centre further still. A 1.5 t truck with a clamp may be a 1.1 t truck.

How to size correctly

• Weigh your heaviest pallet, not your average one
• Measure the real load centre, including any overhang
• Check residual capacity at your maximum lift height
• Subtract the attachment weight and offset
• Add at least 10% margin

If a supplier quotes you a capacity without asking for your load centre and lift height, they have not sized the truck.

Frequently asked questions