A riggers forklift is a specialized high-capacity forklift, often fitted with a rigging boom, used by professional riggers to lift, position, and move heavy, oversized, or irregularly shaped machinery and equipment that standard forklifts cannot handle. These machines combine the lifting power of a crane with the mobility of a forklift, operating in tight indoor spaces where traditional cranes cannot maneuver.
Key Definition: Rigging Attachment
The defining feature of a riggers forklift is the rigging boom. This is a hydraulically powered, multi-stage telescoping boom attachment that replaces or supplements the standard forks.
Why use a rigging boom?
It allows the forklift to lift loads that are not palletized, such as large industrial presses, molds, dies, generators, or transformers. The boom acts like a crane, using slings and shackles attached to a hook to secure the load.
High-Capacity Capabilities
Riggers forklifts are built for serious weight.
Versa-Lift 85-115: Lifts up to 115,000 lbs (52 tons) with the counterweight extended.
Taylor TR-120 Rigger Truck: Lifts up to 120,000 lbs (54 tons).
Rigger Lift R160 Prototype: Lifts up to 160,000 lbs (72 tons).
These forklifts often feature adjustable wheelbases or extendable counterweights to balance these enormous loads while remaining compact enough to fit through standard industrial doorways.
Engineering Innovations
Extendable Counterweight
To move heavy loads without being massive, riggers forklifts use a hydraulically extending counterweight:
Retracted: The forklift is compact, easy to maneuver in tight spaces, and can be stored easily.
Extended: The wheelbase lengthens, drastically increasing stability and lifting capacity (often by 30-40%).
Hydrostatic Drive
Many rigging forklifts use hydrostatic transmissions, which provide smoother, more precise control ("inching") than mechanical transmissions—critical when positioning expensive machinery millimeter by millimeter.
Steering and Maneuverability
They feature all-wheel or crab steering, allowing them to move diagonally or turn in a very tight radius (approx. 6 meters), which is essential for navigating congested factory floors.
Operational and Safety Requirements
Operating a riggers forklift requires more than standard forklift certification.
Mandatory Approvals for "Free Rigging"
OSHA strictly regulates the practice of attaching slings directly to the fork tines (free rigging). This is considered a modification to the forklift.
Requirement: Free rigging is not allowed unless the forklift manufacturer provides written prior approval.
Alternative: If the manufacturer refuses, a Qualified Registered Professional Engineer must perform a safety analysis to approve the modification.
Qualified Personnel
A rigger is responsible for selecting the correct slings, shackles, and lifting points to ensure the load is stable and safe. Training includes calculating load weights, identifying center of gravity, and using hand signals.
Lift Plans
Facilities typically require a Material Handling Lift Plan before any suspended load is moved using a forklift.
Manufacturer Examples
Toyota High-Capacity Adjustable Wheelbase: Features a hydraulically powered, multi-stage telescoping boom, MD4 touch screen display for diagnostics, and optional remote control for precise positioning.
Versa-Lift (Custom Mobile Equipment): Known for heavy forklifts that can switch between rigging boom and standard forks. Models are named for their retracted/extended capacity (e.g., 40/60).
Taylor Machine Works: Produced the "TR-120 Rigger Truck," specifically designed for machinery movers.
Summary: When to Use a Riggers Forklift
Feature Benefit
High Capacity Lifts 40,000 - 160,000 lbs
Rigging Boom Handles non-palletized, oddly shaped machinery
Extendable Counterweight Compact maneuverability + high lifting power
Hydrostatic Drive Precise "inching" control for heavy loads
OSHA Compliance Requires manufacturer approval for "free rigging"
The bottom line: A riggers forklift is a purpose-built heavy lifter that combines the reach of a crane with the mobility of a forklift. It is essential for machinery movers and industrial contractors who need to install presses, molds, turbines, or transformers in spaces where cranes cannot reach. Due to the extreme weights involved, operation requires certified riggers, a formal lift plan, and manufacturer approval for any non-standard sling configurations.