Lift height for your top rack beam
Lift height needed for a top rack beam: required_lift_height = top_beam_height + 200 mm (7.9 in). Enter your numbers below; the formula and its source are shown under the result.
Capacity drops as the forks go higher. Read the capacity at height on the truck's capacity plate or capacity diagram, never from the rated capacity alone.
The formulas
required_lift_height = top_beam_height + 200 mm (7.9 in)
Supralift: the lift height of the truck should be 200 mm greater than the rack height (the top edge of the top shelf) for problem-free load deposit. 200 mm = 7.87 in (NIST: 1 in = 25.4 mm).
Worked example: Our arithmetic: top beam 4,000 mm -> lift height at least 4,200 mm; top beam 180 in -> at least 187.9 in.
[src]rule: capacity at height ≤ rated capacity; value comes from the OEM capacity diagram
Supralift: residual capacities depend on lift height and are shown on the capacity label in the driver's view and in the capacity diagram; the manufacturer determines them by static test.
Worked example: n/a
[src]1 mi/h = 0.44704 m/s; 1 km/h = 0.2777778 m/s; 1 lbf = 4.448222 N; 1 lb = 0.4535924 kg; 1 in = 0.0254 m; 1 t = 1,000 kg
NIST SP 811 Appendix B.9. Used by the calculators to show results in both unit systems.
Worked example: 28 mph x 0.44704 = 12.5 m/s.
[src]Estimate only. The capacity on the machine's data plate is the legal limit; never exceed it.
Sources
- Rack Height (Supralift materials handling glossary) (retrieved November 6, 2026)
- Residual Carrying Capacity (Supralift materials handling glossary) (retrieved November 6, 2026)
- NIST Guide to the SI (SP 811), Appendix B.9: Factors for units listed by kind of quantity (NIST) (retrieved November 6, 2026)