Where is the point of balance (fulcrum) located on a forklift?

• A. Centre of the front wheels where the tyre touches the ground and pivots from
• B. Centre of the rear wheels
• C. Under the load center
• D. At the fork tip

Answer: (C)

The balance point is about where the combined weight of the forklift and its load acts. For a counterbalanced forklift, the point where the overall center of gravity sits—essentially where the system would balance if supported only at its wheels—is effectively under the load center. The load center is the defined horizontal distance from the face of the forks to the load’s center of gravity, and it is this point that the forklift is designed to balance around. The counterweight at the rear helps keep that overall center of gravity safely within the stability range, so the true fulcrum isn’t at the fork tip or at a wheel center. It’s the position of the combined center of gravity, which lies under the load center.