The most common types of forklift attachments are side shifters, fork positioners, fork extensions, clamps, rotators, push-pull units and jibs. Each one lets a standard forklift handle a load or a job that plain forks can't, from lining up pallets faster to gripping cartons and bales with no pallet at all. In Australia, an attachment can only be used when the forklift manufacturer has approved it, it has a rated capacity and it's listed on the forklift's information plate.
Common forklift attachments at a glance
The table shows what each attachment does, where it's typically used and whether it needs extra hydraulic functions on the truck.
| Attachment | What it does | Typical loads and industries | Extra hydraulics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Side shifter | Moves the forks left and right without moving the truck | Almost every warehouse, dock and container job | One extra function |
| Fork positioner | Changes the gap between the forks from the seat | Mixed pallet sizes in distribution, food and beverage | One, or two with side shift |
| Fork extensions | Slide over the forks for longer loads | Occasional long or deep loads, timber, steel | None |
| Carton and appliance clamp | Grips cartons or whitegoods from the sides | Appliances, electronics, beverage cartons | One extra function |
| Bale clamp | Squeezes compressed bales without breaking the straps | Recycling, wool, cotton, hay | One extra function |
| Paper roll clamp | Grips and rotates rolls without crushing them | Paper, printing, packaging film | Two extra functions |
| Rotator | Turns the forks or a clamp to tip or invert loads | Bins in waste, food processing and manufacturing | One extra function |
| Push-pull | Pulls slip-sheeted loads onto platens and pushes them off | Beverage, bagged goods and food without pallets | One or two, depending on the model |
| Jib | Turns the forklift into a small crane for slung loads | Workshops, plant rooms, engines and machinery | None |
Attachments that position the load
Positioning attachments don't change what a forklift can carry. They make each pick faster and gentler on pallets, racking and the truck itself.
Side shifters
A side shifter moves the fork carriage sideways, so the operator can line up with a pallet or a rack bay without shuffling the whole truck back and forth. It's the most widely fitted attachment because it saves time on every lift and cuts knocks to racking and pallets. An integrated side shifter is built into the carriage and pushes the load centre out very little, while a hook-on unit mounts on the front of the carriage and adds thickness, which costs some capacity.
Fork positioners
A fork positioner moves the forks closer together or further apart with a lever in the cab, so the operator doesn't climb down to slide them by hand. It earns its place where pallet and load widths change through the day, such as a distribution centre handling both Australian standard and export pallets. Many units combine fork positioning and side shift in one attachment, which then needs two hydraulic functions.
Attachments for longer, wider or multiple loads
When loads are longer or deeper than the forks, or you want to move more than one pallet at a time, these attachments extend what the truck can carry.
Fork extensions, also called slippers, slide over the existing forks and lock in place for loads that hang past the fork tips. In Australia they're covered by AS 2359.15, and each extension should carry its own rating plate showing the load it can take. Extensions suit occasional jobs. If long loads are part of every shift, longer forks or a dedicated machine such as a side loader is the better choice, because an extension pushes the load centre out and lowers capacity every time it's used. Never use an extension that's bent or has a worn locking pin.
Specialist forks, such as longer or tapered forks, suit loads that standard forks don't, and double pallet handlers add a second set of forks so the truck can carry two pallets side by side. Both increase the weight on the front of the truck, so the capacity with the attachment fitted must be on the plate.
Clamps, rotators and push-pull for loads without pallets
Clamps and push-pull units let a forklift handle goods with no pallet underneath, which saves pallet costs and storage space. The trade-off is that the operator has to grip the load hard enough to hold it but not so hard that it crushes.
- Carton and appliance clamps: wide, rubber-faced pads grip stacks of cartons, fridges or washing machines from the sides. Clamp pressure has to suit the product, because too much damages it and too little lets the load slip.
- Bale clamps: squeeze bales of cardboard, plastic, wool, cotton or hay without breaking the straps.
- Paper roll clamps: curved arms hold rolls of paper or film and rotate them between vertical and horizontal without making them oval.
- Drum clamps: grip one or more drums by the rim, and some models tilt to pour.
- Rotators: turn the carriage, forks or a clamp to tip bins and invert loads, which is why they're common in waste, recycling and food processing.
- Push-pull units: grip the lip of a thin slip sheet, pull the load onto wide steel platens and push it off at the other end. They suit high-volume beverage, food and bagged goods operations that have moved away from pallets.
Most clamps and rotators are heavy and sit well in front of the carriage, so they take more capacity than any other attachment group. Check the plate figure for the exact clamp before you quote a lift.
Jibs, bulka bags and work platforms
Attachments that hang a load or lift a person carry the highest risk, and WorkSafe Victoria gives specific guidance on each.
A jib turns the forklift into a small crane for slung loads such as engines, machinery and steel. Its real capacity has to account for the jib's own weight, the longer load centre and the load swinging, and a forklift with a jib should only work on a hard, flat, level surface. If you lift large slung loads often, an overhead crane may be the better tool.
Bulka bags need a purpose-built lifting attachment or a manufacturer-approved method. Hooking the lifting loops straight onto the fork arms is a listed hazard, and loops should be checked for damage and sun wear before each lift.
Forklifts aren't designed to lift people. For work at height, an elevating work platform such as a scissor lift or boom lift is the right machine. Where a forklift work platform is used at all, it must meet AS 2359.2 and a long list of conditions, including being listed on the forklift's plate and the truck staying stationary while anyone is in it.
How attachments reduce forklift capacity
Every attachment reduces what the forklift can safely lift, for two reasons. The attachment's own weight sits in front of the front wheels, and its thickness pushes the load further forward, which increases the load centre.
A rough illustration shows the effect. A forklift rated at 2,500 kg at a 600 mm load centre that carries a load 100 mm further out, at 700 mm, can lift only about 2,140 kg (2,500 x 600 / 700), and that's before the attachment's own weight is taken off. The real figure for your truck comes only from the revised plate or load chart for that exact attachment, which also accounts for the distance from the front axle to the forks.
Height and mast tilt reduce capacity further. DJJ Equipment uses the data plate of a 3.5 t rough terrain forklift to show buyers how far: at a 600 mm load centre, capacity drops to 2,900 kg at a 3,250 mm lift with the mast vertical, 1,890 kg at the same height tilted forward and 1,320 kg at 4,500 mm tilted forward. Our guide to how a forklift works and what load centre means explains why the numbers fall so quickly.
What is the Australian standard for forklift attachments?
There's no single Australian standard for all forklift attachments. The AS 2359 series covers powered industrial trucks, including AS 2359.15 for fork extensions and telescopic fork arms and AS 2359.2 for forklift work platforms, and attachments must comply with the parts that apply to them.
In practice, the rule operators and businesses need to follow is the one set out in WorkSafe Victoria's forklift attachments guidance. An attachment can be used only when:
- the forklift manufacturer has approved it
- it has a rated capacity
- it's listed on the forklift's information plate or load capacity plate, with the capacity of that truck and attachment together
When an attachment is fitted, the supplier amends the plate or adds a supplementary plate. If an attachment isn't on the plate, it must not be used. Operators also need information, training or supervision for each attachment they use, and the attachment is part of the daily pre-start check. Homemade or modified attachments don't meet these conditions.
Can you fit any attachment to any forklift?
No. An attachment has to match the truck mechanically, hydraulically and in capacity, so check these points before you order one.
Carriage class
Most counterbalance forklifts and many warehouse trucks use hook-on carriages built to ISO 2328, which groups them into classes by the height of the carriage plate. Attachments and forks are made to suit a class.
| Carriage class | Carriage height | Typical truck capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Class 2 | 407 mm | About 1,000-2,500 kg |
| Class 3 | 508 mm | About 2,500-5,000 kg |
| Class 4 | 635 mm | About 5,000-8,000 kg |
Capacity is only a guide to the class. Some trucks use a different class than their capacity suggests, so measure the carriage or check the truck's specification. Rough terrain forklifts and telehandlers often use shaft-mounted forks on a round bar instead, and hook-on attachments don't fit them without an engineered adaptor.
Hydraulic functions
A side shifter, clamp or rotator needs an extra hydraulic function on the truck's valve, and a paper roll clamp or a combined side shifter and positioner needs two. The hoses also have to run up the mast without catching. Check how many spare functions the truck has before choosing a powered attachment, because adding a valve section later costs more than ordering it with the truck.
Capacity and lift height
Work out the heaviest load at the highest lift with the attachment fitted, then check it against the revised plate. If the answer is too close, a larger truck such as a heavier counterbalance forklift is safer than running at the limit.
How to choose the right attachment
Start with the load, not the attachment. What the goods look like, how they're packed and how often you handle them decides the tool.
| Your load or job | Attachment that usually fits |
|---|---|
| Same-size pallets in tight docks or racking | Side shifter |
| Pallets of different widths through the day | Fork positioner, often with side shift |
| Long or deep loads now and then | Fork extensions |
| Long loads every shift | Longer forks or a side loader |
| Cartons or whitegoods without pallets | Carton or appliance clamp |
| Bales of cardboard, wool, cotton or hay | Bale clamp |
| Paper or film rolls | Paper roll clamp |
| Drums | Drum clamp |
| Bins that need emptying | Rotator |
| Slip-sheeted loads | Push-pull |
| Slung loads such as engines or machinery | Jib, on a hard, level surface |
Then think about how often it's used. An attachment used all day is worth fitting permanently and ordering with the truck. One used once a week suits a quick-fit design, as long as each change follows the safe-use instructions and the attachment is on the plate.
Getting advice before you buy saves expensive mistakes. Shiyin, a Sydney branch customer, got help narrowing down the options for an attachment for their forklift.
The process was smooth and easy to navigate. I'm very happy with the overall experience and product provided to me.
Shiyin Z., Sydney branch customer
This story comes from a public Google review, where you can read the full Google reviews of our Sydney branch.
Checking attachments before each shift
An attachment failing under load can drop the load or tip the truck, so it belongs in the daily pre-start check alongside the forklift itself.
- Plate: the attachment fitted is listed on the forklift's plate and the plate is readable
- Mounting: locking pins, chains and retaining bolts are in place and secure
- Structure: no cracked welds, bent arms or bent forks
- Forks: forks worn at the heel, bent or cracked are taken out of service until a competent person checks them
- Pads: clamp pads aren't torn, glazed hard or coming away from their backing
- Hoses: no leaks, bulges, kinks or exposed wire braid, and never check for a pinhole leak with your hand, because high-pressure oil can pierce skin
Report any fault and tag the truck out until it's fixed. Attachment servicing fits into the truck's regular maintenance, and hydraulic repairs should be done by a qualified technician.
The right attachment can let one forklift do the work of two, as long as it suits the load, fits the carriage and hydraulics, and appears on the plate with its real capacity. DJJ supplies side shifters, fork positioners, fork extensions, clamps, rotators, jibs and specialist forks, and we check compatibility with your truck before you order. Call 1800 355 388 or send an enquiry through our forklift attachments page with your truck model, load and lift height.
