This page explains exactly where the numbers on this site come from and what we will and will not publish. If you find something that breaks one of these rules, it is a bug and we want to know.
Where the specifications come from
Every specification is transcribed from a published manufacturer document – a VDI 2198 technical guide or an official specification sheet. Each model page lists the document it came from, with a link and a date. We do not aggregate figures from dealer listings, classified adverts or other specification sites.
What we do when a figure is missing
We show “Not specified” and say so explicitly. We do not estimate a plausible value, interpolate from a neighbouring model, or leave a blank that could be mistaken for a zero. Each model page also lists which specifications are missing, so you can see the gap rather than having to notice it.
Data completeness
Each model carries a completeness percentage: the share of the specifications we track that this model has a published value for, weighted so that headline figures count for more than long-tail ones. It is a measure of our data, not of the machine. A low score means we have more work to do.
Which configuration the figures describe
Manufacturers publish specifications for a specific configuration: a particular mast, tyre and carriage combination. A different mast changes the lowered height, the capacity at height and sometimes the weight. Each model page states the configuration its figures describe. Always confirm against the specification of the actual truck you are quoted.
Load centre
A capacity figure is only meaningful at a stated load centre. European manufacturers typically rate at 500 mm; North American sheets typically rate at 24 inches (600 mm). The same truck has a lower rated capacity at the longer load centre. We record the load centre alongside the capacity and show it in comparisons, and you should check that row before concluding that one truck lifts more than another.
Comparisons
We highlight which model leads on a specification only where a direction is objectively better – more capacity is better, a smaller turning radius is better – and only when every model in the comparison published that figure. We never mark a leader against missing data, and we do not declare an overall winner, because that depends on your site rather than on the spec sheet.
Which comparisons get published
A comparison page is only indexed when both models are well documented, enough specifications are published for all of them, and there are real differences to show. Combinations that would produce a thin page are not offered to search engines. We would rather have fewer pages that answer the question than more that do not.
Calculators
The calculators use your figures, not ours. The defaults are clearly labelled starting points to show the shape of the calculation, not researched market prices, and every formula and assumption is stated on the calculator page. Output is an estimate for comparing options, never a quote.
Prices
We publish none, because we hold no sourced price data. See How much does a forklift cost? for what to do instead.
Corrections
If a figure here does not match the manufacturer’s current documentation, the manufacturer is right and we are wrong. Tell us and we will fix it and update the source.