This article covers everything you need to know about forklift controls.
In it, you'll learn:
- The different types of controls
- What each control does
- And much more...
Let's dive in!
Many people wonder: Are all forklift controls the same?
The answer is “No.”
They differ depending on the type of lift truck.
Overall, there are 3 types of forklift control configurations:
- Sit-down counterbalance controls
- Stand-up rider controls
- Hand-controlled truck controls
Let's briefly discuss each layout.
Sit-Down Rider Controls
Sit-down forklift controls are found in internal combustion and electric forklifts.
Controls on these trucks include:
- Steering wheel and horn
- Pedals
- Hydraulic levers
Stand-Up Rider Controls
Stand-up rider controls are found on stand-up counterbalance trucks, reach trucks, and order pickers.
Controls on these trucks include:
- Joystick (combination of gear select, accelerator, horn, and hydraulic functions)
- Steering wheel
- Dead man pedal
- Emergency stop button
Hand-Controlled Truck Controls
Hand-controlled truck controls are found on electric pallet trucks and stackers.
They are clustered on the truck’s tiller arm.
Controls on these trucks include:
- Lift/lower hydraulic functions
- Accelerator
- Emergency stop button
Understanding Your Forklift’s Controls
Whichever type of forklift you’re operating, you must know how the controls work.
Why?
Not only is it important for safety, but OSHA requires it as well.
If you’re not familiar with new control types, you can check your equipment’s owner's manual to find the location of each control and how they work.
You now know the different control layouts of common forklifts.
But let’s go a bit deeper and explain exactly what each control is and how it works.
Everyone knows what a steering wheel is.
And with forklifts, it’s pretty much the same as a car.
The only difference is in how they’re positioned on the lift truck.
In sit-down rider forklifts, it’s situated directly in front of the operator:
On stand-up forklifts, it’s located on the left panel and controlled by the operator’s left hand:
Hand-controlled lift trucks do not have a steering wheel.
Instead, they rely on the tiller arm for steering.
Like steering wheels, ignitions are self-explanatory.
That said, you might be wondering: How do you turn on a sit-down forklift?
Answer: It’s the same as in a car or truck.
You simply turn the key and the engine starts.
However, there are a couple things that will prevent you from starting the forklift.
For one, most sit-down trucks have a seat switch that senses if an operator is present and sitting on the seat.
And the lift truck won't turn on if the switch doesn't sense the right amount of weight.
Additionally, many lift trucks won't start if the seat belt is unbuckled.
So if your lift truck won’t start, make sure you’re doing both of these things.
Then try again!
Joysticks are found in stand-up forklifts, like counterbalanced trucks, reach trucks, and order pickers.
The joystick in these trucks actually houses all the forklift hydraulic controls. (We’ll cover what those are in a later section).
In addition, they are used to drive the fork truck forward and backward and sound the horn.
So, operators can use a single joystick to control all truck functions with a single hand.
How many pedals does a forklift have?
Answer: It depends on the type of forklift you’re operating.
Now, hand-controlled lift trucks do not have foot pedals since the operator doesn’t stand on them.
But the other types of forklift do.
Here are the different pedal configurations based on forklift type:
Electric Sit-Down Rider Forklift Pedals
These trucks can have either two or three foot pedals.
They are the:
- Accelerator
- Service brake
- Parking brake
Some models have hand-controlled parking brake levers which are located on the cowl, next to the steering column:
If that’s the case, the lift truck will only have 2 pedals: The accelerator and the service brake.
Internal Combustion Sit-Down Rider Forklift Pedals
These lift trucks can have 3 or 4 pedals.
They are:
- Accelerator
- Service brake
- Inching pedal
- Parking brake
Just like electric sit-down riders, the parking brake pedal may not be present.
Instead, the truck will have a hand-operated parking brake.
Stand-Up Forklift Pedals
These lift trucks have either 1 or 2 foot pedals, depending on the type of stand-up truck.
For stand-up counterbalanced lift trucks and reach trucks, the only pedal is the dead man pedal.
For order pickers, the pedals include:
- Dead man pedal
- Pallet clamp control pedal
What Does Each Pedal Do?
You’re likely familiar with some of the above pedals, such as the accelerator, service brake, and parking brake.
After all, these pedals are common to road cars and trucks.
But there are a couple pedals you may not be familiar with.
So, let’s explain those.
Inching Pedal
What is an inching pedal used for?
Its job is to disengage the transmission.
In that way, it’s a forklift clutch.
But why is this useful?
Because it allows you to direct power from the engine away from the driveshaft and to the hydraulic pump without shifting into neutral.
Watch this clip to see how an inching pedal works:
With the inching pedal pressed down, you can use the accelerator to control how fast or slow to raise the load.
This is helpful when lifting heavy loads.
Are Forklifts Automatic?
In years past, forklifts often had manual transmissions with a gear shifter and clutch. But nowadays - just like road cars - most forklifts are automatic.
Dead Man Pedal
Also called a “dead man's switch,” this pedal is a safety feature found in stand-up forklifts like reach trucks and order pickers.
What does this pedal do?
It shuts down the forklift if the operator leaves the operator compartment.
Watch this clip to see how a dead man pedal works:
How it works is simple:
- The operator enters the operator compartment
- They depress the dead man’s pedal
- They turn the lift truck on
- And any time the operator takes pressure off the pedal, the truck shuts down
That way, the truck can’t continue to operate if the operator is not in full control.
Other names for these levers are “hydraulic lift knobs” or “forklift hydraulic controls.”
Each lever connects to the hydraulic control valve and serves to operate the mast and attachment functions.
Depending on the type of lift truck, the control levers can be a little different.
Let’s cover those differences.
Sit-Down Rider Control Levers
For sit-down rider forklifts, these levers can be in two styles.
One is the traditional lever style:
The other is mini-lever or finger-controlled style:
Regardless of lever style, sit-down rider forklifts typically have three basic hydraulic control levers.
So what are the 3 levers on a forklift?
From left to right as you sit on the seat, they are:
- Lift and lower
- Tilt
- Auxiliary (usually sideshift)
Knowing that you’ll have a good clue as to what do the forklift levers do.
- The lift and lower lever is used to raise or lower the forks/attachment
- The tilt lever moves the mast forward or backward
- The auxiliary function controls the attachment, which is commonly a sideshifter
Watch this clip to see each forklift hydraulic lever in action:
While 3 levers are typical, sit-down forklifts can actually have up to 5 forklift control knobs.
What do the extra 2 controls do?
They are clamp forklift controls used for additional attachment functions.
For example, some paper roll clamp attachments can:
- Open and close
- Rotate
- Swing
So to operate each function, you’d need a total of 5 hydraulic levers.
That is:
- One to lift and lower the mast
- One to tilt the mast
- One to open and close the clamp
- One to rotate the clamp
- One to swing the clamp
Watch this clip to see each how a paper roll clamp forklift works:
Stand-Up Control Levers
Stand-up forklift hydraulic functions are integrated into the joystick as buttons, instead of being actual “levers.”
Stand-up counterbalanced lift trucks and reach trucks can have 3 or 4 hydraulic controls:
- Lift and lower
- Tilt
- 1 or 2 auxiliary functions
On the other hand, reach trucks controls include:
- Lift and lower
- Tilt
- Extend and retract
- Auxiliary function
The extension and retraction functions allow for the truck to actually perform its namesake “reach” ability:
Watch this clip to see each how a reach forklift works:
That is, they allow the operator to extend the carriage forward to retrieve product, then retract to bring it closer to the lift truck.
Finally, order pickers only have one hydraulic lever: To raise and lower the platform.
Hand-Controlled Control Levers
Like order pickers, electric pallet jacks have a single hydraulic function, which is used to raise and lower the platform.
This control is integrated into the tiller head instead of being an actual lever.
Stacker forklifts, conversely, can have 1 to 3 functions.
These can include:
- Raise and lower
- Tilt
- Side shift
In these types of trucks, the controls can either be integrated into the tiller head control:
Or, they can be mounted on the frame of the forklift:
A forklift's directional controls are simply the gear selector, just as you’d find on a road vehicle.
Forklift directional controls have 3 positions:
- Forward
- Neutral
- Reverse
But depending on the type of forklift, the directional controls can be in different locations.
Sit-Down Rider Directional Controls
These trucks can have their directional controls located in 3 ways:
- Mounted on the steering column
- Next to the hydraulic controls
- Foot-operated
Older sit-down forklifts often had the directional control lever located between the steering column and hydraulic control levers.
Newer lift trucks have column-mounted directional controls, located on the left side.
Additionally, some lift trucks feature a single foot pedal that combines the accelerator and brake with the gear selector.
This configuration is called an “EZ Pedal” or “Monotrol.”
To move forward, the operator simply presses down on the “forward” side pedal.
And to brake or reverse, the operator presses down on the “reverse” side.
Stand-Up Directional Controls
These trucks have their directional controls integrated with the joystick.
The default position is neutral.
To move forward or backward, the operator simply moves the joystick in either direction.
Hand-Controlled Forklift Directional Controls
These trucks' directional controls integrated into the tiller head.
Most styles feature a twist-type control, much like a motorcycle has.
To move the truck forward or backward, the operator simply twists the handle in that direction.
Some sit-down rider forklifts have an emergency stop button.
But, mostly, it's in stand-up forklift trucks:
What does this button do?
It shuts off all power in the forklift.
This renders the truck unusable until it's released and restarted.
Hand-controlled trucks have a "belly bumper," which is similar to an emergency stop button.
The belly bumper works by launching the truck forward and away from the operator if the operator makes contact with it.
Watch this clip to see each how a belly bumper button works:
Besides controls, forklift control panels also have various gauges and instruments.
These can include:
- Warning lights
- Engine temperature gauge
- Low fuel indicator
- Battery charge indicator
- Speedometer
- Service hours
- Diagnostic services
These instruments serve the same function as in road vehicles.
That is, they alert you to important information about the functioning of the vehicle.
Conclusion
That's it: All you need to know about forklift controls.
Now, we'd like to turn it over to you.
Do you operate any of the above forklifts?
Does your forklift have controls that we left out?
Either way, let us know in the comments!
Amazing post. Many thanks. There’s more info here than in some technical manuals… Just a question: what’s the maximum speed (mph) of this forklifts?
Thank you for the kind comments – I’m glad you liked it! To answer your question about speed, here’s what I found in the Toyota technical manuals for each of the trucks featured in this article:
– A 3,000 lb. capacity 3-wheel electric forklift ranges from 9.9 (36-volt) to 10.2 mph (48-volt)
– A 5,000 lb. capacity propane forklift can go 10.6 mph
– A 12,000 lb. capacity propane forklift (paper roll special) can go 13 mph
– A 3,500 lb. capacity reach truck can go 6.5 (24-volt) to 7.5 mph (36-volt)
– A 3,000 lb. capacity order picker can go 6.5 mph
– A 3,000 lb. capacity stand-up counterbalance truck can go 7.5 mph
– A 4,500 lb. capacity electric pallet jack can go 3.6 mph
– A 2,500 lb. capacity electric stacker can go 3.6 mph
I hope that helps!
Yes, it helps! Many thanks!!
You’re welcome!
Great post. Wondering if it is typical or not for forklifts to have a spirit level feature (cannot recall exact term) to show if forks are level. If the answer is yes, where is this feature likely to be located?
Hi Carmen,
Great question! The spirit level feature for fork leveling is usually not standard on forklifts. If the lift truck does have one, it will typically be on the left side of the mast (if you’re sitting on the truck). That allows the readout to be oriented toward the operator, so they can easily see the level. Here’s an example of a spirit level: https://lifttruckstuff.com/product/accu-tilt-fork-tilt-level-indicator-for-lift-trucks/
I did also want to mention that many Toyota forklift models have an automatic mast leveling feature. When the operator presses the button located on the tilt lever while tilting, the leveling mechanism will stop the mast when it reaches the 90 degree upright position.
If you more specific questions, feel free to drop us a line with your contact information. Cheers!
This is detailed and it helped. Thanks!
Hi Adeyanju,
You’re very welcome and I’m glad you found it helpful!
Good afternoon, prior to using the hydraulic controls what order should neutral and parking brake be used. I have been advised Parking brake then neutral but some information says is the other way round.
Hi Damian,
Great question. As far as initial usage of the lift truck, once the operator is in the seat and ready to operate the unit, the park brake may be released. But as far as using the hydraulic controls, the operator actually doesn’t need to shift into neutral nor set the parking brake before manipulating the controls. These actions only apply when parking a forklift. Here’s what OSHA says about that specifically:
“When a powered industrial truck is left unattended, load engaging means shall be fully lowered, controls shall be neutralized, power shall be shut off, and brakes set. Wheels shall be blocked if the truck is parked on an incline.” (1910.178(m)(5)(i))
I hope that clears it up and thanks for reaching out!
I would like to see the levers that operates the double forklift
Hi Henry,
I’m not sure if what you mean by “double forklift” is what’s pictured in this link: https://www.conger.com/product/cascade-single-double-pallet-handler/
But if so, the hydraulic controls would look just like the 4-lever ones pictured in this article. The 2 right-most levers control the side-to-side and expansion functions for the attachment. I hope that answers your question!
Where is the neutral position on a monopedal? I have a hyster. H30e monopedal and I am having problems getting it started.
Hi Sterling,
The neutral position should be where the pedal isn’t pressed in (or is pressed in ever so slightly, in the forward position). If you’re having trouble starting your Hyster and you think it’s to do with the monopedal, you may want to try resetting it first (so it’s not pushed in at all). If that doesn’t work, try with the pedal slightly depressed forward. If you haven’t already, you may want to check out our guide to propane forklift troubleshooting too. And if all else fails, feel free to drop us a line with your information. We’ll get you in touch with the right person to help solve your non-starting issue. Good luck!
You say the some sit down rider forklifts have e-stops. I have never seen one with this feature. Is there a particular manufacturer that provides this feature on this type of forklift please?
Also it would be nice if you did a summary of Operator Presence Devices. I’m especially interested in these on sit down rider forklifts. It seems all sit down readers have a seat switch style device but I am unclear what happens when the switch detects no operator. Seems like some forklifts apply the brakes and some do not in addition to locking out hydraulic mast controls.
Hi Michael,
Thanks for commenting! The sit down rider forklift with the emergency stop button featured in this article is actually a Toyota electric pneumatic forklift. You’re correct, the e-stop button is not something commonly seen on other types of lift trucks.
As far as the operator presence devices, that could make an excellent topic to cover! Generally, when there’s no operator detected on the seat, nothing will work on the lift truck. That includes the hydraulic and drive controls. Exactly what the “shut down” procedure is though, and if it includes setting the brake and other processes, that depends on the make and model. So unfortunately I don’t think there’s much generalizing we can do on that topic. I hope that answers your questions!