Rough terrain forklifts are among the easiest machines in this industry to over buy. They look capable, the specification is impressive, and it feels prudent to have the extra ability. Then the truck spends its life on a paved yard doing work a standard pneumatic tyre forklift would have done for less money.
So the useful question is not what a rough terrain forklift can do. It is whether your ground actually requires one.
What makes a forklift rough terrain
Three things, and they work together.
Drive. Four wheel drive, ideally switchable, so the operator can take 4WD traction on bad ground and 2WD efficiency on firm surfaces. The Soosung SRT series offers selectable 2WD and 4WD for exactly this reason.
Ground clearance and tyres. The SRT runs 405/70-20 front and 10.0/75-15.3 rear pneumatic terrain tyres with deep tread, and 270 mm of ground clearance under the mast. That clearance is what stops the machine grounding on ruts and site debris.
Engine and gradeability. A HATZ 4H50TIC four cylinder diesel producing 54.9 kW, with a hydraulic transmission and a 30 percent gradeability rating. Torque low down is what gets a loaded truck moving on a slope in loose material.
The SRT comes in two capacities, the SRT30x4 at 3.0 tonne and the SRT35x4 at 3.5 tonne, both with a standard 3,000 mm lift height and mast options up to 6,000 mm.
When you genuinely need one
The honest test is the worst surface the truck will face on its worst day, not the surface on the day you visited.
Active construction sites qualify. So do gravel and sand yards, lumber and timber handling, unprepared hardstanding, remote site compounds, and outdoor storage that has turned rough after a season of heavy use. Agriculture and bulk handling on unmade ground qualifies too.
The common thread is that a standard truck would lose traction or bottom out, not merely find it uncomfortable.
When it is over buying
If your outdoor work is really a paved yard with the odd ramp and a few potholes, a standard pneumatic tyre forklift will cost less to buy, less to run and less to maintain, and will do the job perfectly well.
That is worth saying plainly, because the cost difference is not marginal. A rough terrain machine carries a heavier chassis, a bigger engine, larger tyres and a service weight up to 5,900 kg, and every one of those adds to purchase price, fuel burn and tyre replacement.
There is also a practical downside people forget. A 3.5 tonne rough terrain truck is 1,835 mm wide with an outside turning radius of 4,380 mm and needs a 3,040 mm intersecting aisle. If the same machine also has to work inside a building or a tight yard, that size becomes a daily problem.
The middle ground
Between a warehouse cushion tyre truck and a full 4WD rough terrain machine sits the standard pneumatic tyre diesel forklift, and it covers more UAE outdoor work than either extreme.
Pneumatic tyres handle a yard, a loading area, compacted ground and light unevenness. They will not cope with mud, deep sand or an active building site, but most outdoor material handling in the UAE is not any of those things. If you are unsure, this is usually where to start looking.
Specify for the worst surface, not the showroom
If you do need rough terrain capability, spec it against reality. Tell your supplier the heaviest load, the surface at its worst, whether the truck will ever work indoors, and what mast height the job needs. A 3,000 mm standard mast suits most site work, but full free lift three stage masts are available where headroom is restricted or the stacking is high.
Ask about fuel too. An 80 litre tank sounds generous until a machine works a full day on soft ground.
A simple way to decide
Walk the site after rain, or after a delivery has churned it up. If a loaded standard forklift would struggle on what you are standing on, you need the rough terrain machine. If it would merely be a bumpy ride, you do not.
ARAS Developments FZE supplies rough terrain forklifts to contractors, building material suppliers and project sites across all seven emirates, with on site service and genuine spare parts. Tell us the loads and the worst surface the truck will face, and we will spec it to cope rather than to a showroom ideal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I really need a rough terrain forklift?
If your surfaces are mostly paved, a standard pneumatic tyre forklift is cheaper and perfectly adequate. A rough terrain machine is for genuinely broken ground, such as construction sites, gravel, sand and unprepared yards, where ordinary trucks lose traction or bottom out.
What capacity do rough terrain forklifts come in?
The Soosung SRT series covers 3.0 tonne (SRT30x4) and 3.5 tonne (SRT35x4), both with a standard 3,000 mm lift height and mast options up to 6,000 mm.
What is the difference between a rough terrain and a pneumatic tyre forklift?
A pneumatic tyre forklift handles yards and compacted ground. A rough terrain machine adds four wheel drive, much larger terrain tyres, higher ground clearance and stronger gradeability for mud, sand and unprepared surfaces.
Can a rough terrain forklift work indoors?
It is a diesel machine and it is large, at 1,835 mm wide with a 4,380 mm outside turning radius, so it is not suited to indoor or tight aisle work. If the truck must do both, discuss the site layout before specifying.
Do you supply rough terrain forklifts across the UAE?
Yes. ARAS Developments FZE supplies and delivers the Soosung SRT 4WD rough terrain forklift across all seven emirates, with on site service and genuine spare parts.
