Telehandlers For Sale in United Kingdom

About Telehandlers

Telehandlers perform similar work to a front loader on a tractor or a forklift but offers a number of advantages. The telehandler features a single telescopic boom that is extended upwards and forwards. A choice of implements can be attached to the boom to carry out specific tasks.

Attachments include forks, buckets, grabbers or bale forks. Around the farm, the most common implements tend to be buckets and bucket grabs, and typical tasks for the telehandler would include moving loads to areas that cannot be reached by other loader equipment, such as placing hay bales in high stacks.

Telehandlers fitted with the correct implements can also reach into a high-sided hopper or trailer, saving the farmer the trouble and expense of using a conveyer or constructing a loading ramp.

Telehandler Advantages

The advantage of the telehandler in reaching forward and upwards to deliver loads also represents the equipment’s limitation. As the boom extends further away from the centre of gravity of the machine, the load acts on the telehandler like a lever and will make the machine more unstable as the weight or distance increases. This can quickly destabilise the machine if over-extended, even with counterweights to the rear of the telehandler.

The leverage effect can be dramatic as the working radius is expanded away from the front wheels. A telehandler with a 2.2-tonne capacity with a retracted boom may only be able to lift 225 kilograms if the boom is fully extended at a low angle. The same telehandler could theoretically lift five tonnes with the boom raised at an angle of 70 degrees or more.

Modern Telehandlers With Added Safety Control

Older telehandlers were supplied with a chart to help the operator work out whether a lifting job was possible or not, but clearly this had limitations and safety implications, with errors in calculation potentially resulting in serious accidents. More modern telehandlers have on-board sensors to monitor stability and will warn the operator or prevent further extension should the safety limits be reached. This type of system is now a legal requirement in Europe. Many telehandlers also have stabilisers that can be extended out from the front of the machine when loading from a stationary position. This can greatly extend the limits of the machines.

Telehandler History

The telehandler was first developed in the UK by Matbro, using their forestry forklifts as a starting point. Early models had a central boom mounted on the front, with a cab to the rear but soon this was changed to a side-mounted cab and rear-mounted boom to increase capacity and stability.

Choose The Right Telehandler

When choosing a used telehandler, it is clearly important to consider the lifting capacity of the machine and the extension range of the boom. Care should be taken to understand how weight limits alter with the boom extended, as mentioned above. That boom does most of the heavy work, so a careful inspection is required to ensure smooth operation.

It is always a good idea to test the machine yourself underload. The usual engine checks should also be made and service records inspected. A well-chosen telehandler could prove to be a good investment and greatly increase your handling productivity around the farm.

Find New & Used Telehandlers For Sale

The telehandler has proved to be a popular piece of equipment and now many manufacturers offer a range of models. Caterpillar, Gehl, Genie, JCB, JLG, Manitou, Merlo, and SkyTrak, to name but a few, are all active in the sector.