How to Use Narrow Aisle Forklifts

With warehouse space at a premium, the need to fit more products into the same area is critical. The most common fix to this problem is redesigning an existing warehouse to fit more aisles in the same space, but a narrow aisle forklift might be a more straightforward solution.

What are typical aisle widths and narrow aisle widths?

Regular aisles are between 10 ½ feet and 12 feet.
Narrow aisles range from 8 ½ feet to 10 ½ feet.
Very narrow aisles range from 5 to 7 feet wide.

Many forklift fleets today consist of equipment designed to navigate typical aisle widths. When you reconfigure a space to include narrow aisles, you might need to replace your entire forklift fleet or, at the very least, add narrow aisle units to pull and store products quickly, safely, and efficiently.

Here are five forklift solutions for narrow and very narrow aisles.

Toyota 3-Wheel Electric Forklift: Toyota’s 3-wheel electric forklift is an excellent choice for narrow aisles. With one wheel in the back, it has a tighter turn radius than the common 4-wheel forklift. It also can be fitted with either pneumatic or cushion tires for indoor or outdoor use, making it a great multi-use addition to your forklift fleet.
Toyota Electric Reach Truck – Single or Double Reach: Toyota’s Electric Reach Truck is another great narrow aisle solution. It can turn in aisles as little as seven feet, lift to 4,500 pounds and reach more than 30 feet. It is also available in a double-reach model for increased productivity and efficiency.
Toyota Electric Order Picker: If you are looking for a solution to help employees reach goods stored on high racking, Toyota’s Order Picker may be the perfect piece of new equipment for you. It navigates narrow aisles beautifully and features a platform for operators to safely and efficiently pick items up to 390 inches in height.
Aisle-Master Articulating Very Narrow Aisle Truck: The Aisle-Master Articulating Very Narrow Aisle Truck can navigate aisles as small as 5 feet and 6 inches. Designed to withstand heavy-duty use inside and out, it can eliminate time-consuming double handling and speed up “truck to rack” operations. It also eliminates the need for both reach and counterbalance machines to help minimize costs.
Toyota’s Core Electric Turret Forklift: Designed for versatile and efficient dock-to-stock operation, Toyota’s Core Electric Turret Forklift swinging fork face allows loads to be handled to the left, right, and center of the forklift so that product can stack in racking without the need to turn. With a lift capacity of 2,500 pounds, a reach of nearly 20 feet, the ability to maneuver in aisles as narrow as seven feet, and the capability of stacking goods at a 90-degree angle, it’s an excellent choice for any facility or warehouse.

If you’re thinking about reducing aisle widths and adding more racks to increase your storage capacity, let our experts figure out the best equipment to round out your forklift fleet. Contact us to schedule a consultation today! We’ll ensure you get the perfect narrow aisle solution to optimize your operations, reduce downtime, and increase overall productivity.