Glossary
Fork tine
Also called: fork, tine, forklift fork
Reviewed
A fork tine is one of the steel arms on a forklift that slide into a pallet's fork openings to lift it. Tine width, spacing and length decide which openings a pallet needs; a common example tine is 4 in wide and 42 in long (100 mm and 1,070 mm in metric).
Tine dimensions in pallet design
PDS lets the designer edit fork geometry for its forklift support analysis. Its example values:
| Dimension | Inch | Metric |
|---|---|---|
| Tine width | 4 in | 100 mm |
| Tine length | 42 in | 1,070 mm |
Spacing between tines is set by the operator, within the pallet's openings.
How tines meet the pallet
- Stringer pallet, end entry: tines go into the bays between stringers. On a 40 in wide pallet with three 1-3/8 in stringers, each bay is about 17.94 in wide by 3-1/2 in high.
- Stringer pallet, side entry: tines pass through the notches, about 2 in high by 9 in long.
- Block pallet: tines enter between blocks on any side.
Why it matters
Tine entries cause most handling damage to lead boards and blocks. Forklift support is short-term loading, so its rating is usually higher than rack storage. If the forklift will enter from the side of a long stringer pallet, say so in the spec, as it changes the analysis. See pallet jack compatibility and two-way entry.
Questions
- How wide are forklift tines?
- Around 4 in (100 mm) is common and is the PDS example value, but heavier forklifts use wider tines. Check the fleet before specifying openings.