Low Tech Forklift Step

This folding step was designed to help users that have limited mobility lifting their legs higher than 12 inches. The platform height of this forklift and another similar forklift was about 23" from the ground. The step that is built-in on this model requires the user to use the front edge of their foot to climb into the operator's station and it did not work well for this user.

• 1 33 x 3/4 inch solid steel dowel (length to be adjusted to your forklift by measuring the distance between the wheel wells at 12" from the ground.
• 2 12 x 2 x 2 inch mild steel angle
• 2 3 x 5 x 1/4 inch mild steel bar stock
• 1 1" diameter Schedule 40 mild steel pipe that can slide over the 3/4" steel bar. You will need 4 short pieces of this pipe cut 2 of each length measuring 2 inches and 1 inch long.
• 1 12 x 1-1/4 x 1/8 inch mild steel angle
• 1 1 x 1/4 x 11 inches mild steel bar stock for the raise / lower lever
• 1 2 x 1/4 x 4 inches mild steel bar stock for the lever rest
• 1 Wire rope of length as needed (about 5 feet)
• 2 Clip-on clevises for attaching to the handle and the top of the leg
• 1/4 inch nuts and bolts
• 5/16 inch nuts and bolts

Measure the height of the floor of the machine and the width you have to work with. This machine was an older 1950's Clark 5,000 LB capacity forklift. We ended up installing it on a newer Toyota 3-4,000 lb forklift. Often the side of the machine has tanks within the frame that will need to be avoided or can be disregarded if it is no longer used.

After measuring your machine, prepare the raw materials as listed above. The 2" angle will need to be cut to receive the 1 inch pipe so that the 3/4 inch dowel can pass through it.

Between the time we measured and built the prototype, the vehicle changed onto which we were installing the step. A trip back to the farm to test the prototype and see if it would work on the new forklift was necessary. Fortunately, it only took trimming the length of the rod and supports.

The lift point for the hinged step worked out to be 11" of travel for the chain that we used for the lift point. Since the chain was attached to a lever that could go fully down to fully up (180 degrees), the length of the bar needed to only accomodate a 5.5" or 1/2 of 11" chain travel from its fulcrum. The lever fully down would lower the step the needed 11" and up would lock the step upright.

Final testing, prior to disassembly and paint.

We tested the step in different positions, different terrain and with varied amounts of support. The step with its one leg of support is very sturdy and is conservatively rated at 500 lbs. capacity. Anywhere the forklift could drive seemed to be suitable for the 3" lower leg on the support. The forklift can't really drive on soft sod like a tractor could, so it was not necessary to test the step on softer terrain.

This project was lots of fun to make and hopefully you can use these photos and descriptions to make your own. This was useful for someone that has difficulty raising their leg higher than 12" to be able to use their equipment and keep working.