Again with electronic control the Linde safety pilot can do the same,But all these are electronic improvements and not basic design improvements and all add extra cost and make services more complicated.

Now if you look at the USA market that dose like a basic truck that is easy to maintain,efficient,low down time then Crown C5 can enter in this but again no company can offer all the four requirements.

No company has really revolutionized the design to meet the modern day customers needs.

Remember the Toyota SAS system isn't just about forklift stability, it also means the truck has fitted as standard.

Active steering synchroniser.
Fork levelling control.
Mast front tilt angle control.
Mast rear tilt speed control.

Forking about has got it right with Toyota hydrostatic up to 3.5 ton this willl give Linde something to think about. But Linde have the curve system that operates in a similar way to SAS so it will be down to customer choice and who can meet the customers 4 requirements in the best way. Best way still is low center of gravity, efficient, simple to maintain truck that can offer low downtime.for a cost effective price


Alos 70 percent of a trucks life is not fully utilized

SAS isn't a gimmick.

If you actually understood how the complete SAS system is designed to work & integrate with the truck you would see its a great safety plus productivity benefit.

As for the Germans, with Toyota offering choice of either torque convertor OR hydrostatic transmission on the Tonero up to 3.5 ton, it might eat more in to Linde hydrostatic market share.

Toyota use SAS, the Germans just raise the rear axle pivot point and reduce centre of gravity. Toyota could reduce there prices and do away with SAS If they followed suite. But I am guessing the SAS gimmick helps sell trucks.

Yer European manufacturers seem to have more electronics on there truck making them more expensive.But Toyota are number one so they must be doing something right


I think it's a compromise between tech,cost and design with European leading in design and tech and Japan leading on price


I think customers require four things cost ,easy maintenance,efficiency,low down time

Yeah I dont think there is any argument that the Germans make the best stuff basically in everything manufactured. However from what I have been lead to believe that here in Canada parts especially internal engine/ electrical can be very expensive and have very long lead times. Often because they are shipped from the Fatherland.. Can anyone attest to this that maybe has experience with Linde in Canada or the U.S? I know it was common 10 years ago but what is the reality today?

Now this might shock some people but for basic design I think at the moment there is not much difference in all manufacrures but if you had to pick one you would go for linde up to 4,000kg still 5,000kg - 8,000kg and over 10,000 kg again the Linde 1401


Now why to be quite honest only Linde and still have changed any of the basic design all other manufactures have panular fuel and oil tanks Linde and still have a transverse engine system that allows better room for engine and better operator benefits. The Still truck also alows same chassis to be used for diesels and electric.

The Linde 1401 hydrostatic transmission puts it above all competitors for driveability.


Now it will be interesting to see what Toyota do as they have just started to look at hydrostatics for transmission but again they need major design changes to be at the top in designe and manufacturebiliy.Toyota might say their SAS system is a step forward but if you have a low center of gravity and a electical control system for hydrostatic you dont need SAS



A man called Stan Simpson who designed the Kalmar rough terrain reachstacker made a very good point in a IVT article