Moffett vs. Princeton vs. Loadmac
What Fleet Buyers Should Compare Before Choosing Their Next Truck Mounted Forklift
Capacity matters. But so do machine weight, reach, standard equipment, operator access, jobsite capability, and what happens when the machine needs service.
By the GoLoadmac team
·Updated September 2026
·12 min read
Moffett and Princeton are established names in truck mounted forklifts. Loadmac is a modern option for U.S. fleets.
So why consider changing?
Because two forklifts with similar capacity ratings can have very different effects on your payload, unloading process, drivers, and delivery routes.
We compared the factors that matter after the forklift leaves the dealership and starts earning its keep.
The Short Answer
Moffett and Princeton make capable machines and have earned their place in the market.
But if you're buying your next truck mounted forklift based on what it can actually do for your delivery operation, not simply the name on the side, Loadmac deserves a closer look.
Its U.S. lineup is built around a simple idea:
GET THE CAPABILITY YOU NEED WITHOUT CARRYING MORE MACHINE THAN YOU NEED OR COMPROMISING STABILITY.
That means lightweight, compact machines designed around payload, jobsite maneuverability, operator access, and efficient unloading, with features such as Loadmac's extended-reach system standard where the application calls for them.
Loadmac takes a different approach to the truck mounted forklift. Its compact, fixed-mast design is engineered to deliver the capacity, reach, and jobsite capability fleets need without adding unnecessary machine weight. That can mean more available truck payload, straightforward operation, and less compromise between what the forklift can do and what the truck can legally carry.
A Note About This Comparison
GoLoadmac is the authorized U.S. distributor of Loadmac truck mounted forklifts. We're not pretending to be an independent review publication.
We're also not asking you to take our word for it.
This comparison is designed to help fleet owners and managers understand the questions worth asking when comparing Loadmac with familiar alternatives from Moffett and Princeton.
Specifications and available equipment vary by model and configuration. Before purchasing any machine, compare the exact configurations being quoted for your application.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Spec for spec: Compare the everyday 255 Ultra and the extended-reach 855 Super Reach beside the machines fleets ask about most. The detailed explanation behind each row follows further down the page.
*Weight varies by configuration.
Competitor features and specifications vary by model, configuration, and model year and should be verified with the respective manufacturer before purchase.
Reach the Far Side Without Driving Around
The Loadmac 855 Super Reach combines mast travel with its integrated secondary reach system to provide 84 inches of total reach.
That extended reach allows operators to access loads from a single side of the truck in applications where the load and truck configuration permit it.
What Does That Mean on a Delivery?
Maximum Reach Is Only Half the Question
A big reach number looks impressive on a specification sheet.
But fleet buyers should ask a second question:
What Can the Machine Actually Lift When It's Extended?
Reach and capacity work together.
So when comparing Loadmac, Moffett, and Princeton extended-reach machines, don't compare maximum-reach numbers by themselves.
Compare:
Reach + capacity at reach + machine configuration + machine weight.
That's a much more useful picture of what you're actually buying.
"Available" and "Standard" Are Not the Same Thing
Modern truck mounted forklifts can be configured with an impressive list of capabilities.
But when comparing machines, ask another question:
What Does It Take to Get Them?
A feature may be:
- ✓Standard equipment
- ○An added option
- △Available only with another model or configuration
That distinction matters.
Because changing the configuration can potentially change the price, weight, dimensions, or operating characteristics of the machine you're comparing.
Loadmac's core delivery-focused capabilities are engineered into the appropriate U.S. models as standard equipment rather than forcing buyers to build the machine around a long list of major capability upgrades.
Don't Just Ask, "Can It Do This?"
Ask, "Is This How the Machine Comes Standard?"
Put Your Own Numbers Into the Equation
We won't promise that every fleet will make an extra three deliveries tomorrow.
Your routes are different.
Your loads are different.
Your drivers are different.
Instead, ask:
If We Save 5 Minutes Per Stop...
How Many Productive Fleet Hours Could That Return?
Roughly 0 eight-hour shifts, or 0 hours back per truck per year.
Then ask:
If the truck mounted Forklift Allows Us to Preserve 500 Lbs. of Additional Legal Payload...
What Could That Mean for the Amount of Product Our Existing Fleet Can Move?
That's 0 tons of additional product moved on the trucks you already run.
Those are the numbers worth discussing with your team.
Don't Compare the Name. Compare the Machine.
A headline capacity number tells you how much a forklift is rated to lift under specified conditions. It doesn't tell you the whole story. Before choosing your next truck mounted forklift, ask these questions:
A 5,500-Lb Truck Mounted Forklift Isn't Necessarily a 5,500-Lb Truck Mounted Forklift
Two machines can advertise similar lifting capacity while being very different pieces of delivery equipment. One may be heavier. Another may require a different configuration to achieve the reach you need. One feature may be standard on one machine and optional on another.
Those differences reach past the purchase decision into available payload, host-truck handling, unloading workflow, jobsite access, driver experience, serviceability, and long-term utilization.
The Smarter Comparison Is Capability for the Machine You're Actually Carrying
Start With the Everyday Delivery Machine
For fleets that don't need full-width extended reach, the goal shouldn't be buying the biggest truck mounted forklift available.
It's getting the capacity and jobsite capability your routes require from a compact, efficient package.
That's where the Loadmac 255 Ultra fits.
For fleets comparing the Loadmac 255 with machines such as the Moffett M4 45.3P or Princeton PB45.3 STM, don't look at capacity in isolation.
The Loadmac 255 provides 40 inches of reach, while the Princeton PB45.3 STM publishes 39.25 inches.
The bigger difference is capacity: all three machines are in the 25 HP comparison, but the Loadmac 255 is rated to lift 5,500 lbs at a 24-inch load center, compared with 4,500 lbs for the Moffett M4 45.3P and Princeton PB45.3 STM.
How much machine do we need to carry every day to get the capability our routes actually require?
Your Truck Mounted Forklift Takes Up Payload, Too
The forklift doesn't disappear once it's mounted to the truck.
You carry it to every stop.
That makes machine weight an operating consideration, not merely a specification.
A lighter forklift can leave more of the truck's legal weight available for the material you're actually being paid to deliver.
Loadmac uses a fixed-mast design. Fork tilt and side shift happen at the carriage instead of requiring the entire mast assembly to move. That reduces the amount of mass being moved and helps Loadmac deliver the capacity fleets need without relying on unnecessary machine weight.
The goal is less machine weight without compromising the stability required for the job.
How much forklift are you carrying to get the capacity and capability you need?
For the right fleet, reducing unnecessary equipment weight can mean more room for revenue-producing payload without adding another truck or driver.
Need to Reach the Far Side of the Truck?
The Comparison Changes.
Some delivery operations need more than a compact everyday truck mounted forklift.
They need reach.
When material on the opposite side of the truck needs to be unloaded, insufficient reach can force the driver to change the unloading process or reposition equipment.
Moffett and Princeton both offer solutions for extended-reach applications.
So does Loadmac.
The Important Question Isn't Simply: "Can It Reach?"
It's:
How does it reach, what's required to get that capability, and what can it lift when extended?
That's where the Loadmac 855 Super Reach becomes especially interesting.
Extended Reach Shouldn't Feel Like an Afterthought
On the 855 Super Reach, extended reach isn't a bolt-on idea.
It's part of what the machine was designed to do.
That distinction matters for fleets whose drivers routinely need to access material from the opposite side of the truck.
Instead of evaluating a base machine and then asking what needs to change to make one-side unloading possible, buyers can evaluate the 855 around the job it was built to perform.
Specs Matter. Deliveries Happen in the Real World.
A truck mounted forklift doesn't spend its life on level concrete.
It gets sent wherever the delivery goes.
That can mean:
- Tight residential sites
- Crowded zones
- Long or awkward material
- Uneven ground
- Slopes
- Limited room to turn
- Difficult positions
That's why jobsite capability belongs in the buying decision.
Loadmac's lineup includes 2-way and 4-way configurations, allowing fleets to match the machine to the materials and sites they actually encounter.
Long Loads. Tight Spaces. Less Fighting the Machine.
When long material meets a restricted jobsite, ordinary forward-and-back maneuvering can become a limitation.
Loadmac's 4-way models add multidirectional movement that allows the machine to travel sideways when the application requires it.
That can make it easier to position long loads through narrow or crowded areas where conventional maneuvering becomes restrictive.
Don't Need 4-Way Capability?
Don't carry equipment you don't need.
Choose the 2-way configuration that better matches your routes.
Don't Forget the Person Who Operates It All Day
Fleet managers buy truck mounted forklifts.
Drivers live with them.
Stop after stop, small differences in operator access, visibility, controls, and maneuverability become part of the driver's workday.
Loadmac machines are designed around straightforward operation, strong all-around visibility, and man-on-ground mounting that allows the operator to complete the truck mounting process from ground level.
That means less unnecessary climbing during the loading and unloading process and a straightforward routine drivers can learn and repeat.
Other manufacturers offer ground-level mounting solutions as well. When comparing machines, determine whether the system you want is standard on the exact configuration you're pricing or requires additional equipment.
Visibility You Can Appreciate From the Seat
A specification table can't show you what the operator sees.
Loadmac's operator position and low-profile machine design are intended to provide strong all-around visibility and reduce unnecessary blind spots.
That matters when drivers are:
- Approaching material
- Working around people
- Positioning loads
- Navigating confined spaces
- Operating on unfamiliar jobsites
It's one of those differences that's easier to understand from the seat than from a brochure.
Put Your Operators on the Machine Before You Decide.
"Loadmac Looks Good.
But Who Works on It?"
It's a fair question.
Moffett and Princeton are established brands with mature dealer and service infrastructure.
A modern U.S. option needs to answer what happens after the sale.
GoLoadmac was built with that reality in mind.
U.S.-Based Support
GoLoadmac is the authorized U.S. distributor for Loadmac and provides dedicated service and warranty support for U.S. customers.
Detailed Owner Resources
Owners have online access to parts manuals, engine documentation, maintenance information, checklists, training resources, and other technical material.
You're not buying a machine and then discovering the information needed to understand it is inaccessible.
Local Serviceability
Qualified local repair shops can use Loadmac's available technical information to service the machine, giving fleets flexibility when routine service or repairs are needed.
Covered warranty work follows GoLoadmac's warranty authorization process. Contact GoLoadmac for support.
The People Behind GoLoadmac Already Know These Machines
GoLoadmac isn't entering the truck mounted forklift industry without experience on the shop floor.
They've built a business around repairing and refurbishing truck mounted forklifts, including the established competitor brands many fleets already operate.
That experience matters.
The people supporting Loadmac aren't learning what a truck mounted forklift looks like when something goes wrong.
They've spent their time working on the machines fleets already depend on.
A Modern U.S. Option Doesn't Mean Going Without Warranty Protection
New Loadmac 255 Ultra and 855 Super Reach truck mounted forklifts sold in the United States include a limited machine warranty covering defects in materials and workmanship for:
Covered machine components include parts and labor under the warranty terms. The engine is covered separately by its engine manufacturer: Kubota on the 255 Ultra and Hatz on the 855 Super Reach.
Warranty claims are handled through GoLoadmac or an authorized GoLoadmac dealer and require approval before covered repairs begin.
The Purchase Price Is Only One Number
We're not going to tell you which truck mounted forklift is "cheapest."
Equipment configurations, applications, and quotes vary too much for that comparison to be useful without putting actual machines side by side.
Instead, consider what the forklift can affect over its working life.
Payload
How much of your legal weight is equipment, and how much is revenue-producing product?
Unloading Time
How many unnecessary movements does the driver make at each stop?
Route Predictability
How much does the unloading process depend on available space, equipment, or positioning?
Utilization
How much of the driver's day is spent delivering versus working around the limitations of the equipment?
Serviceability
When maintenance or repairs are needed, how quickly can your team get the information and support required?
Configuration
What equipment is included on the machine required to perform your actual job?
The Cheapest Machine to Quote Isn't Necessarily the Machine That Costs the Least to Operate.
Loadmac vs. Moffett vs. Princeton:
What Should You Compare?
Where Moffett and Princeton Make Sense
A credible comparison has to acknowledge the obvious:
Moffett and Princeton are established truck mounted forklift brands for a reason.
They have large installed bases, familiar equipment, established dealer relationships, and a range of configurations suited to different applications.
If your operation already has a strong service relationship, standardized fleet, operator familiarity, or a specific competitor configuration that perfectly matches your application, staying with what you know can make sense.
But familiarity shouldn't end the comparison.
"Which name have we always bought?"
"Which machine makes the most sense for the way we deliver today?"
Where Loadmac Deserves a Closer Look
Which Loadmac Fits Your Fleet?
Choose the Loadmac 255 Ultra If...
You want a compact, lightweight truck mounted forklift for everyday delivery work and don't need the 855's full extended-reach capability.
It's the machine for fleets that want strong capacity and jobsite performance without carrying more forklift than the route requires.
Choose the Loadmac 855 Super Reach If...
Your drivers regularly need to reach across the truck, reduce repositioning, or unload efficiently where space is limited.
Its integrated extended-reach system makes it the natural Loadmac platform for operations where one-side unloading can change the delivery workflow.
Choose 4-Way If...
Your routes regularly involve long materials or confined delivery areas where sideways travel makes positioning easier.
Choose 2-Way If...
Your applications don't require multidirectional travel and you'd rather keep the machine focused on the capabilities you use every day.
Why Loadmac Belongs on Your Shortlist
If you've automatically defaulted to the same truck mounted forklift brands for years, there's now another machine worth comparing.
Not because it's new.
Because of what it was designed to do.
The Established Brands Deserve Consideration. So Does Loadmac.
Don't Take Our Word for It. Demo One for Yourself.
The best way to decide isn't another brochure.
It's putting the machine in front of the people who will actually use it.
Tell Us About Your Fleet
What do you deliver? What do your loads weigh? Where do your drivers struggle today?
We'll Help Match the Right Loadmac
255 or 855. 2-way or 4-way. We'll help identify the configuration that fits your actual delivery operation.
Put the Differences to the Test
See the reach. Watch the man-on-ground mounting process. Try the controls. Check the visibility. Put your operators in the seat and decide for yourself.
