I finally got a chance to scan some photos showing the toolbar that goes on my 3 pt hitch. This tool bar consists of 2-1/2 steel tube clamped onto a "A" frame. With this toolbar you can attach a forklift, rippers, ploughs and all kinds of good stuff. It saves from having to buy all this stuff separate and gives you lots of flexibility as far as where you clamp the rippers or how you space the forklift. The limit is more or less what your tractor can pull. I will add more photos in the next several messages.
3 pt Toolbar and Forklift
- Thread starter AZMike
- Start date
Here is my last shot showing the toolbar and some rippers attached. I used these to loosen the soil in my irrigation berm prior to recompacting. I was also able to take these two rippers and put them on either side of a sweep to remove the sod prior to placing railroad ties in my wife's garden.
Attachments
em14
Platinum Member
This is a great Idea and well done ...
Leo
Leo
diggerjim
Silver Member
Thanks AZMike
This gives me ideas for my toolbar. I really appreciate the pics.
diggerjim
This gives me ideas for my toolbar. I really appreciate the pics.
diggerjim
beenthere
Super Star Member
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Thanks for the ideas. I have had a toolbar much like yours for 20+ years (it is solid steel square bar the same dimension) and have always thought there must be a use for it. Its length seems too long to maneuver around things, so maybe I should cut it to a shorter length. What is your source of clamps to clamp the forklift uprights to the square tube?
I will be curious if your forklift horizontal to vertical welds hold up under normal forklift-type usage. They seem to be a weak point, but hope they don't give you any problem.
I will be curious if your forklift horizontal to vertical welds hold up under normal forklift-type usage. They seem to be a weak point, but hope they don't give you any problem.
I had a heck of a time getting a short tool bar. The ones everyone around here uses are 2-1/4 vs my 2-1/2. They are very pricey and no one would cut me a 6ft length from the normal 16 ft tool bars. So I decided to see if the 2-1/2 would fit the clamps. It does sort of. You have to adapt a little.
My clamps were purchase two places. One from the local farm and ranch supply store for about $9.00 each. The other source was a yard that buys and sells old tractor parts. Clamps and ripper bar was about $4.00 together.
The new clamps come in several sizes including the 2-1/2. However these clamps are a little heavy and I opted to buy the 2-1/4 clamps and get longer bolts in order to fit a 2-1/2 inch bar. It worked just fine. The older clamps were not nearly as adjustable and as a result I have only a few threads holding these one, once they are tight.
The weld on the horizontal and vertical surfaces was designed and welded very carefully. I discussed this welding a 5/8 vertical to the 3/4 inch horizontal and told him I wanted essentually a full fillet weld a four sides to hold about 500 pounds on each fork. So far it has worked. I have dropped a rail road time from about 2 feet onto the forks and they held. Using 3/4 inch plate makes them a little springy but they will hold 4 railroad ties with no problem so far.
My clamps were purchase two places. One from the local farm and ranch supply store for about $9.00 each. The other source was a yard that buys and sells old tractor parts. Clamps and ripper bar was about $4.00 together.
The new clamps come in several sizes including the 2-1/2. However these clamps are a little heavy and I opted to buy the 2-1/4 clamps and get longer bolts in order to fit a 2-1/2 inch bar. It worked just fine. The older clamps were not nearly as adjustable and as a result I have only a few threads holding these one, once they are tight.
The weld on the horizontal and vertical surfaces was designed and welded very carefully. I discussed this welding a 5/8 vertical to the 3/4 inch horizontal and told him I wanted essentually a full fillet weld a four sides to hold about 500 pounds on each fork. So far it has worked. I have dropped a rail road time from about 2 feet onto the forks and they held. Using 3/4 inch plate makes them a little springy but they will hold 4 railroad ties with no problem so far.