Converting FEL Forks to 3PH - Lots of pictures

[Baby Grand]

A few months ago I picked up a used FEL fork attachment for a fair price. I knew I was going to have to do some cutting and welding as the mounting brackets didn't match up to my FEL. In the meantime, I had a great need to get the forks working on the 3PH to move heavy pallets of freshly split firewood into our field where it can bake in the sun and get some air movement to help cure it. So I cut the mounting brackets off the fork frame and welded them back onto the frame, but closer together & at standard class 1 TPH spacing:





Lower lift arms:


Top link attachment:


The telltale rust marks show the original, wider spacing for FEL mounting:


Because of the peculiar 4 bar linkage of the LA724 FEL, I have some work yet to do to make a quick attach bucket out of the stock pin-on. Luckily, the FEL spacing is wide enough that the FEL arms clear the 3PH brackets on the fork frame in their new, narrowed location:

 

[magicheater]

Being able to mount them on either end of the tractor is a plus. The homemade 3PT fork/back blade combo I made went with my big tractor when I sold it and I do miss it. What sort of Q/A configuration were you thinking of for your 4 bar linkage loader? I found that a hydraulic top link greatly improves the performance of the 3PT forks. ALSO: My sympathies for the tragic events that happened recently in your State, one in which I was born in.

 

[creekbend]

Innovative. Nice job.:thumbsup:

 

[Baby Grand]

Being able to mount them on either end of the tractor is a plus. The homemade 3PT fork/back blade combo I made went with my big tractor when I sold it and I do miss it. What sort of Q/A configuration were you thinking of for your 4 bar linkage loader? I found that a hydraulic top link greatly improves the performance of the 3PT forks. ALSO: My sympathies for the tragic events that happened recently in your State, one in which I was born in.

A TNT is in my future. Would definitely make the 3PT forks much more versatile.
I'm considering making something like the Deere QA, with a hook at the top of the attachment and a pin on the side, as I think it would take up the least amount of space and only move the bucket forward a quarter inch or so. What I want to do is cut the brackets off of the bucket; leaving them on the FEL, and connect them with a torque tube.
Something like this:

...which I lifted from Freakingstang's post, here:http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/mitsubishi-satoh/229354-angry-beaver-project-fel-build-8.html

 

[Mendonsy]

Nice!!
I built a forklift from scratch to mount on both the FEL and 3 point on my B7500.

 

[RAYJAY]

very nice job off topic but what is the netting in the ROP bar for??

 

[Baby Grand]

Mendonsy -
that's a really nice build you did. Looks like it's getting plenty of use, too.

RAYJAY -
The chain link fence "netting" is meant as a "discourager" that is intended to reduce the likelyhood of a recoiling rope or chain taking my head off. Not sure if I'm being rediculous, but there have been a few times pulling hard on a rope or chain hitched to the drawbar that the hair on the back of my neck started rising. Bonus use is I finally found a place to keep my loppers and spare bungie cords other than the bucket.

 

[KennyG]

Nice!!
I built a forklift from scratch to mount on both the FEL and 3 point on my B7500.

I notice that your 3 point top link connection appears much higher than the standard 15" above the bottom pins. Is there a particular reason you did it that way?

 

[magicheater]

A TNT is in my future. Would definitely make the 3PT forks much more versatile.
I'm considering making something like the Deere QA, with a hook at the top of the attachment and a pin on the side, as I think it would take up the least amount of space and only move the bucket forward a quarter inch or so. What I want to do is cut the brackets off of the bucket; leaving them on the FEL, and connect them with a torque tube.

The Deere system does offer the least amount of offset in most cases and the pins and brackets are available from a local JD dealer for about $100 the last time I checked, unless you were going to fab up a system of your own design.?

 

[jake98]

Nice job! (both)