Forks Pallet Forks - 'over-engineer'?

   / Pallet Forks - 'over-engineer'? #11  
Another use for forks is light duty trenching...position the forks next to each other, point towards the ground and start digging a narrow trench. Works great depending on local soil conditions, presence of roots, etc..
 
   / Pallet Forks - 'over-engineer'? #12  
Buddy of mine bent one fork about 30º, due to not paying attention. While tramming on a gravel road after loading logs, noticed a branch/large twig stuck in the loader/bucket frame area. Tried to wobble the bucket frame to dislodge it, un-curled too far without lifting loader, fork caught the gravel road and tractor came to an abrupt stop!

I have acquired a set of forks from a 5k lbs rated fork lift, and plan to make my own quick attach frame to match my John Deere loader bucket. My little tractor has limited lift capacity but my neighbor has a much larger JD with same style loader, we may have the opportunity to share equipment.

My opinion would be that the heavy rated forks will not be substantially heavier than the lighter rated ones, but be much more able to handle any abuse you may put them thru.

Good luck, forks are a very useful addition to a tractors ability.
 
   / Pallet Forks - 'over-engineer'? #13  
Don't ever get something rated right at capacity. It will fail.

As others said, shock loading, uneven loading, etc
 
   / Pallet Forks - 'over-engineer'? #14  
I agree there will come a time when you want to use only one fork to lift something. The capacity is for the pair. You could easily overload a single fork and bend it if you only buy them at your lift capacity. Bent forks are no fun. I had a bent one and it made it very difficult to pick things up as they were no longer level. They are difficult to straighten once bent.
 
   / Pallet Forks - 'over-engineer'? #15  
A bent fork is a big enemy of pickup tailgates.
 
   / Pallet Forks - 'over-engineer'? #16  
Tailgates have many enemies in the wild... which also includes gooseneck trailer hitches!
 
   / Pallet Forks - 'over-engineer'?
  • Thread Starter
#17  
Thanks, guys. This has been most informative.

My understanding now is that it one should get forks rated at double the loader capacity (each tine should be able to handle the full loader capacity), maybe plus a percentage for 'over-engineering'. Just what that percentage should be is not clear.

Ken
 
   / Pallet Forks - 'over-engineer'? #18  
I've never bent a fork on a FEL. My forks are rated to 4K pounds. My loader is rated to 3500# at the pins and 2200# at 800 mm from the pins. If the forks are made out of decent steel and rated above your FEL capacity I would think you are OK as long as you use common sense?
 
   / Pallet Forks - 'over-engineer'? #19  
There should be industry standards for fork design. Perhaps as questions at a forklift dealer.
 
   / Pallet Forks - 'over-engineer'? #20  
There should be industry standards for fork design. Perhaps as questions at a forklift dealer.

Not sure what you mean? There is a standard
 
 
 
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