patrick_g
Elite Member
Is there anything wrong with bolt on pallet forks?
Yes, no, or maybe depending on your requirements.
The most important part is that if you need forks, you got 'em. Whether you buy factory built color coordinated easy width adjustment QA forks, kludge together some (maybe dangerous) monstrosity, or invent a new improved lemon scented super strong and convenient fork you can build in 30 sec for 20 cents, the important thing is can you do what you need to do? Do they meet YOUR requirements? That is what is important, not whether they are the strongest, cheapest, easiest to use, right color, or whatever.
That said...
Shouldn't we hold these following truths to be self evident (fairly intuitively obvious to even a casual observer): 1. adjustable spacing is better (many wooden pallets don't have standardized hole spacing), 2. easily adjustable spacing is better yet, 3. not having a bucket in the way is a good thing for ease of getting the forks into restricted places, 4. not having a bucket in the way gets the load closer to the pivots for more lift capacity on the same loader, 5. not having the bucket in the way gives way better operator visibility (reduces collateral damage), 6. a good strong backstop(?) mounted square to the forks is a huge plus often not included in DIY or chain-on or bolt-on forks.
It is OK to agree that the above attributes are desirable and superior to typical bolt-on and chain-on forks AND still not need them to do what you need done with forks. Not everyone needs all the features. Just like the tractor where TNT IS superior but you may not need it and 4X4 is superior but you may not need it. Easily adjustable QA forks with a good back stop are superior ---B U T--- you may not need those features to meet your requirements (or may not choose to or be able to invest the $.)
Safety note: pallet forks can and are successfully used to handle round bales. My pallet forks came with a warning to not use them to handle round bales along with a personal plea from a partner in the dealership. I was very successful using the forks to stack round bales in the field, onto and off a trailer, and two or three bales high in the barn depending on whether on end or laying down... UNTIL one brief lapse in concentration and a thousand lbs of hay bent the back stop back at a 45 degree angle and almost came through the cab on top of me.
I repaired and improved the backstop and also went to the Kubota dealer and bought a QA hay spike. If I had the luxury of time I could have built a hay spike but the factory one is SOOOOOOO nice and I have never even come close to having a bale handling problem with the spike. I still use the forks to handle hay but only to pick up a bale off the ground or at most one level up and then drop it in a feeder or drop it onto a trailer.
NO HIGH LIFTING OF ROUND BALES WITH PALLET FORKS!!!!!!
Not everyone has to maneuver in tight quarters or around anything delicate or expensive but I would find bolt-on or chain-on forks harder to use (even if they magically mounted and unmounted themselves by just wishing it were so.) I am pretty good with a loader but visibility of FEL mounted forks is POOR, at best (good factory built QA forks). and much worse with a bucket in the way. If you don't do any "delicate" work then so what but if you do.... good luck, you are an accident waiting to happen.
Again, the question that started this thread was not, "What is the best pallet forks?" It was, "Is there anything wrong with bolt on pallet forks?" The answer is clearly, YES, there are several things WRONG with pallet forks but those short comings may or may not matter to a particular user. If they fit YOUR needs that is fine. Hindsight is 20-20. I know folks with bolt-ons who wish they had just gone ahead and got QA adjustable forks because of some of the above listed attributes. I know others with bolt-ons who are happy wth them (or so they say.)
Patrick
Yes, no, or maybe depending on your requirements.
The most important part is that if you need forks, you got 'em. Whether you buy factory built color coordinated easy width adjustment QA forks, kludge together some (maybe dangerous) monstrosity, or invent a new improved lemon scented super strong and convenient fork you can build in 30 sec for 20 cents, the important thing is can you do what you need to do? Do they meet YOUR requirements? That is what is important, not whether they are the strongest, cheapest, easiest to use, right color, or whatever.
That said...
Shouldn't we hold these following truths to be self evident (fairly intuitively obvious to even a casual observer): 1. adjustable spacing is better (many wooden pallets don't have standardized hole spacing), 2. easily adjustable spacing is better yet, 3. not having a bucket in the way is a good thing for ease of getting the forks into restricted places, 4. not having a bucket in the way gets the load closer to the pivots for more lift capacity on the same loader, 5. not having the bucket in the way gives way better operator visibility (reduces collateral damage), 6. a good strong backstop(?) mounted square to the forks is a huge plus often not included in DIY or chain-on or bolt-on forks.
It is OK to agree that the above attributes are desirable and superior to typical bolt-on and chain-on forks AND still not need them to do what you need done with forks. Not everyone needs all the features. Just like the tractor where TNT IS superior but you may not need it and 4X4 is superior but you may not need it. Easily adjustable QA forks with a good back stop are superior ---B U T--- you may not need those features to meet your requirements (or may not choose to or be able to invest the $.)
Safety note: pallet forks can and are successfully used to handle round bales. My pallet forks came with a warning to not use them to handle round bales along with a personal plea from a partner in the dealership. I was very successful using the forks to stack round bales in the field, onto and off a trailer, and two or three bales high in the barn depending on whether on end or laying down... UNTIL one brief lapse in concentration and a thousand lbs of hay bent the back stop back at a 45 degree angle and almost came through the cab on top of me.
I repaired and improved the backstop and also went to the Kubota dealer and bought a QA hay spike. If I had the luxury of time I could have built a hay spike but the factory one is SOOOOOOO nice and I have never even come close to having a bale handling problem with the spike. I still use the forks to handle hay but only to pick up a bale off the ground or at most one level up and then drop it in a feeder or drop it onto a trailer.
NO HIGH LIFTING OF ROUND BALES WITH PALLET FORKS!!!!!!
Not everyone has to maneuver in tight quarters or around anything delicate or expensive but I would find bolt-on or chain-on forks harder to use (even if they magically mounted and unmounted themselves by just wishing it were so.) I am pretty good with a loader but visibility of FEL mounted forks is POOR, at best (good factory built QA forks). and much worse with a bucket in the way. If you don't do any "delicate" work then so what but if you do.... good luck, you are an accident waiting to happen.
Again, the question that started this thread was not, "What is the best pallet forks?" It was, "Is there anything wrong with bolt on pallet forks?" The answer is clearly, YES, there are several things WRONG with pallet forks but those short comings may or may not matter to a particular user. If they fit YOUR needs that is fine. Hindsight is 20-20. I know folks with bolt-ons who wish they had just gone ahead and got QA adjustable forks because of some of the above listed attributes. I know others with bolt-ons who are happy wth them (or so they say.)
Patrick
