Clamp on pallet forks or debris forks?

[Delaware Devil]

The $135 chain on ones from E-Bay are heavy pipe. 2 1/2" outside diameter and heavy as all He(double hockey sticks). Probably used well casings then coated with a rust converter to get rid of the rust. Just thought you ought to know, I bought them,and am not happy with them.

 

[vineyardkeeper1]

I understand that these clip on forks will damage your bucket and bend the bottom of the bucket as to were you cannot scoop level. Has anyone seen this problem ?

 

[IslandTractor]

You need a light duty grapple or an Add A Grapple kit for your bucket. Forks are frustrating as they don't contain the load so you will need to get off the tractor frequently to chain each time you load and unload.

Read grapple or grapple bucket threads. You'll also need a set of rear remotes.

 

[Yourkie]

Any experience with the type where the forks are secured against the front edge of bucket and with chains and chain binders? I've seen them on the internet and eBay for around 175 including the chain and binders. They have a pocket for 2x4 back stops. I only have a need for occasional use which might be unloading a 500-1000# pallet or moving a log.

There is a clamp on listed on eBay that has provision for both clamp and chain which is a good idea. The clamp type puts a good deal of stress on the bucket edge.

Edited: Must have missed my second page of posts as Delaware Devil - didn't see your post above. Is it the weight or the design? They aren't the type like this as these look like boxed channel steel. Says it is 1/4". http://www.yankeewarehouse.net/forks4.jpg

 

[chopped]

Lets not forget the guy on here who made some 'light' duty ones for brush out of 2x4 s

 

[CowwFace]

Loader Forks Bucket Skid Tractor Pallet Fork Deere - eBay (item 230532758616 end time Oct-07-10 20:33:32 PDT)

Clamp on Loader Bucket Skid Tractor Pallet Fork chain - eBay (item 300474179347 end time Oct-05-10 14:29:07 PDT)


These are just a couple that I found on E-bay , 1 is clamp on , other is chain around bucket I guess ? Half the price that you quoted in your first post with free shipping .

I have a set of clamp on forks although I also have a adjustable bar that slides over both forks all the way back to the bucket , thus stabilizes or ties together both forks . I have used them exactly as you described with great success . Pile brush in fields , then simply drive up to pile with forks on bucket like a forklift , scoop and run . While you may not get every twig , you do get majority if you think about how you stack your piles of debris .

Start with big items on bottom , ( So you don't have to lift them later onto top of pile ) . Stack your pile all in 1 direction , say north / south . When finished , drive up to pile from east / west , scoop and go . I have moved piles of Oak limbs , although not as heavy as my TC30 , they were nearly as large , without any problems , other than fitting between trees as I snake my way through the field . You don't need to raise it over your head , just high enough to clear ground and shove .

Fred H.

Hey Gio,

I have the chain on forks that Fred H has posted above. They are OK, but I did manage to bend one of mine when putting Stumps into a dump truck for a friend. The chain's that they come with are pretty weak as well, but I think it may be by design.. the chains were breaking, so I welded the links to make them stronger, and that is when I managed to bend the fork tube itself. If you are going to use the only occasionaly I think they are ok.. but if I had it to do over again I would save the $130 and put it towards a set from SkidSteerExpress.com As low as $485 for 36" forks, and only $580'ish for 48" forks I think.

IMHO

Carry on,

 

[charlz]

Late on the thread but.... I have clamp on pallet forks and they work OK for moving limbs and stuff without a grapple. Things fall off, you can't see very well etc. but sure beats moving it by hand. I think without a grapple on your bucket the pallet forks beat the debris fork. For limbs, brush etc. that don't fit in the bucket 18" is just too short to pile up much in front of the bucket without it all falling off.

I built a quick attach for my tractor and will build a grapple bucket at some point so I can move limbs and brush around without having to worry about it falling off every time I go through a gate, too close to another bush or tree etc. etc. Downside is $$$ to plumb hydraulic valve(s) and lines to power it.

 

[Pushing_Tin]

Has anybody actually purchased these? They seem like a good compromise between the full price, heavy duty QA kind, and the cheap E-bay variety.

Medium Duty Tractor Forks, Bucket Forks, Loader Forks

YouTube - Our Tractor Products at Work by BucketSolutions.com

 

[jeff9366]

I am going to be CONTRARIAN and vote for purpose built Debris Forks and a Ratchet Rake for cleanup. This combination, alternating, works great for brush and vine cleanup. Usually have one or the other of these tools on the bucket. The combination is still MUCH less than a grapple and observes the KISS Principle.

The clamp-on, aluminum, 2,000 pound capacity Debris Forks from Payne's Forks were $800 in Kubota orange. They have 14" of support under the bucket; stick out 26" in front for good pickup. Steel Debris Forks are less $$ but, being twice as heavy, you lose lift capacity. I have a LA504 loader on the B3300SU, so theoretically I can lift 504 Kilograms = 1,100 pounds under ideal conditions. Not close to 2,000 fork capacity. After 18 months of heavy use, aside from a few paint scuffs in the bucket where the screw pads contact, Payne's Debris Forks have given excellent service.

Well worth it for me, a heavy user.

LINK:

ALDF52

 

[sd455dan]

Any experience with the type where the forks are secured against the front edge of bucket and with chains and chain binders? I've seen them on the internet and eBay for around 175 including the chain and binders. They have a pocket for 2x4 back stops. I only have a need for occasional use which might be unloading a 500-1000# pallet or moving a log.

There is a clamp on listed on eBay that has provision for both clamp and chain which is a good idea. The clamp type puts a good deal of stress on the bucket edge.

Edited: Must have missed my second page of posts as Delaware Devil - didn't see your post above. Is it the weight or the design? They aren't the type like this as these look like boxed channel steel. Says it is 1/4". http://www.yankeewarehouse.net/forks4.jpg

I bought the round ,chain on ones from GC manufacturing

and they are a little tight diameter wise when picking up pallets, but they are rated at 3000lbs. and i have used one to load and carry 1100lbs. round hay bales.. also carried lots of brush and even lifted the front of the tractor when the front end got stuck in mud also carried some very large logs... (until i got a grapple) so for the price of $250 with binders -been very happy
Also built a plate that mounts between them for carrying larger items and other uses These maybe heavy but at least they don't pretzel like some ... and the price was right