Converting a ford 1700 into forklift

[Hooked_on_HP]

Glad to see you are still working on it. What do you have mounted under the tractor. It kind of looks like some type of tank.
Bill

 

[RyanL]

Oh thats start of a subframe to mount the forklift mast on. Its made out of some old channel i had from a subframe on a dump truck i had. Its goin be bolted under the axle and run to the front to tie the tractor together and be able to mount counterweight on other end.

 

[RyanL]

Well i took a risk again and hooked up the steering with out a relief valve. I was just carefull to not rev it up all the way or max the cylinder out. I took the unit for a test drive the clutch works pretty good, the brakes work gd, the hand and foot throttles work gd. Now as for the steering it works but needs some fine tuning. Its little slow have to turn wheel more than i think u shud. The first thing i think needs is bigger return line off the valve seems to be restricting. Then mite have to go to smaller bore cylinder. But other than that i think it will work. The tractor rides fairly gd and seems comfortable. But i am goin build a FOPS/ROPS with a roof. This means it will no longer fit in my small garage but im planning on another bigger shop in future.

 

[RyanL]

Some used rebuilt hyd cylinders off a trencher i took in on trade for some money a guy owes me i allowed him $100 for all the yellow ones. There is 3 matched that i hope to use 2 of for the mast tilt. I need get steel list made and get started on this again.

 

[RyanL]

Hi guys been a long time sinse ive done an update on this project. Ive been busy over the last few months ive remodeled my 100yr old house, done everything myself it was a learning experience. I now know i don't like mudding drywall, haha. I have gotten married in june, and have a baby boy due in jan. Then mix in 56hr work weeks and life is now starting to fly by by the weeks instead of by the days like younger years.

Now back to the forklift, i just started on this again last weekend. I haven't got much done. Ive been changing tires. I got a pair of 19.5l24 R-4 backhoe tires at work that are pretty much wore out. But for a forklift i think they will work for awhile and they was free. I had some used skidsteer tires 10-16.5 laying around, so i figured up rolling circumferences and gear ratio's and front axle lead and lag. The conclusion was they would be close enough to work so i proceed to mount them. I know there was nothing wrong with the other tires but i wanted more of industrial look and little more attitude i guess. These bigger tires will also carry the weight better.

I will post what pics i did take, my phone lens must have been dirty in most of the pics. Sorry

 

[RyanL]

I had to cut and widen the wheels. Im comfortable doin this and trust my welds and i done it right. So please keep safety police comments to a minium. Thanks

To cut the wheels apart i used a old trick farmers used to use back in the day to widen old farmall and deere wheels. I dismounted the tire, bolted wheel back on tractor axle. Then made a way to clamp my torch onto the tractor to hold it steady at the place i wanted the wheel cut and one person run torch and second turned wheel slowly.




Didnt get pics of whole process but here is after i cut the wheel apart, ground up and welded 1-1/4" flat bar between the two halves this made the wheels match up fairly close i cut 2x4s 15" long and clamped on the wheel down on the bead. I used 4 of them and spread them around the wheel this spaced the wheel halves even




Pic of flatbar



Here is pic of having the 6x1/4" flat steel bent half way around the wheel. I started by tacking the end of steel on the wheel the rolled wheel up to where steel was sticking straight out in air and put tractor in gear. On the 1st wheel i used rosebud to heat and bend, but on 2nd wheel i jus bent it by hand around wheel bout 10" at a time and used 2x4 and clamps to draw it down tight on wheel and welded it i repeated this process till i completed wheel. It would have been easier and cleaner looking to have steel supplier roll the steel but i had steel already from a round bale wagon i built so i went for it.




















Primed ready to mount

 

[RyanL]

With the wheel mounted on the tractor and no tire on it yet i can sit a sledge hammer on floor standing up next wheel with1/8" gap between hammer handle and wheel and spin the wheel and its within 1/16" of being true











Tires mounted i have also started to change the color from blue to equipment yellow.

 

[RyanL]

Now for the back steer tires. I dont have many pics but i used 16.5 bud truck wheels. Cut the center dish out and reversed it to get the offset i liked and welded it back in. Then i drilled it to fit the 5 lug bolt patteren of the tractor. And then welded the unused holes up and ground smooth. To weld the holes up i simply held a brass hammer under them and welded up. Weld dont stick to brass. This is also good trick to use for fixing oblonged holes in drawbars but use a brass rod of whatever dia. Needed and weld around it.



Before and after on moving the dish
























I did use tubes in all the tires for those wandering.

 

[RyanL]

Couple pics of round bale wagon i built a few months ago for those interested in seeing that.

 

[Vtnewbie]

Wow Ryan, you are a seriously skilled designer and builder. And all in your spare time!

If you work this hard on your day job I hope somebody is paying you mighty good.

Merry Christmas!