Ball mount on pallet forks

[hogi]

I am considering drilling a hole in the pallet forks and installing a hitch ball. How far back from the tip should I drill? I don't want to drill too close because the tips are tapered and I don't want to weaken them too much, but can't go too far back or the tip of fork could catch on the trailer hitch when turning. Is there a rule of thumb of how much strength is lost when drilling holes in steel?

 

[sawdust_maker]

I am considering drilling a hole in the pallet forks and installing a hitch ball. How far back from the tip should I drill? I don't want to drill too close because the tips are tapered and I don't want to weaken them too much, but can't go too far back or the tip of fork could catch on the trailer hitch when turning. Is there a rule of thumb of how much strength is lost when drilling holes in steel?

How about making a sleeve for one of the tines of the fork? Clamp it in place with a heavy set screw, and no drilling is needed, so no weakened fork at all.

John

 

[J_J]

Here is the one on my fork.

 

[washita]

the shop I used to work in we would put the holes in with a torch or plasma cutter the fork steel was incredibly tough on drill bits and yes the safety police were always upset but in 20+ years never seen one break out usually the drivers would wear out or bend the forks first thats just my .02 cents worth I did build a snowplow blade once for a fork lift always build shear pins or some form of shock absorbing device into a plow it suvived one winter and was bent in ways unimagineable the following winter one of the other welders made a new snow blade for the forklift it was h.d.alright, bent forks-headache rack-driver with bruised ribs-broken manhole drain just be careful when modifying equipment

 

[MossRoad]

I am considering drilling a hole in the pallet forks and installing a hitch ball. How far back from the tip should I drill? I don't want to drill too close because the tips are tapered and I don't want to weaken them too much, but can't go too far back or the tip of fork could catch on the trailer hitch when turning. Is there a rule of thumb of how much strength is lost when drilling holes in steel?

I have bent the forks on our PT425 several times. They bend way back towards the quick attach, not out front by the tips. My guess is you will be fine 6-8 inches back from the tip. However, I think it would be a pain to have to unbolt that ball hitch or vice versa every time you wanted to use or not use it. I like the suggestion regarding a clamp on sleeve for one of the forks.

Personally, I just picked up a 2" receiver tube and welded it to a quick attach plate. You can make a ton of useful implements that will work in the receiver, so it is money well spent.

 

[J_J]

Here is another idea.

 

[rockinmywaypa]

just blow a hole near the tip that you can drop a drawpin into. then you can move wagons and then slide on the sleeve with the ball and drop your pin through them all to move trailers with a ball hitch. where I worked 20 yrs ago we had hooks made up that fit into the hole so we could grab a chain and lift with it. basically a grab hook welded to two links of chain then to a 3/4 in bolt. This made a fork excellent for lifting electric motors into place.

 

[LD1]

I'd say anything 1" back or more would be fine. The closer you get to the tip, the less force their is on the fork.

I'd feel better with a 1" hole at the tip than I would at the heel of the fork.

 

[J_J]

Paynes Forks Ball Clamp with Lift Ring — 2in. Stem | Accessories | Northern Tool + Equipment

 

[Johndeere3720]

The hole on my forks is about 2-3" in. It works great but I should take the other fork off when moving trailers. The silver ball looks good on black forks.

 

[horticattleman]

I welded a small reciever on the top of my box blade and just insert a receiver hitch from my truck. The welded part is basically a piece of square tubing with a hole in it.

 

[toy]

I am considering drilling a hole in the pallet forks and installing a hitch ball. How far back from the tip should I drill? I don't want to drill too close because the tips are tapered and I don't want to weaken them too much, but can't go too far back or the tip of fork could catch on the trailer hitch when turning. Is there a rule of thumb of how much strength is lost when drilling holes in steel?

I just got a 2" receiver hitch mounted on a quick attach plate, and then made inserts for it according to what I wanted to do. I have one insert with a ball on it for my larger trailers and I have one with just a hole drilled in it for those small garden tractor dump trailers, and I have a long insert that I guess some would call a boom pole but I have a 5 gal bucket tied on the end of it with about four feet length of rope, works great for reaching down into the creek infront of my place to get water to water my very small garden, that way I don't have to climb up and down the creek bank to get water. I fill up a mucket bucket [that is about the size of a #2 or #3 wash tub] and haul that to the garden. Another thing that I do with the long insert is I have a small trailer that hauls about 1 1/2 tons of coal and it sits high off the ground so instead of driving up a steep ramp to unload the coal I use the long insert and have one of the dozer blades like sears sells for their tractors that I mount on it so I can drag the coal back to the back of the buggie as I unload it works great. What I think I am trying to say is it is worth making a dedicated quick attach 2" insert plate there is just so much you can do with it, and it will stretch your imagination. I know someone is already thinking of using it as a jousting pole as a gladiator.

 

[BobRip]

I just got a 2" receiver hitch mounted on a quick attach plate, and then made inserts for it according to what I wanted to do. I have one insert with a ball on it for my larger trailers and I have one with just a hole drilled in it for those small garden tractor dump trailers, and I have a long insert that I guess some would call a boom pole but I have a 5 gal bucket tied on the end of it with about four feet length of rope, works great for reaching down into the creek infront of my place to get water to water my very small garden, that way I don't have to climb up and down the creek bank to get water. I fill up a mucket bucket [that is about the size of a #2 or #3 wash tub] and haul that to the garden. Another thing that I do with the long insert is I have a small trailer that hauls about 1 1/2 tons of coal and it sits high off the ground so instead of driving up a steep ramp to unload the coal I use the long insert and have one of the dozer blades like sears sells for their tractors that I mount on it so I can drag the coal back to the back of the buggie as I unload it works great. What I think I am trying to say is it is worth making a dedicated quick attach 2" insert plate there is just so much you can do with it, and it will stretch your imagination. I know someone is already thinking of using it as a jousting pole as a gladiator.

I do some of the same stuff. I made a small fork lift to fit on the end of a boom pole and use this to move stuff around in the fire. I actually have two 2 inch receiver plates and leave one on my small trailer. That one has a light weight home made quick attach plate.

 

[toy]

I do some of the same stuff. I made a small fork lift to fit on the end of a boom pole and use this to move stuff around in the fire. I actually have two 2 inch receiver plates and leave one on my small trailer. That one has a light weight home made quick attach plate.

There isn't anything more satisfying than to throw something together and it working out and making a job a lot easier.