Pallet fork rail notch measurements

[countrybumpkin]

Im getting ready to build a set of forks for my loader and have a pairs of Class II forks. Is there a common measerment to cut the notches for the forks to lock in on the upper slide rail.

 

[beenthere]

Mine float (slide) across on a solid bar, and I use different length spacers (plastic pipe with a section removed) that snap over the bar. That way, I can move the forks to many different combinations of spacings.
No notch info, but I can see you have a good question for common spacing.

 

[countrybumpkin]

Thanks beenthere, Yeah I hate to put the notches on a odd spacing, the more adjustability you havethe better, I would think.

 

[J0be269]

I don't know of a standard layout, I just got done building a fork carrier over the weekend. I will post more about it in a bit, but I put my notches 4" on center. With 4" wide forks this allows me to move one fork width at a time.

One thing to think about to is loader arm spacing. My notches are spaced as noted above and the forks can fall one either one side or the other of the loader arm connection points, but not directly lined up with them. I may end up cutting another notch directly in front of the loader arms if I notice the loader or frame tweaking during use. Just something to think about.

 

[countrybumpkin]

Thanks for the reply, I would like to see the carrier you built too.

 

[Reg]

I think there is a standard spacing.
I think there is a good reason for that.

Like, maybe, standard PALLETS ?
(-:
and yes, there are several sizes in the standard.

OK, it is almost dark, the skeeters are out, I don't know, but will try to remember to go out and measure them tomorrow.

 

[JCB]

County,

Reg is probably right and there might be a standard spacing, and there are a LOT of different size pallets. My forks float on a solid bar, and while friction keeps them in place I also move them all over the place as needed.

If I was building again and using a rail design I probably wouldn't overthink it. I'd probably just put in as many notches as I wanted to cut. Good luck.

 

[Reg]

County,

Reg is probably right and there might be a standard spacing, and there are a LOT of different size pallets. My forks float on a solid bar, and while friction keeps them in place I also move them all over the place as needed.

If I was building again and using a rail design I probably wouldn't overthink it. I'd probably just put in as many notches as I wanted to cut. Good luck.

Well, given that he has a pair of (industry standard) forks that have the locking mechanism he might as well use it.
Mine are at 39, 32, 25, 17 and 9 inches - though I think that the 9 inch one may be just for getting the forks on and off.
This is a manageable number, i.e. I can see at a glance which one they are set to without having to count say seventeen notches in from each end.

OTOH, I can see that a very large number of positions would give the ability to - err, I was about to say something about centering the tractor under an off center load, fergettit, just don't mess with loads that are off centered on their pallets, off setting the other way doesn't fix anything (-:
Offsetting to carry pallets across side slopes is a bad idea too.
Sorry, I'm out of rationale to off set.

You can probably find standard pallet specs somewhere - warehousing industries association or somesuch - and figure back from overall width, side rail thickness, fork width, clearance, etc. You will almost certainly get to a list very similar to what I just wrote.

 

[mwb]

I made a set and spaced the notches on 4 inch centers. I made sure that the center two notches would position the forks flush together; they (center notches) had to be slightly wider than 4 inches to allow clearance for the flare where the forks are bent.

 

[countrybumpkin]

Thanks guys, I knew I would need to try and watch were the notches were placed and not to just start making them were I thought would be good due to the vast number of pallet sizes available. Thanks for the measurements Reg, I did find that most commercial rails available have 17 notches but never could find the spacing of them given. Also found a few sites that list pallet sizes and the standard industrial use of each size.

 

[countrybumpkin]

Hey MWB I seen were you had built a carrier that you posted a diagram of in another post and was wondering how it has held up and work out for you.

 

[mwb]

Hey MWB I seen were you had built a carrier that you posted a diagram of in another post and was wondering how it has held up and work out for you.

It works very well. It is often used for moving and loading logs, no problem. It is installed on a Kubota L3400.

Here is the quick sketch of the carrier. The flat stock that the forks hang from is 1/2", notched on the top for the fork lock pins. To save weight the QA connection was fabbed from some flat stock rather than a complete plate. I have not included all details, gussets and such but the general idea is here:

 

[countrybumpkin]

Great, I hope to get mine finished by the first of next week. I plan on working on it Friday evening and then finish it Monday, along with my brush grapple if the cylinder comes in.

 

[J0be269]

CB,

Here is some info on the one I built. I still haven't taken any pics of the finished product, but it looks just like the 3D models. The spacing on mine ended up being 9, 17, 25, 33, & 41" O.C.

The drawings to build this are also attached with a complete parts list. Cost me about $100 in steel and $20 in paint plus consumables. Pay no mind to the attachment points as yours may be different, mine was built to fit a Kubota LA364 loader. My loader can lift around 1000 lbs at the pins, which according to computer models should no be a problem with this design (about 9 tenths of one one thousandth of an inch deflection in the center of the fork rails at full load) Notice the angle and the 3/8" x 1" flat bar used to stiffen everything up.

If you have any questions let me know. Oh and from what I found out afterward, the one I built is a couple inches taller and wider that the one I was going to buy from Kubota, but I don't think that matters.

Total weight of carrier is 125lbs as drawn.

 

[mwb]

Nice job. I don't have a rack on mine yet. I have been meaning to make one that's removable because I made a grapple to fit the forks also.

I will probably get around to making the rack after I drop something on the hood.

 

[countrybumpkin]

Thanks JOBe269, looks really nice, and the info is great.

 

[BHD]

I will probably get around to making the rack after I drop something on the hood.

don't worry about the hood, if you have the loader raise up tall, it most likely will not be the hood but your body that gets smashed,

build the rack or guard when you build it, it may be to late to do it later,

 

[J0be269]

don't worry about the hood, if you have the loader raise up tall, it most likely will not be the hood but your body that gets smashed,

build the rack or guard when you build it, it may be to late to do it later,

This is very true. If it's anything wider than the loader arms, they it will just slide down the arms like a ramp and right into your lap. Even with the rack you have to be careful. If I raise my loader all the way up without rolling the forks any it would do nothing but protect my curl cylinders from whatever is fixing to fall into my lap.

 

[mwb]

This is very true. If it's anything wider than the loader arms, they it will just slide down the arms like a ramp and right into your lap. Even with the rack you have to be careful. If I raise my loader all the way up without rolling the forks any it would do nothing but protect my curl cylinders from whatever is fixing to fall into my lap.

I am very well aware or this; the point of my post was that it's one of those things I have been meaning to do - and to compliment your design.

 

[pat32rf]

Mine are pins, instead of notches, but also on 4" centers (I think) I did make sure that there is one spacing that is right for lifting a skidoo from the rear.