Buying Advice Clamp on forks and tooth bar advice needed.

[davehowell]

Since I have both clamp on pallet forks and a Ratchet Rake for a B 7800 with loader and backhoe let me chime in.

The pallet forks, in my case, three on the bucket, just held with the clamps are great for hauling brush. Lots of volume but little weight. They also pick up my calf sheds when I want to move them. If you try and pick up anything with any weight on a pallet, I am scared that you would bend the bucket lip. But for moving big, awkward objects, they are great.

I do pick up 4 by 5 round bails, sideways, not using them as a bale spear, and that seems to work well. I tip the bucket so that that weight is off the tines. The weight of the bale is maybe 1000 pounds, max. Drive carefully, especially if off a hard surface.

One could use the slots and chain binders to put the load on the back of the bucket instead of the loader lip. I will probably end with doing this.

The Ratchet Rake works well, as a easy/easy off bucket addition. I can't ever imagine digging with it. When the ground is torn up by the backhoe, the Ratchet Rake goes on in seconds and does a good job of preparing the disturbed area for reseeding. We haven't used it for vegetation tear outs, or grading lanes. Using the loader float, we use it for leveling and preparing an area for reseeding, usually with the larger teeth. The small teeth are then used to make a good seedbed and the pulling the small teeth backwards seems to cover up the scattered seed very well . For our use,it works well.

HOpefully useful

 

[lew61]

I purchased this toothbar from these folks: Tractor Bolt-On Tooth Bar
Great service, and the toothbar is battleship tough. The toothbar is also available in an extended version to accommodate bolt-on blades.

 

[kootenai]

@ Joe,

Here are the specs, all for 179.00 and free ship. Hard to beat. Clearly, I dont have a lot of lift power for big pallets of firewood, but, still a very handy add-on. Make sure you get the Stabilizer bar. It keeps the forks from getting cock-eyed.

Clamp on Pallet Forks 1500 lb Capacity with Stabilizer Bar

Forks will fit over a 1.5" thick bucket with the round puck in place or a 2" thick bucket with the puck removed.

Specifications ·
Capacity: 1500 pounds/pair
Weight: 80 lbs for the forks and 20 lbs for the Stabilizer.
Useable fork length: 45” (including the slope of the tip)
Fork Width: 3 “ Fork Height: 2”.

 

[lakngulf]

What brand of pallet forks are ours and how long are they?

Thanks,

Joe

I would also like to know

 

[JJZ 109]

If you have the SS quick attach I would suggest you get a set of SSQA forks. You'll be much happier.

100% agree. Having been down both roads, the clamp on forks weren't worth much in my opinion. Capacity is reduced because the load is so far out in front of the lift arms and you simply cannot see through your bucket to hit your target properly. Along with those facts, the clamp ons will kick sideways if the target isn't hit squarely. I hated mine and sold them as soon as I could afford real forks.
If you plan on using forks any amount, spend the money and get dedicated SSQA forks.

 

[IslandTractor]

100% agree. Having been down both roads, the clamp on forks weren't worth much in my opinion. Capacity is reduced because the load is so far out in front of the lift arms and you simply cannot see through your bucket to hit your target properly. Along with those facts, the clamp ons will kick sideways if the target isn't hit squarely. I hated mine and sold them as soon as I could afford real forks.
If you plan on using forks any amount, spend the money and get dedicated SSQA forks.

Nobody disputes that a purpose built dedicated implement is likely superior. At five times the cost it better be.

I'm surprised that you find it difficult to hit the target though. The clamp ons extend about 40 inches or so in front of the bucket so it shod be easy to see them. How do you ever load anything with the bucket if you cannot judge where tips that far forward are? I have regular forks and carriage and IMO the carriage interferes at least as much as the bucket would.

I don't know how much the purpose built forks lift but note the rating is only for 250 or so pounds. Still seems like a very pricy purchase for that lift capacity. Worth it perhaps if you use them a lot but for occasional use I'm quite sure most folks would be happy with clamp ons. They wouldn't sell as many as they do to CUT owners otherwise.

 

[newbury]

I am looking at both implements to add to the collection. It is for a 60" LA463. Who loves their's and what is a good price? What else do I need to know? It looks like Yankee warehouse has good prices and free shipping. Thanks in advance, the information on here has been priceless.

With a 464 kg lift capacity go with the lighter clamp ons WITH the stabilizer bar from palletforks.com.
The stabilizer bar makes the difference between trying to pick up a pea with chopsticks versus a fork. I tried my forks once without the stabilizer bar to move brush and it was like two independent spears. With the stabilizer bar it's a LOT more rigid.

I got the 4,000 lb capacity because my present big tractor will lift a ton on the FEL. The heaviest load that I know I've lifted is my chipper and pallet, about 800lbs, out of my F350. No problem.



I also have been looking at tooth bars/Piranha bar and am leaning towards a Piranha bar, because I expect more vegetation clearing than digging.

 

[newbury]

100% agree. Having been down both roads, the clamp on forks weren't worth much in my opinion. Capacity is reduced because the load is so far out in front of the lift arms and you simply cannot see through your bucket to hit your target properly. Along with those facts, the clamp ons will kick sideways if the target isn't hit squarely. I hated mine and sold them as soon as I could afford real forks.
If you plan on using forks any amount, spend the money and get dedicated SSQA forks.

The OP's lift capacity is maximum 464 kg, or about two 50 gallon drums of your favorite beverage in the FEL.

You don't have to "see through your bucket" just use the FORCE and visualize

Clamp ons WITH a stabilizer bar don't kick sideways much.

I notice you have a skid steer with a load capacity about the same as my M4700 and twice the OP's.

The price tradeoff between SSQA (about $500 plus) and clamp ons with stabilizer (< $200) is pretty steep.

/edit - http://stores.palletforks.com/-strs...lamp on Pallet Forks:LW Clamp on Pallet Forks has the 1500 lb rated pallet forks w/ stabilizer for $169

 

[lakngulf]

and clamp ons with stabilizer (< $200) is pretty steep.

Where can I get above for <$200?

 

[GManBart]

I bought mine at the link below, and haven't been able to hurt it yet....doing some serious digging, with a lot of rock and even some areas with dirty fill that had bricks and concrete imbedded. Looks like about $350 for the size you'd need:

Bucket Toothbars