Light weight - 117 lbs - reconfigurable Forks for BX size tractors

[robstaples]

I have a Bradco 4 k fork and they weight about 400 lbs. With my BX FEL L344 , that did not leave much room. I had a blank ｼ inch Quick connect plate waiting for another use. So I purchase the smallest set of premade forks by Netforks.com for $135 plus shipping and 2 pieces of higher strength 1+inch ID pipe. They are rated at 900 lbs with dimensions of 2 inch wide by 1 thick and 36 inches long. I welded their 4 inch pipe to the top of the arms and made four ｼ inch plate tabs to hold the 1 OD Stainless solid rod that I had. And the black center point with a clevis and loop for attachments if chain. The rod ends just have unbent cotter pins. I can reconfigure all the parts fairly quickly as the parts slide on the rod and everything is lighter weight than the BIG BOY forks. The total weight is 117 lb leaving me with just over 600 lbs of lift. Using the FEL strength on just one fork might bend it. But that is what the Bradco can do comfortably.
As the forks are new, I may add a removable board or metal spacer under the fork backs to change their angle and if it has dado slots , it will keep them from sliding. Need more experience with this to know if needed. As one pic shows, the arms flip totally over and out of the way for chain lifting. I will have to remember to have them in the widest position as not to hit my hood.
So far, the best feature is I can slide the forks in and out without hurting my back or fingers.
Forks = Blank Forks - www.Netforks.com

 

[CoyPatton]

I have a Bradco 4 k fork and they weight about 400 lbs. With my BX FEL L344 , that did not leave much room. I had a blank ｼ inch Quick connect plate waiting for another use. So I purchase the smallest set of premade forks by Netforks.com for $135 plus shipping and 2 pieces of higher strength 1+inch ID pipe. They are rated at 900 lbs with dimensions of 2 inch wide by 1 thick and 36 inches long. I welded their 4 inch pipe to the top of the arms and made four ｼ inch plate tabs to hold the 1 OD Stainless solid rod that I had. And the black center point with a clevis and loop for attachments if chain. The rod ends just have unbent cotter pins. I can reconfigure all the parts fairly quickly as the parts slide on the rod and everything is lighter weight than the BIG BOY forks. The total weight is 117 lb leaving me with just over 600 lbs of lift. Using the FEL strength on just one fork might bend it. But that is what the Bradco can do comfortably.
As the forks are new, I may add a removable board or metal spacer under the fork backs to change their angle and if it has dado slots , it will keep them from sliding. Need more experience with this to know if needed. As one pic shows, the arms flip totally over and out of the way for chain lifting. I will have to remember to have them in the widest position as not to hit my hood.
So far, the best feature is I can slide the forks in and out without hurting my back or fingers.
Forks = Blank Forks - www.Netforks.com

Those look great.
I would say you need the spacer at the bottom of the plate to have the forks level as see the forks to me is one of the most difficult things about using forks on a tractor.
I would also consider some addition from the center out to tip the forks st an angle yo miss the hood. It would need to be positioned low enough ti create an angle from the lowest point in the FEL lift to make the forks angle steep enough to avoid the hood (hope that is clear in words than it sounds in my brain) add a piece of chain for a securement of each fork to keep it from bouncing back onto what you are lifting and have piece of mind if you forget to extend to outside 1st that you will not hit your hood if grip slips while positioning.