Buying Advice Homeowner Forklift

   / Homeowner Forklift #83  
Do you have a tractor? I have built 2 forklifts that fit in the 3-point linkage of a tractor. I bought the mast, ram and forks from scrap dealers for a couple of hundred dollars and welded a frame with pins to suit a quick hitch and got hydraulic hoses made. they work well on 20 to 50-hp tractors and give stability on gravel and grass. I also made a fork set up that went on to a front-end loader and it had a thumb to hold loads in place, again I got the forks and frame from scrap dealers and welded Euro hitch for quick easy fitting, this worked well on an 80 Hp tractor
 
   / Homeowner Forklift
  • Thread Starter
#84  
Do you have a tractor? I have built 2 forklifts that fit in the 3-point linkage of a tractor. I bought the mast, ram and forks from scrap dealers for a couple of hundred dollars and welded a frame with pins to suit a quick hitch and got hydraulic hoses made. they work well on 20 to 50-hp tractors and give stability on gravel and grass. I also made a fork set up that went on to a front-end loader and it had a thumb to hold loads in place, again I got the forks and frame from scrap dealers and welded Euro hitch for quick easy fitting, this worked well on an 80 Hp tractor
My largest tractor is a John Deere 1025R with 25hp. The loader only picks up about 800 pounds. When I purchased it, the salesman just told me to buy a cheap old forklift. For off-road use it does mostly what I need to do but still need something that lifts more and a lot higher around the concrete. I don't think that size tractor can pick up enough with its hydraulic system to make a 3-point lift.
 
   / Homeowner Forklift #85  
From the sound of your spec you need to move up to the 5-6k bracket to get some more choice as the 5-6k bracket is a volume market, where as the 3k size is small/limited choice market.
Look for a forklift that is low profile(can fit in a container), has air filled tyres(NOT solid), torque converter(no clutch),it is MUCH better for inching, and side shift, also I would suggest that you look at getting dual wheels added for the gravel. A dual wheeeled forklift walks all over a single tyred forklift on gravel.
Suggestion to save your door: hang (on a chain) a steel pipe 3 ft in front of the door so you hit it first, the clang will remind you the lower the mast. Do the same on the inside as well.
Good luck on your hunt.
 
   / Homeowner Forklift #86  
...and don't try to stack loaded pallets in your garage, watching the fork tips, and punch a hole in your bedroom floor with the mast.

:D

Bruce
 
   / Homeowner Forklift #87  
...and don't try to stack loaded pallets in your garage, watching the fork tips, and punch a hole in your bedroom floor with the mast.

:D

Bruce
TBN rules. No pictures, it never happened.
 
   / Homeowner Forklift #89  
Be very careful about buying chinese. You need to know EXACTLY what you want, the chinese know how to deliver bare minimum of spec. Also there is slow parts backup when dealing direct(everything from china).
My brother found that when he bought a mini excavator.
 
   / Homeowner Forklift
  • Thread Starter
#90  
Be very careful about buying chinese. You need to know EXACTLY what you want, the chinese know how to deliver bare minimum of spec. Also there is slow parts backup when dealing direct(everything from china).
My brother found that when he bought a mini excavator.
Modding one from electric to lp/gas, have you heard it done yet? I think this may be the other half of the issue since not everyone is ready to go electric.
 

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