42" light duty forks or 48" heavier duty forks?

[4570Man]

My loader is stronger than yours, and I have been unable to bend the light duty 42" forks. I use my forks for loading stumps, rocks, and pallets. I use the grapple for anything else. They can take max lift at the tip of one fork without bending. I use my backhoe for prying rocks out of the ground, and stuff like that.

 

[truckdiagnostics]

My loader is stronger than yours, and I have been unable to bend the light duty 42" forks. I use my forks for loading stumps, rocks, and pallets. I use the grapple for anything else. They can take max lift at the tip of one fork without bending. I use my backhoe for prying rocks out of the ground, and stuff like that.

Did not bend them. The forks slid on a chunk of flat bar. The flat bar was not welded all the way a crossed, so it twisted the flat bar and they came off. Also, you use what you have and once I fixed it they would pop the rocks out with out having to drag the hoe out and make a hole the size of Detroit to be able to get under the rock. Hit large rock with the FEL, drop the bucket grab the forks, slid them under the rock, pop the rock out, go back to work with the bucket.

 

[TitanSkidsteer]

All of these replies are why I really like this web site. Great feedback and information. With no disrespect whatsoever to the advocates of the 42" lighter forks, I have decided on the heavier 48" forks. I do recognize and appreciate the differences that have been so well pointed out by you posters. It was a very close call. The thing that made the difference was that I used to have a Kubota M5700 that I really liked. I sold it and got our L3800 because my family members were uncomfortable with the larger tractor. They said they would use a smaller, more "user friendly" tractor. So, I sold the M5700 and bought the L3800. And since then, about two years ago, only two family members have used the L3800 for probably a total of an hour of seat time. I prefer the larger tractor. Since my thought of trying to make family members users didn't work, I may go back to a larger tractor.

Regardless, I really appreciate all of the great points made with respect to all alternatives.

I'm sure you'll be very happy with them! Let us know how they work out for you. As always, pics would be great! :thumbsup:

 

[PA hayseed]

i won't repeat what everyone else said, I'll just give you my experience. I bought heavy duty ones and when I was building my retaining wall, sliding those big sandstone rocks into place made me love those forks even more. I also use straps on the end of my forks for placing things, kind of like clevis pins and chains, and it works out better than I thought it would and the 48" length helps (the rocks do swing underneath the forks). As an added .02, my forks are adjustable (width), but they adjust at the notches that are set at fixed distances. This doesn't always correlate to the job at hand. Don't try to use them/adjust/set in between the notches, because they don't lock into place then. Everyone has to try these things for themselves and the bad results create learning moments. maybe with a light load on a level surface you won't have problems, but your at risk otherwise. good luck.

 

[rbtjr]

i won't repeat what everyone else said, I'll just give you my experience. I bought heavy duty ones and when I was building my retaining wall, sliding those big sandstone rocks into place made me love those forks even more. I also use straps on the end of my forks for placing things, kind of like clevis pins and chains, and it works out better than I thought it would and the 48" length helps (the rocks do swing underneath the forks). As an added .02, my forks are adjustable (width), but they adjust at the notches that are set at fixed distances. This doesn't always correlate to the job at hand. Don't try to use them/adjust/set in between the notches, because they don't lock into place then. Everyone has to try these things for themselves and the bad results create learning moments. maybe with a light load on a level surface you won't have problems, but your at risk otherwise. good luck.

Thanks. Today I ordered the heavier duty 48" forks. I think they will also adjust only at the notches, but I have no experience about what limitations that will present. As to the forks on the whole, I'll give everyone a report when I get them and have some experience with them. I am looking forward to getting them. So many TBN users say that their forks are a great attachment that I am really looking forward to having them.

 

[PILOON]

One of my occupations was as a fork lift truck salesman.
By far the 42" forks were considered as the most practicable and best seller.
Remember that the majority of pallets rarely exceed 48" and that the shorter forks are far more maneuverable in confined spaces.

 

[bigtiller]

Fork length is job specific. My last employer owned and rented over 50 forklifts which had 36" forks in some areas, 72" in other places and every thing in-between. But my favorite one was an end-loader with 102" forks. With foamed tires it could move anything.

 

[boggen]

i would put more emphsis on. how easy it is to move each individual fork back and forth. and how well they will stay put.

example getting up a longer logs. ya really don't want both forks right near middle. but instead spread out as far as possible.

i would more likely be more content with something i could adjust every 1/2" to 1" setting in spacing of each individual fork. via some notch or like.

i would most likely stay away from any sort of "screw / threaded" setup. i have seen way to many threaded rods get bent when used as a way to adjust stuff.

i would more likely stay away from forks, that simply slide back and forth with nothing to stop them from sliding back and forth.

if forks will be some used to some how to pry like a tree stump or like. i would see if any of the forks can be locked down. (at top all of them do) but also some how pin'ed or something near the bottom. ((other words getting away from straight pallet forks, were forks will hang more level when FEL and bucket err forks is tilted. to forks that are rigid and do not hang. or have an option to just hang))

 

[ishiboo]

One of my occupations was as a fork lift truck salesman.
By far the 42" forks were considered as the most practicable and best seller.
Remember that the majority of pallets rarely exceed 48" and that the shorter forks are far more maneuverable in confined spaces.

I think a forklift operating in an isle with known pallet sizing is a different application than a tractor, already 15' long, operating outdoors, using the forks for many tasks. I've had both on my NX6010 and I can't even tell.

 

[California]

Rear ballast to offset front forks on a small tractor: Here's what I install temporarily on my 18 hp Yanmar when I put on the forks. I use one to four of these 80 lb weights depending on what I need. This is simple to set up and doesn't take the storage space that a dedicated ballast box would.