Bolt On Forks

[marq]

This summer will be building a garage, after the small accessory building I built 3 years ago it would have really been nice to have forks for my compact tractor.

Not looking to move heavy stuff, just move sheets of plywood, trusses, stacks of wood around, lift up shingles.

I see lots of ads for $100+ bolt on forks, do they function or just a waste of money? Is the extra for a quick change attachment for bucket just a better option?

Not sure I would have much use for them post building construction.

 

[jaxs]

They can bend buckets and don't lift near what they will when properly mounted. If you aren't familiar with leverage,try this. Lift and object with a 6"stick griped in your hand. Lift same object with 12" stick and notice additional stress to palm. The bucket between arms and forks cause's needless stress and limit's weight loader can lift. If you have one of the quick attach systems,by all means buy forks desighned for it. It isn't difficult to build a plate for ataching forks if you can weld.

 

[seville009]

Many threads on this....here's one

Forks, Bolt-On, Do they work ?

Hello, I am thinking of getting set of the Bolt-On Forks to move, what I consider, a lot of dried Brush ! Do the Bolt-On Forks work well ? Do they fall off ? What do you think of moving Brush with these Forks ? Thanks for your time, Stay Safe,

www.tractorbynet.com

 

[kennyd]

You'll get more search results with "clamp on forks" as they are commonly called.

 

[tractortroof]

If you’re careful they are handy. If you have a teenager driving the tractor, they tend to rip the bucket off when they accidentally contact the ground

 

[Vigo327]

I built a small 'pallet fork' thing out of a conveniently u-shaped c-channel assembly I picked up for free. I added factory tow hooks from a Jeep SUV to make it hang off a 3pt hitch frame i already had. Then i found out i could kinda hang it off a bucket, but it seemed like a bad idea. Well, i did it anyway, and over time of lifting heavier and heavier things i found out that as long as the load is near the base it will pick up near 1000lbs. I used it last weekend to unload a 700lb backhoe attachment off my buddy's trailer. I actually think most of the cheap clamp-on forks out there are still WAY better than this. So i would say, yes they have their place.

I found this video recently comparing some good and less-good ones:

 

[sd455dan]

I think the chain on fork set ups are stronger. that does not take into account the overall bucket strength though.

Agree with the poster that said if you have a Quick attach buy the SS QA forks even if it costs more.

 

[RalphVa]

No one has mentioned visibility. With bolt-on/clamp-on forks, you cannot see through the FEL. Some have recommended Titan forks. They have a chain wrap-around that reinforces the bucket where the forks are clamped.

I like the easy storage for clamp-on forks.

Don't have any but could have used them recently when the sales guy showed up with my box blade on a pallet in the bed of his F-150. He managed with a wrap around strap and clevis to hold it together. He removed the tail gate to get close and got my FEL right up against the box blade to wrap the strap around. He got it out with the 518# thing dangling out off the end of the FEL.

 

[newbury]

This summer will be building a garage, after the small accessory building I built 3 years ago it would have really been nice to have forks for my compact tractor.

Not looking to move heavy stuff, just move sheets of plywood, trusses, stacks of wood around, lift up shingles.

I see lots of ads for $100+ bolt on forks, do they function or just a waste of money? Is the extra for a quick change attachment for bucket just a better option?

Not sure I would have much use for them post building construction.

Most people will recommend you spend the bucks for a full up set of SSQA pallet forks. But they won't send you the money.
IF you are going to want SSQA (or have SSQA) they are probably worth it. But I've made it 12 years with a pair of $120 Titan clamp ons. The only problem I've had with them was when my son left 2x4's in the uprights for a few years and I had to burn the 2x4's out.
Read the other threads.
IF you get clamp on's either build or buy a stabilizer bar so they stay straight ahead.

 

[oldballs]

As noted in many other such threads.....I'm a Clamp-On Forks Member. Has worked for me for the past 13 years and never bent a bucket on three different models of Kubota SCUT and CUT. I only repeat myself to aid the OP in this discussion. I guess one's budget and chores in the long term would be a deciding factor.

Cheers,
Mike