Bolt On Forks

marq · Feb 15, 2022

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 · Feb 15, 2022

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 · Feb 15, 2022

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 · Feb 15, 2022

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

tractortroof · Feb 15, 2022

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 · Feb 15, 2022

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 · Feb 15, 2022

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 · Feb 15, 2022

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 · Feb 15, 2022

marq said:
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 · Feb 15, 2022

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

jjeff · Feb 15, 2022

I have some clamp ons I torque them down hard with a cheater bar which I noticed really helps keep them straight, when I need to be really precise with them I throttle down put it in low gear ie 1st and steer the tractor while I'm standing up in the OS. Probably not recommended but it works.

LS Tractor Owner · Feb 16, 2022

I'm in the owner's group of clamp on forks. I don't have a need for a dedicated set of forks. Most times it is like you would be using them.... carrying building materials or the "odd job" infrequently. I have a set of the Titan 2000 lb with the stabilizer bar. The bar definitely helps to keep them straight.

My loader is rated at 1600 lbs, so they are more than strong enough for me. I have used them to lift a truck transmission out of the back of a pickup, a pallet of 15 80# bags of concrete, 40 sheets of metal roofing, plywood, 2x4's, etc....

Saving over $500 to get the clamp on vs. a dedicated SSQA helped to get more materials needed for the project.

Root Cause · Feb 16, 2022

I have lifted 16" diameter x 10' long hardwood logs. Early on, I picked up a pair and saw the tractor grunt so I dropped one and went on. Even still, there was no damage.

Besides the cost of attachments is the cost of warehousing them. I cleared 1/2 an acre with mine. It wasn't nearly as nice as a set of grapplers or fork set but my need was temporary.
Now, I will just use them to move pallets of split wood.

brutus54 · Feb 16, 2022

I've had bolt on forks for the bucket of my Ford 1720 tractor. The previous owner welded them up to fit the inside contour of the bucket and they bolt through the top of it. They're very solid and there's no deformities to the bucket and I've lifted many heavy objects.

WranglerX · Feb 17, 2022

I fabricated a set of forks, to do various jobs around the property, mainly for brush work, but it also doubles as a sort of pallet forks and could be used for various lifts.... Depends on what need may be "after" construction work is done...

marq · Feb 17, 2022

Thank you guys, as noted, it's a special use but like everything uses/needs expand. Will look into the Titan brand!

I'm probably more limited with the fact that I no longer have any counter weight/box blade/deep ripper, were well into maintenance mode and mainly use tractor for mowing and moving wood chips.

newbury · Feb 17, 2022

marq said:
Thank you guys, as noted, it's a special use but like everything uses/needs expand. Will look into the Titan brand!

I'm probably more limited with the fact that I no longer have any counter weight/box blade/deep ripper, were well into maintenance mode and mainly use tractor for mowing and moving wood chips.

Oh you definitely need a counterweight! I bought a Woods BH70X backhoe to offset mine (at least that was the excuse I gave my wife

)

WranglerX · Feb 17, 2022

Definitely need counter weigh is and serious lifting with FEL

And no pics are not photoshoped... There is low bumper on JD (that you can not see) that wedges under lip of bucket... And JD weights in at 520 lbs. according to JD documentation