Building a set of forks for LA524

Chain Bender · Feb 25, 2011

mounted on a L3200.

Just got this little tractor and love it. Put 5.8 hours on it popping up saplings and skinning up bigger trees!

Going to build a set of bolt/pin on forks for the loader. Think I've got the desing pretty well figured out IF the forks are going to be strong enough.

Forks will only be 39" in total length, with about 24" out past the blade. I won't be picking up pallets, but mostly pine logs. Most in the 8-10' length, but some with butts of 28". But even with a 28" butt I only need 18-20" of fork length to get under it and roll it back against the loader.

My question is will a 2X2X1/4" fork with approximatedly 25" of carry be strong enough to get under and roll back a log as big as mentioned above> I just need something to get the logs off the ground and on a flat bed trailer to haul to the saw mill. If the 2X2 isn't strong enough I supposed I could stiffen it with a 2X2 angle about 28" in length.

2X2X1/4 is roughly$0.50/inch. 2X4X1/4 is about $1.20 per inch.

Thanks in advance for any and all input.

Chain Bender

moship · Feb 25, 2011

You should be fine if the goal is to pick up the logs as described in your post using 2x2x0.25". Assuming a yield strength of 30,000 you should be able to hang just over 1000 lbs at the very end of the 24" forks before they will plastically deform (per fork).

Chain Bender · Feb 25, 2011

moship said:
You should be fine if the goal is to pick up the logs as described in your post using 2x2x0.25". Assuming a yield strength of 30,000 you should be able to hang just over 1000 lbs at the very end of the 24" forks before they will plastically deform (per fork).

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Thanks, I'm new here and amazed at the gadgets and stuff you guys are building. I've got a fair brain, some mechanical, carpentry and welding skill (all still in the fair range of course) and the need to build stuff. I had rather build something rather than buy it. expecially when I can build it twice as good for half as much.

I'm gonna have a ball here. Praise the Lord for "GOOGLE".

Thanks again to you and anyone else that has input.

My wife bought me this little tractor with a King Kutter 60" bush hog and a King Kutter disc Wednesday for an early birthday present. Never been so much orange in my yard that I can remember.
thaks all,
Chain Bender

wvpolekat · Feb 25, 2011

Some things are better bought:

NEW 36" PALLET FORKS 2300lb & TOP AND BOTTOM BAR - eBay (item 290537837700 end time Mar-02-11 04:30:32 PST)

This still lets you fab up how to attach them and such. I am right on the edge of ordering some.....

But before that, a QA setup.

alchemysa · Feb 25, 2011

Chain Bender said:
Forks will only be 39" in total length, with about 24" out past the blade. I won't be picking up pallets, but mostly pine logs. Most in the 8-10' length

24" sounds pretty short. Will you be able to see the points from the seat, or standing in the seat? They'll be a pain to use if you can't see the ends when the bucket is down on the ground.

Chain Bender · Feb 26, 2011

alchemysa said:
24" sounds pretty short. Will you be able to see the points from the seat, or standing in the seat? They'll be a pain to use if you can't see the ends when the bucket is down on the ground.

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99 times out of 100 I have a spotter with me to help me trailr and stack the logs. Usually I'm picking up logs from soft dirt or maybe even a plowed fireline, so going a little deep isn't a problem. I can always approach the log with the forks angled down enouugh to see the forks and the log at the same time, then just before the final push level out the forks, move forward, scoop under the log and roll the bucket back. (If only it were that easy...right?)

Will post pix when I get it built and operational.

xmoto · Feb 28, 2011

I have been using these for a couple of years now to stack some pretty big logs and they have worked great. :thumbsup: Loader Forks Bucket Skid Tractor Pallet Fork Deere - eBay (item 270710702001 end time Mar-01-11 21:30:32 PST)

Chain Bender · Feb 28, 2011

xmoto said:
I have been using these for a couple of years now to stack some pretty big logs and they have worked great. :thumbsup: Loader Forks Bucket Skid Tractor Pallet Fork Deere - eBay (item 270710702001 end time Mar-01-11 21:30:32 PST)

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Thanks for the link. But I'm headed out right now to buy the materials to put these forks together. The set will only use 4 bolts (through the bottom of the box) and two 5/8" pins on the top of the bucket. Shouldn't take more than about 5 miutes to get them on or off with a box wrench and ratchet.

Will post pix of progress. Hope to be loading logs with them buy Wednesday afternoon.

Thanks all.....
Chain Bender

bikerdib · Feb 28, 2011

Mark, AKA wvpolecat;

I'm sure glad I read this thread and found the link you provided. I actually went direct to their website: Skid Steer Attachments Pallet Forks Hay Spears Bobcat Cat John Deere Mount Plate and ordered the forks and slider bars. They are great people, answered my emailed questions very promptly and from everything I've read in the reviews on ebay, they are really good to do business with. I was going to buy a ready made carrier and fork setup with the skidsteer type attachment from my dealer and cut, weld and adapt till it fit my Kubota Quick Coupler. That was going to run me $550, plus the steel to modify, plus my time. By getting the forks and slider bars from Skid Steer Express I can now make up a carrier to work with the Kubota QA. I think it should save me about $300 or more. Yes, it's going to take a little longer but not really that much. I'm probably also going to make some fork extensions out of light channel for brush hauling. Maybe to make them 5 feet overall but I want the extensions removable.

wvpolekat · Feb 28, 2011

bikerdib said:
Mark, AKA wvpolecat;

I'm sure glad I read this thread and found the link you provided. I actually went direct to their website: Skid Steer Attachments Pallet Forks Hay Spears Bobcat Cat John Deere Mount Plate and ordered the forks and slider bars. They are great people, answered my emailed questions very promptly and from everything I've read in the reviews on ebay, they are really good to do business with. I was going to buy a ready made carrier and fork setup with the skidsteer type attachment from my dealer and cut, weld and adapt till it fit my Kubota Quick Coupler. That was going to run me $550, plus the steel to modify, plus my time. By getting the forks and slider bars from Skid Steer Express I can now make up a carrier to work with the Kubota QA. I think it should save me about $300 or more. Yes, it's going to take a little longer but not really that much. I'm probably also going to make some fork extensions out of light channel for brush hauling. Maybe to make them 5 feet overall but I want the extensions removable.

Awesome. Glad I could help!