Clamp-on Fork/FEL Matching

[Taz]

I've been through the archives and learned quite a bit about what is available but have not seen any discussion of matching the forks to the loaders.

I have decided on clamp-on forks and found several vendors. (I think I have decided to go with bluelinemfg.com so any feedback on them is also welcome)

The published specs for a Kubota L4610 loader:

Lift Capacity 1830 lbs.
Lift Capacity at Pivot Pin 2470 lbs.
Lift Capacity at Bucket Center 1875 lbs.
Breakout Force 3055 lbs.
Bucket Weight 300 lbs.

I'm debating the 2000 or 3000 pound models since my primary use will be brush/tree/rock moving, not popping stumps.

I understand that even with the higher weight rated forks I will be able to mangle them if I use a little of that breakout force out at the tip of the forks.

Is there a rule of thumb when matching? Will the 2000 pound model suit me well enough without folding in half the first time I put any lifting force on the tips?

Thanks

 

[hazmat]

"I understand that even with the higher weight rated forks I will be able to mangle them if I use a little of that breakout force out at the tip of the forks."

Maybe not. My understanding of breakout force is it is applied at the bucket edge. Lets say your bucket is 18" (i'm guessing here) from your pivot pin. That equates to 4,500 ft-lbs moment (3,000lbs*1.5'). If the forks are 4' beyond the bucket, 4,500 ft-lbs/5.5' = 818 pounds at the end of the fork.

The 818 pounds at the end of the fork is equivalent to 3,000 pounds at the bucket edge.

The caveot is, how are the forks rated? I assume it is an evenly distributed load such as a pallet & not a point load at the tip.

 

[MrP]

<font color=blue>'The caveot is, how are the forks rated? I assume it is an evenly distributed load such as a pallet & not a point load at the tip."</font color=blue>

Hazmat is correct. I have the 1000lb rated bolt on forks from Blueline. It states quite clearly on the forks:

[fork]"1000 LBS. LIFT CAPACITY: Rated lift capacity based on not more than one half of load on each fork and load centered not more than halfway out each fork"</font color=red>

Other note: if you place your order with Blueline before a production run, they will paint them Kubota Orange to match your loader. This could have been done for my forks, however, I did not ask in time.

 

[Taz]

Excellent info Steve. I've lost most of my Physics I brain cells long ago, I went EE and didn't get to use them often enough. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

So it sounds like the bucket can lift say 2000lbs and the fork can lift 2000 pounds only if distributed evenly over the fork. Damage can occur if I put more than 1000 pounds on the outer half of the fork because the bucket will be able to lift it but the fork won't be able to support it. In order to avoid any possibility of damage to the forks I would need to get something rated high enough so that the fork could support the entire load at the tip of the fork, in this case 2000 pounds. I wonder if that would be a 4000 pound rated fork?