clamp on forks

[chuck172]

Has anyone ever bent a fel by using clamp on pallet forks?

 

[amaxwell]

Has anyone ever bent a fel by using clamp on pallet forks?

Yep ! I was dumping limbs in a ditch and let the tractor roll forward . The fork tips caught in the dirt and bent the front of the bucket in a smile.
However I didn't smile at all.A local shop got the edge back straight, but there are still some small dents in the bucket bottom.

 

[chuck172]

thanks for the info amaxwell. I think I'll pass on the clamp on style.

 

[Raspy]

I have a heavy duty front bucket and I did bend it some with a stupid move. However, I was able to bend it back with some chain and a hydraulic jack. Bucket forks are the most useful attachment I have. Use them all the time and would never give them up. An instant forklift. You will not bend the bucket with normal use.

 

[chuck172]

I picked up used forks in a scrap yard, ordered a blank ssqa plate. I'll be building my own. Aprox. $200.00 in material.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I picked up used forks in a scrap yard, ordered a blank ssqa plate. I'll be building my own. Aprox. $200.00 in material.

Best idea if you can find used forks. Personally I wouldn't mess with bolt on to the bucket forks. First the lift capacity is significantly reduced, risk of damage to bucket and they tend to spread apart if not welded together. A QA plate is not that expensive, so if one can find the forks with the mast then it is a simple welding job to attach them to the QA plate thus allowing the load to be much closer to the tractors FEL pivot point and you don't have to lift the weight of the bucket along with the load.
The only reason I could ever justify clamp on forks is if you don't have a QA bucket on the FEL.

 

[mguitas]

I took my backhoe off of my truck with clamp on forks, an did not bend a thing. Not even the bucket.

 

[mitchash]

I built a set of forks for my skid steer from an old set of fork lift forks and a quick attach plate, they worked very well. I have since sold the Bobcat and now have a tractor with a pin on bucket. I would like to build my forks to pin on my tractor loader and also be able to mount them to the three point hitch. I have seen this for sale, I just need some measurements for the three point hitch. What is the standard measurements for CAT 1 three point hitch?

 

[s219]

I have a set of clamp on forks, which seemed like a reasonable shortcut since I rarely use forks. I wanted something easy to stow out of the way and not too expensive since they sit around 99.9% of the time.

For light stable loads they are fine. For heavier or larger loads that might rock sideways, they suck. They can turn easily, wiggle loose, and will sometimes slip off when I back out (bottom of the forks sticks down 2" or so and catches on ground). If I cared enough, I might try to build a cross link that ties the two forks together in an attempt to stabilize them. But in reality, if I ever start using forks more, I'd upgrade to a QA setup and get some real forks.

I think I paid about $150 for my clamp on forks. You get what you pay for! In retrospect, that would have been $150 better put towards a proper setup.

As far as wrecking the bucket, I did put little dents in the bucket on my B2920 where the clamps attached (nothing major, but it did show that it can happen). On my L3200, the loader hydraulics cut off long before the bucket metal even begins to get springy. I doubt they'd ever dent the bucket unless I ran into something with a good head of steam.

 

[hhsco]

I've got a 2600lb pair of forks from northern tool- never had a problem bending the bucket. I briefly had them on my brother-in-laws case 580 sk loader and put 'em into the ground a little too hard and broke the welds on the fork itself. Bent it several degrees. Bent it back and rewelded and haven't had a problem since.....but I'm also a lot more careful!

I'd rather have an actual adjustable quick attach forklift deal for the loader....but these clamp-ons are extremely handy and nice and long as well.

 

[PhysAssist]

That's why after researching both clamp on and chain on forks for my B2320's NON-QA FEL we went to the Yankee Warehouse and bought chain-on forks-they don't slop around at all.

The only bucket bending that occurred was from my overtightening the chain binders, because of my OCD.

I did bend the bottom lip of our bucket usong our (also chain on) Combi Spade to try and dig out stumps and rocks, and our Piranha Toothbar from BXpanded basically fixed that.

The $149 + shipping was the best money we ever spent on an attachment/implement, except maybe for our Gannon Earthcavator BB, and since that is on way less than the forks, they may edge it out.

We could never have gotten a QA and needed plates for our bucket for anywhere near that, and it has saved me even more $ in chiropractic fees, ISYN!

Thomas

I have a set of clamp on forks, which seemed like a reasonable shortcut since I rarely use forks. I wanted something easy to stow out of the way and not too expensive since they sit around 99.9% of the time.

For light stable loads they are fine. For heavier or larger loads that might rock sideways, they suck. They can turn easily, wiggle loose, and will sometimes slip off when I back out (bottom of the forks sticks down 2" or so and catches on ground). If I cared enough, I might try to build a cross link that ties the two forks together in an attempt to stabilize them. But in reality, if I ever start using forks more, I'd upgrade to a QA setup and get some real forks.

I think I paid about $150 for my clamp on forks. You get what you pay for! In retrospect, that would have been $150 better put towards a proper setup.

As far as wrecking the bucket, I did put little dents in the bucket on my B2920 where the clamps attached (nothing major, but it did show that it can happen). On my L3200, the loader hydraulics cut off long before the bucket metal even begins to get springy. I doubt they'd ever dent the bucket unless I ran into something with a good head of steam.

 

[s219]

My forks have a chain slot, and I used it a lot on my 2920 with thinner bucket metal. I don't think they really helped stabilize the forks at all. Mainly prevented the lower lip from bowing and bouncing with a heavy load.

 

[PhysAssist]

My forks have a chain slot, and I used it a lot on my 2920 with thinner bucket metal. I don't think they really helped stabilize the forks at all. Mainly prevented the lower lip from bowing and bouncing with a heavy load.

I'm not at all sure thatxI know what you mean by a chain slot as relates to your forks, I mean I know what a chain slot is, but I'm not sure how it relates to this discussion.

My forks wouldn't stay on all without the chains, and in fact one end of the chain is welded to the piece that goes under the bucket, and swings over the back to be hooked on a chain binder, the other end of which hooks on next to the 2x4 pocket for the antirollback upright.

The instructions did say that the chains are just to keep the forks from moving around, but when tightened down, they really do firm things up like a suspension bridge does with weight on it.

 

[newbury]

I picked up used forks in a scrap yard, ordered a blank ssqa plate. I'll be building my own. Aprox. $200.00 in material.

I just bought new clamp on pallet forks, 1500 lb rated, with stabilizer bar for $169 shipped to my door. Used them Thursday to move my 800 lb chipper (which is on a pallet) with my M4700.

<snip>
The only reason I could ever justify clamp on forks is if you don't have a QA bucket on the FEL.

I've got two tractors w/o QA

I have a set of clamp on forks, which seemed like a reasonable shortcut since I rarely use forks. I wanted something easy to stow out of the way and not too expensive since they sit around 99.9% of the time.

For light stable loads they are fine. For heavier or larger loads that might rock sideways, they suck. They can turn easily, wiggle loose, and will sometimes slip off when I back out (bottom of the forks sticks down 2" or so and catches on ground). If I cared enough, I might try to build a cross link that ties the two forks together in an attempt to stabilize them. But in reality, if I ever start using forks more, I'd upgrade to a QA setup and get some real forks<snip>

The stabilizer bar really helps.
I originally bought a pair of the 4,000 lb rated forks for my M4700 w/ stabilizer bar, last year. We used them a LOT in Virginia. Their main use was as a root grapple and we piled a lot of brush and they worked rather well for the $240.


We quickly determined the stabilizer bar was essential, twisting is not fun.


We also used them for moving a bunch of HEAVY palletized equipment, the planer pushed 1300 lbs.


However as I was chaining down my M4700 for it's trip down here to Mississippi my son was using the HD pallet forks on my B7610 to clear the lot in Virginia. Not wanting to interrupt his progress I left him with the HD pallet forks, and ordered the other pair when I got down here. I'll swap later.

A QA setup for both tractors w/ 3 mounting plates would have cost about $2,000 for parts and who knows what for welding in Northern Virginia. My setup cost about $400. And storage? They can stand up in a corner in a wastebasket.

A QA type setup for both tractors and a long pole barn at each location for storage would be great, and if anyone would like to donate the stuff I'd be happy, but for a while I'll struggle with my $400 investment.

 

[jatt1]

Go along with above mentioned that clamp on forks are fine for lite, stable loads. Mine shift around if I try and do something like move round bales.

When I am doing more serious work, I ditch the bucket and put my proper forks on.

 

[tommygun]

Newbery where did you buy your forks?

 

[newbury]

Newbery where did you buy your forks?

pallet forks.com / Titan

 

[bcp]

I just need some measurements for the three point hitch. What is the standard measurements for CAT 1 three point hitch?

Here are measurements:



Bruce

 

[jb62901]

http://oi55.tinypic.com/14uyjia.jpg I no longer need these if interested, use on front or 3ph.

 

[lostcreekranch]

We have a set of the Titan 4000 lb. x 48" SSQA forks for NH TL100A but, caught a pair of new Titan 1500 lb. x 48" bolt-on forks for about $150 and free shipping on eBay auction a couple of months ago. Our Kubota B2710 FEL is not SSQA and not planning to spend the money to convert on this small tractor. Can install forks onto bucket in just a few minutes.

We use the forks primarily for hauling limbs, from tree trimming, in areas that we cannot get into with big tractor. Load never gets too big as to cause any deformation of the bucket. We do plan to order a stabilizer bar, for forks, from Titan to prevent fork movement.

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