Buying Advice Homeowner Forklift

[Sid Post]

These kind of solutions are inherently dangerous without question. That photo was to show Max height but I would not want to move anything other than on concrete. Just enough to get clear of the truck bed then let it go back down to the foot or so off the ground.

I'm in a Massey 5711D and transport with the bucket loaded below the top of the hood for stability reasons. Otherwise, it is a good way to turn over a $100K tractor!

 

[LouNY]

These kind of solutions are inherently dangerous without question. That photo was to show Max height but I would not want to move anything other than on concrete. Just enough to get clear of the truck bed then let it go back down to the foot or so off the ground.

I don't see the rear mounted forks as inherently dangerous, a load lifted on those is more stable then a similar load on loader pallet forks.
I made a 3 point mounted forklift for my tractors from an old forklift, it has worked good over the years.
one ton load

1200 pounds

I also have pallet forks for my ssqa loaders.

 

[redmt]

Buy chinese junk, you get chinese junk. Buy US products.

 

[paulsharvey]

Buy chinese junk, you get chinese junk. Buy US products.

Why? What specific US made forklift are you proposing? Sure, there are some questionable products made in China, but there are questionable products made in the US or any other place. The heavily used forklift market is often a good place, but just know that repairs are often more expensive than the machine, so you really don't want o blind bid at an auction.

My money has no citizenship, and I'm don't feel obligated to waste it just to buy American. I want the most bang for the buck, and if that's US made, so be it, if that's China, or Vietnam, or Japan, that's fine too.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Check out the specs for a Massey Ferguson 2500 forklift: Massey Ferguson 2500 Forklift: In-Depth Technical Specifications
Its height is 96"/7'. By tilting the mast back/forward as far as it will go it should go under a 7' header. Is your concrete floor poured to withstand the weight?

Then there is the auction websites if you're into auctions: Pardon Our Interruption

The upkeep on a 40 plus-year-old machine is getting very difficult to find someone with Hands-On experience and a source for parts new or used in my experience working with my old stuff.

 

[panamaguy]

I'm looking to buy a cheap forklift for mostly homeowner use to unload trucks. It would only be used once a week and lift up to 3k pounds. Would I be better off with a used one or buy a new Chinese cheap one? I'd like to spend around $3,000. Any advice is much appreciated!

Solid tire units are indoors
Air filled tires outdoor machines. But if the ground is real hard you can get away with a solid tire. Air filled gives you more ground clearance. If need be take some short lag screws and stud the drive tires up. I did that on a old Yale i had and even on packed snow it worked 99% of the time

 

[WI-citizen]

Solid tire units are indoors
Air filled tires outdoor machines. But if the ground is real hard you can get away with a solid tire. Air filled gives you more ground clearance. If need be take some short lag screws and stud the drive tires up. I did that on a old Yale i had and even on packed snow it worked 99% of the time

Whatever I buy I plan to do something like that with the tires. Wisconsin is well known for having snow and ice.

 

[etpm]

I understand the desire to park the forklift in the garage. But I think the OP may end up looking a long time for what they want at the price they want. I know it's not ideal but I park my fork lift outside year round. The machine is about 60 years old and doesn't seem to care. It is an old US Army owned machine so the manuals are available online for free. If I really cared about rain falling on it I could get some metal siding and make a roof for it. The roof would travel with the lift so it would always be covered. It seems to me that the OP is putting constraints on what he wants that make it hard to find. Maybe the OP could even put up one of those fabric garages that is high enough for the lift height needed. Or just a 4 post unit with a shed roof. It would keep the majority of the rain and sun off and would be fairly cheap to build. Then it would be easy to make it tall enough for any forklift in the range the OP is looking for. Or the OP can keep looking, find the perfect machine for cheap quickly, and rub our noses in the great purchase.
Eric

 

[bmaverick]

I'm looking to buy a cheap forklift for mostly homeowner use to unload trucks. It would only be used once a week and lift up to 3k pounds. Would I be better off with a used one or buy a new Chinese cheap one? I'd like to spend around $3,000. Any advice is much appreciated!

There are plenty of people who have converted Cub Cadets into forklifts.

 

[Sid Post]

There are plenty of people who have converted Cub Cadets into forklifts.

View attachment 2112989

I see those at collector and farm shows occasionally. While handy for a homeowner, they don't have the lift capacity for non-homeowner tasks generally.