I have a set of the Titan clamp on forks. I've used them several times over the last couple years. I can't say that I like them, or would recommend them as a new purchase. Even my dealer tried to talk me out of them, saying I would regret it and be better off with a full set of SSQA forks. He was right, but I didn't listen. I was trying to be cheap ("thrifty", lol).
I would have used them much more often if they hadn't been such a pain in the neck to use. First complaint is you can't see through the back of the bucket to line up the forks if you're actually trying to stab them into a pallet (they are pallet forks afterall). So it's almost mandatory to have a spotter guide you in. Not always possible, and in my case usually not available.
Second complaint is they easily move side to side with any side load force applied to the side of the fork tine. Whether it's going into or out of a pallet, or picking up something odd shaped or rounded. Also, if picking up something odd shaped, they can spread apart at the tips end, and you risk dropping whatever it is (rock, tree stump, whatever) on the ground. Same goes if you're trying to move brush or branches. Sure, you can stack and pile branches on top of the forks, but you're not going to stab those forks into a pile of brush or branches that are sitting on the ground. The tines will go everywhere but straight.
Third complaint is with the end of the fork tine tips so far in front of the actual loader pivot pins, making small curl adjustments, to fine control the tip height for lining up pallets, is a royal pain in the butt. The tiniest curl movement makes a great deal of tip height movement at the end of the fork tine.
Last one is an obvious one, you can't pick up as much weight with them. Mostly due to how far in front of the pins on your loader that the actual palleted weight will be sitting. The extra distance greatly reduces your lifting ability. But you also have to be careful not to bend the cutting edge on your bucket. Not all buckets are created equal, and some manufacturers have a "light duty" and a "heavy duty" bucket. If you have a light duty bucket, you're probably s.o.l. on picking up much weight at all.
I've been fortunate that I haven't bent my cutting edge on my bucket, but the only "heavy" item I've picked up has been a pallet of sand bags that weighed just under 1400 lbs.
I just "solved" my clamp on fork problems (today actually), by finally getting around to ordering a fork attachment from Artillian. I ordered the 3K frame and 48x4" forks, along with the back brace attachment. I'm looking forward to getting the new attachment. I'm sure I will use my forks much more in the future, as there have been plenty of times I've thought, "heck, I'll just use the forks", and then remember how crappy they are to use, and end up using a sling chain off the bucket instead.
When the new attachment gets here, I look forward to carrying those clamp on forks over to my neighbor (in my bucket, lol), and giving them to him. He has an old 60's JD with a pin on loader. I'll just have to warn him about lifting too much load, as his original JD bucket has paper thin steel, and looks like just a stamped steel cutting edge on the bottom.
TL;DR,
So, my dealer was right. I shouldn't have bought the clamp ons, I was sorry I did. And I'm looking forward to the new attachment.
