Loader Lightweight pallet forks for 200X & 200CX loader

[picker77]

Wow, rcbsaver, I really feel bad for you on this whole deal.

At the risk of being indelicate, and believe me I mean no offense at all here, maybe there should be another step:

3(a): Lay Chris' pre-assembled frame face up on a table and position both rails where they're supposed to go in accordance with the included pictorial assembly/welding diagrams that come with the frame from Chris. Then do a careful "sanity check" by spending a few minutes with a tape measure and a framing square to be absolutely dead certain everything will fit up exactly as it should compared to the dimensions and diagrams. Only THEN consider clamping and welding.

The framing square would have immediately highlighted the problem, namely the faces of the two rails would have been 1/2" different, and therefore the forks could not possibly fit properly.

It's a crying shame you had to go through this, but you've been patient and handled it well in spite of that, and it sounds like ATV is being decent about it. However, by doing 3(a) above, a phone call to ATV and another few days wait would have produced the right rail, end of problem. Maybe your ordeal will help somebody else avoid this nightmare.

Good luck and hang in there, friend! When this is over, at least you'll have the stoutest upper and lower fork rails on the planet!

 

[rbcsaver]

Picker,
Yes, a framing square across the ATV upper, then lower rails would have indicated a 3/4" alignment "problem." My "PROBLEM" is that I assume Americans do their jobs correctly, just as the litigious public Demands that I do in health care. Or, I get sued. Obviously I was wrong, and I should have verified before welding. Again, Chris Perry does his job correctly and none of this is his fault. He has only been very helpful and his frame is perfect!
regards,
Steve

 

[picker77]

Picker,
My "PROBLEM" is that I assume Americans do their jobs correctly, just as the litigious public Demands that I do in health care. Or, I get sued. Obviously I was wrong Steve

I hear you, Steve. It used to be that way, but no more. I think it all started going downhill with the Dr. Spock thing back in the late 60's. I don't like being a cynic, but I no longer trust anybody to do a job right unless I know them well and have worked with them for a while. Sad, but painfully true.

When you finally get that puppy done, post some pics!
Jerry

 

[C-Range]

My hope was to help as many people as I could to get a set of these forks, even if it meant them having to build them themselves to justify the decision. Taking the risk of offering a kit meant my spending many hours to draft explicit instructions to guide builders and to mitigate the risk of errors as much as could be predicted.

I maintain that these kits are an uncommon and great opportunity to have available in this profit driven world of today. But the trade-off for those choosing this avenue includes the assumption of much of the responsibility of the outcome and therefore, the familiarization needed to achieve a successful outcome. Like it says at the beginning of the instructions, "Before welding your kit, gather all components and dry fit them together, face down on your welding table. Become familiar with how each piece fits together," later described in a step by step process. It is very disappointing to me that the fork supplier issued alternative parts without notice to his buyers, but this process would have quickly flushed out this blunder, preventing the current situation at hand.

I am trying and will continue to try to remedy Steve's situation in any way I am able until we both have success. Because I wish to not revisit situations like this, I am also working toward eliminating the kit options, at least as far as it will be necessary to buy parts from various sources.

 

[Willl]

I am also working toward eliminating the kit options

Please don't, it was one of the main reasons I took this route and bought your 'kit'.

Don't let the actions of a few, spoil it for the many.

 

[C-Range]

Hi Will,

I hope you noticed the caveat, "at least as far as it will be necessary to buy parts from various sources" which just means that any kits going forward will include all of the parts to build the frame instead of having to buy pieces from different places. This will likely raise the overall cost a little but at least folks will be able to expect that what shows up in the mailbox will all fit together correctly.

 

[Willl]

Hi Will,

I hope you noticed the caveat, "at least as far as it will be necessary to buy parts from various sources" which just means that any kits going forward will include all of the parts to build the frame instead of having to buy pieces from different places. This will likely raise the overall cost a little but at least folks will be able to expect that what shows up in the mailbox will all fit together correctly.

Sorry, totally missed that.

A complete kit from one place would be Kool. :thumbsup:

 

[rbcsaver]

Just an update on my trials/tribulations,
Although ATV was fair in refunding part of my purchase price,
the request was before I realized that the replacement lower rail is
almost 4" shorter than the original lower rail that they sent me. I'm
scrambling trying to find filler end pieces. All this nonsense, time, money
and aggravation to save $50-$75 in shipping charges, BUT more importantly,
a hand in building my JD FL attachment. Again, NONE of my fiasco has
anything to do with Chris Perry or his frames. Caveat, as much as I try,
I now have poor up-close vision and makes welding difficult. I used to have Turkey-like
vision, so it's very difficult. Attached are updated pics.

 

[picker77]

Yer gettin' there, rcbsaver!!

Chris is the engineer, so you might verify this with him, but that lower rail that's short on each end (see your photo below) only has to withstand straight rearward pressure from the backside of the lower part of the forks under load--it has no hanging or twisting loads applied. I'd cut a couple of filler pieces to fit and weld them in, grind them level, and not worry about it. Besides, your rails are going to end up being twice as thick as normal anyway. If you ever manage to bend anything it ain't gonna be those rails!

 

[rbcsaver]

Picker,
Perhaps I wasn't clear, but it CERTAINLY is my intention to fill in the ends.
The problem is, I don't have any matching stock laying around, and thus it
is NOT filled in. Another WRONG assumption I made, when I contacted ATV with
this fiasco was that they would send me a replacement bar that was the same length
as the first errant ones (in thickness) that they sent. I'm going to email Bill @ ATV tonight for help with the steel filler ends.
Yes, you are partially correct in that, the upper bar holds most of the torque and weight. However, once you lift with the forks, any tilt UP of the forks will pull outward against the lower rail.
I'm NOT worried about any bending. My concerns are separation. As I explained to Chris, I picture my current frame set up as an Oreo Cookie. The original ATV lower rail was securely welded to Chris' Frame. Before, I could add the "new, shorter" bottom rail, I had to grind back those welds, The "new, shorter" rail was "for the most part" welded to the original rail. I did weld it to Chris original truss frames at the ends, where possible. Again,
not worried about bending.

Proof comes tomorrow when I MUST use the frame as is to unload 1 ton (50 x 40 lb bags)
of "Equine Fresh Pellet Bedding" from Tractor Supply, then I have to Pick Up a 260 lb pallet
of Spray foam insulation, which my wife can't handle for Mon. delivery. Pics to follow.
Nothing glamorous yet, but just wait until my Deere has her 46 longs attached in blazing glory! LOL
regards,
Steve