The Deere quick connect forks for the 4xx loaders go for $999 at your local JD dealer. They are adjustable, replace the bucket, take about 2 minutes to put on/off, and take a big chunk of change out of you pocket!
You can get forks that attach to you bucket for about $450. They work good if you are only getting forks for the occasional use. If I was going to use forks every day I would get the JD Forks that replace the bucket.
PLOWER , I'm using a set of clamp-on loader forks on my 4100. I got them thru ssb.tractor.com. Very handy to have around. Easy to use. Can put the weight quite far out in front of the tractor though. Definately need to use some type of rear ballast. I use them mostly for picking up and moving log lengths. A lot quicker than chaining them up to the bucket.
Yes it does answer a question I had but now I've got a question to ask. Nice setup easy-off-on. But here is my question would that style of fork still work with a bolt on tooth bar???
Gordon
Thanks for the picture! I think us TractorByNetites need to pay for Harv's digital camera. Its far to valuable for us!
I could not tell from the ssb site how to put the thangs on. I have ALOT of piled brush to pick up and the 4n1 is not optimal for this job. I think the forks would work better....
Gordon, I asked the same question to Carver Equip. They show a drawing depicting the same forks on the their website. I was told they wouldn't work together, but to remove the toothbar. Not a big deal if you have a slip over type that bolts to the bucket sides. More work than I would want to do if it was bolted on across the cutting edge.
I was at a dealer today whom I had never before visited and asked him about bucket forks. He showed me a picture of some locally made clamp-ons that look essentially similar to Harv's Gearmore and the ones shown on DFB's ssbtractor website. They cost in the 350-400 range.
The dealer then cautioned me about their construction. He said he had seen many examples of them bending and/or breaking. The problem comes if you put downpressure on the forks. This stresses the welded joint that is right near the lip of the bucket. The weld fails.
He then showed me a different product from an outfit called Zimmerman somewhere in Pennsylvania. They are a solid shaft of metal so have no weld to fail. The trade off is that they attach with chains and chain binders around the bucket instead of being clamp on. I suppose this could be slightly klutzier.
I seem to remember someone here discussing these kind of forks but I can't retrieve it with my incompetent searches.
Manual? What manual?/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif I saw a clamp-on set made from one piece tempered steel such as true forklifts have. They were $900.00 a pair for the smallest size.
Since JD makes quick tach loader forks for the 430 loader (pull two pins and disconnect the bucket, connect to the forks and replace the two pins) for about $850-900. I would assume that JD makes them for the other loaders. The JD forks for the 430 loader are heavy duty and adjustable. Mike S.
I was shocked when my dealer told me $900 for the JD forks. According to him the actual fork part of the setup is made in Canada and certified as to it's load capability. They were behind in manufaturing because of the certification process causing my forks to be a couple of weeks late in delivery. He also said that he'd seen failures of forks in the industry and that JD takes the safety of the forks very seriously. Fact or fiction, you decide.
I've had pallets close to the load limit that need to go up 8'. It's worth the money for a little peice of mind for me.