Looking for fork recommendation

[zmansmac]

I'm currently building a quick attach for my loader and plan to make a fork frame after that. But I have a chance now to buy a pair of forks locally at a good price. I have little knowledge on the types of forks used in the industry. I have only seen the type that slide on a bar and lock into notches on that bar and the type that slide on a round bar. The fellow selling the forks has all types but told me that guys using them for tractors prefer the "pin" type, whatever that is. If it matters I'd prefer to keep the weight to a minimum in the overall design since my loader capacity is less than 1000 lbs. So what do you guys use?

JohnZ
B7500

 

[KennyG]

I'm also in the process of building forks and have been learning. I think you have the info you need. Current lighter weight forks are mostly the type that sit on 1/2" notched bars. The bars should be 16 inches, top to bottom surface. The ones that slide on a round bar are less common and probably won't be as easy to build. I think the 16" type is what your supplier is talking about.

Thanks to some advice from this forum, I ordered the rails from www.palletforks.com. For $95.00 with free shipping, you can't do better.

 

[Groo]

I think I'd prefer the pin type on a tractor. From my days operating a hi-lo, the slider bar types pop off to easy if the tips get pushed up (you dump the bucket too much). The pin types have eyes on top and mount on a cross shaft, so they can rotate up completely and will never fall off. Its probably a bit heavier, but I think it would be worth it in this case. telehandlers are much more like a tractor than a hi-lo forklift, and they use pin type forks.

 

[Villengineer]

ITA or "rail type" forks are used on all types of equipment. If a rail type fork comes off then something failed, wasn't to spec, or it was positioned at the loading notch.

Telehandlers, wheel-loaders, etc.. often use pin-types due to capacity, the need to rotate up out of the way, or to allow the fork to float vertically. Some users prefer the pin-type because they constantly drag the fork heels and would rather the fork rotate up than potentially break a lower hook off a rail type. Others don't like pin-types for just this reason because they don't want to damage loads when they back out of them.

The low capacity attachments often use pin-type b/c it's usually cheaper to make small cross-section forks like that than the ITA type. The common ITA II forks you see used are usually around 5500 lbs capacity at a 24"LC. That is an extremely common fork truck fork and therefore less $. Of course, that means they are overkill for compact tractors and cost you lift capacity due to their weight.

 

[Groo]

ITA or "rail type" forks are used on all types of equipment. If a rail type fork comes off then something failed, wasn't to spec, or it was positioned at the loading notch.

it was probably a bit worn (that hi-lo got used all the time), but it still happened to me more than once in a regular style hi-lo. In an application that is likely to get significant up movement at the tips, I'd want the pin type or fastened in some way that it couldn't move. Maybe use a ledge on the frame and a couple of leaf-spring/axle bolts to hold it in place. That last idea might be the lightest way of doing it, but it would lack width adjustability.