Pallet Fork Length

[3 Horse Ranch]

Kind of interesting that most of the discussion is about being able to see the fork tips rather than about lifting.

The OP has a Kioti 2610, a sub 25 h.p. tractor. I doubt lifting capacity of the forks is even a factor. The cheapest forks I could find will lift over a ton, so capacity wouldn't be a factor until you get over 50 h.p.

 

[RjCorazza]

I have 42" forks that I can't see well. For this plowing season I installed front and rear cameras which will make seeing the forks easy - just haven't tried them with camera yet.

 

[Bronco82]

I have a set of 42" forks as that's what was in stock when I went to purchase a set. I also made a set of extensions, extending them to 6' for moving powersport machines around the yard.

 

[LouNY]

I have 48" forks and am satisfied with them most of the time.
I have considered some slip on extensions for loading trailers when I want the pallet a long ways from the tailgate,
pickups I can get a pallet most of the way forward without extensions.

 

[Kschwennsen]

get 48", then push come to shove, you can always trim them down.

 

[BobInSD]

42".
Initially thought I wanted 48", but after reading some comments here and there, and due to a small cost savings I went with 42". Glad I did. They don't stick through past pallets, and IBC's when I'm stacking next to each other and less chance of me punching through a wall.

I went with 42" for this reason, but kind of wish I had gotten 48". I think they'd be easier to line up, and I wouldn't feel like I have to push all the way against the pallet and slide it to make sure I had a good grip. I've never tried the 48", so it might just be a "grass is greener" situation.

 

[SmallChange]

I bought 48" and would do so again.

I've idly toyed with the idea of buying a second pair in the shortest length and cutting them down, each one differently, for those times I want to pry or dig or lift something that only wants one stubby fork. An example would be lifting a felled tree trunk from the side, which a long fork is more hinderance than help, and likewise two forks. If I saw a pair at a yard sale for cheap I'd do it, but I'm not at the level of ordering.

 

[Joe Batt]

My 36" forks are too short for about 1/25 jobs around my hobby farm (moving junk or big hay bales). That said, I have driven them through the barn wall, so shorter would have been better in that one instance.

 

[PILOON]

Generally fork lifts are used in warehouse situations and as such 42" was the most popular.
As long as the forks are over 50% of the pallet size you are good.
Long forks in narrow warehouse isles are accidents looking for an accident.
Now consider the majority of pallets are usually under 48 x 48 inches the 42's do the trick.

I was, for a time, in that industry and sure visited my share of warehouses and saw many unique situations.

 

[Username Taken]

There are times when you can't get your forks completely under something and have to lift and drag it until you can.

If you're unloading a trailer, a truck, especially a bigger truck, something shoved into a corner in the barn.

As to putting a hole or a dent in the barn, I don't need 48'' forks to do that.

I'm kinda leaning toward the 48''s. Maybe I'm wrong but I haven't read enough bad things about them to change my mind.