Pallet fork rail notch measurements

[countrybumpkin]

Im getting ready to build a set of forks for my loader and have a pairs of Class II forks. Is there a common measerment to cut the notches for the forks to lock in on the upper slide rail.

 

[beenthere]

Mine float (slide) across on a solid bar, and I use different length spacers (plastic pipe with a section removed) that snap over the bar. That way, I can move the forks to many different combinations of spacings.
No notch info, but I can see you have a good question for common spacing.

 

[countrybumpkin]

Thanks beenthere, Yeah I hate to put the notches on a odd spacing, the more adjustability you havethe better, I would think.

 

[J0be269]

I don't know of a standard layout, I just got done building a fork carrier over the weekend. I will post more about it in a bit, but I put my notches 4" on center. With 4" wide forks this allows me to move one fork width at a time.

One thing to think about to is loader arm spacing. My notches are spaced as noted above and the forks can fall one either one side or the other of the loader arm connection points, but not directly lined up with them. I may end up cutting another notch directly in front of the loader arms if I notice the loader or frame tweaking during use. Just something to think about.

 

[countrybumpkin]

Thanks for the reply, I would like to see the carrier you built too.

 

[Reg]

I think there is a standard spacing.
I think there is a good reason for that.

Like, maybe, standard PALLETS ?
(-:
and yes, there are several sizes in the standard.

OK, it is almost dark, the skeeters are out, I don't know, but will try to remember to go out and measure them tomorrow.

 

[JCB]

County,

Reg is probably right and there might be a standard spacing, and there are a LOT of different size pallets. My forks float on a solid bar, and while friction keeps them in place I also move them all over the place as needed.

If I was building again and using a rail design I probably wouldn't overthink it. I'd probably just put in as many notches as I wanted to cut. Good luck.

 

[Reg]

County,

Reg is probably right and there might be a standard spacing, and there are a LOT of different size pallets. My forks float on a solid bar, and while friction keeps them in place I also move them all over the place as needed.

If I was building again and using a rail design I probably wouldn't overthink it. I'd probably just put in as many notches as I wanted to cut. Good luck.

Well, given that he has a pair of (industry standard) forks that have the locking mechanism he might as well use it.
Mine are at 39, 32, 25, 17 and 9 inches - though I think that the 9 inch one may be just for getting the forks on and off.
This is a manageable number, i.e. I can see at a glance which one they are set to without having to count say seventeen notches in from each end.

OTOH, I can see that a very large number of positions would give the ability to - err, I was about to say something about centering the tractor under an off center load, fergettit, just don't mess with loads that are off centered on their pallets, off setting the other way doesn't fix anything (-:
Offsetting to carry pallets across side slopes is a bad idea too.
Sorry, I'm out of rationale to off set.

You can probably find standard pallet specs somewhere - warehousing industries association or somesuch - and figure back from overall width, side rail thickness, fork width, clearance, etc. You will almost certainly get to a list very similar to what I just wrote.

 

[mwb]

I made a set and spaced the notches on 4 inch centers. I made sure that the center two notches would position the forks flush together; they (center notches) had to be slightly wider than 4 inches to allow clearance for the flare where the forks are bent.

 

[countrybumpkin]

Thanks guys, I knew I would need to try and watch were the notches were placed and not to just start making them were I thought would be good due to the vast number of pallet sizes available. Thanks for the measurements Reg, I did find that most commercial rails available have 17 notches but never could find the spacing of them given. Also found a few sites that list pallet sizes and the standard industrial use of each size.