Loader Pallet Forks for BX or B-Series

[apease]

To try to answer question #5 of the OP, I started a new thread "Bucket lifting capacity (math)"

 

[Grandad4]

We have a pair of clamp on pallet forks that are mainly used on our larger Kubota. Just for kicks, we put them on the BX2230 FEL to see how they worked. They didn't... at least not in a truly useful way. They were too heavy, which we anticipated, but, even allowing for that, they also made it plain that the geometry of pallet forks on the short wheelbase of the BX makes stability a real concern. Almost any significant working load on the forks must be laterally centered and near the bucket. I just don't think the BX is large enough (length, width and weight) to safely raise a 4' x 4' platform with a man standing on it to any height using FEL forks, even with ballasted tires and a heavy 3pt attachment. Others may disagree, but I don't think it's a safe manned platform. As other posts have noted, light duty forks for slowly moving light loads or brush forks ... probably not so much a problem.

The other issue with the manned platform idea is that the FEL curl/uncurl action is pretty abrupt, at least on my BX2230. Pretty easy to have an "oops" moment when lifting or lowering that platform, trying to keep it level.

 

[Tom_H]

O.K., here's the old thread on using a FEL as scaffolding. Posts 1 and 23 have links to pictures of homemade FEL platforms, while post 14 has a link to a supplier of industrial/commercial steel platforms designed to slip onto the forks of a standard forklift. The homemades sit on the bucket. The industrial model on forks clamped to a loader bucket might possibly put enough leveraged weight on the bucket to make it deform.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/projects/55620-using-front-end-loader-scaffolding.html

I'm going to let you do your own search for pallet forks and brush forks. Just go to the "Search" button at the top of the page and enter those terms and choose "Kubota Owning and Operating" forum with no time parameters. It will bring up enough threads to keep you occupied for, well, probably more time than you want to spend reading. If I copied all the links here it would fill up too much space.

Good luck; Happy searching!!

 

[CompactTractorFan]

These are forks that I got from B-Xpanded. Haven't used them on pallets yet, but will soon. Easy on, easy off.....snap-on quick-release - clamps onto top of loader, nice and strong (like B-Xpanded's hooks, one of which is also on my loader in these pics) and then the forks are attached to the clamps with a strong pin.

Nice!!! :thumbsup:

 

[dsmiley]

I also purchased the BXpanded forks and they are great. Because they come with mounts which attach to the bucket top there is no welding. They separate from the mounting brackets quickly and then the brackets can be used for other things like hooks and a trailer hitch that I made. Photos can be seen here.

 

[dennisgw]

I like your hooks for the BXpanded mounts. For now I just use lifting straps through the mounts to lift things, handy for lifting the MMM deck to put axles on.

 

[flatpik6]

I too use the forks from BXpanded and have been very happy with them. Have gotten A LOT of use out of them.

 

[jb62901]

I made these last fall for the TPH, since have moved them to the FEL. Still able to use them on the TPH.

TPH
http://oi37.tinypic.com/wlytqh.jpg

FEL
http://oi55.tinypic.com/14uyjia.jpg
http://oi56.tinypic.com/2cf369y.jpg

Platform
http://oi54.tinypic.com/2d9xlr4.jpg