Forks Pallet Forks for Loader?

barngal · Jun 5, 2005

Hi, I'm new here...Jenni from Sacramento, CA.
I have John Deere 870 w/440 loader, which I use around my small 5 acre horse property.

I'd like to be able to attach pallet forks, and ideally lift 2000# pallets off the trailer to put in the barn.
I'm assuming I'd need to use the loader to do this, not the 3pt hitch? And I'm guessing 2000# will be too much weight.

Can anybody comment, tell me what you purchased for this application, how it worked, etc? Thanks!

Charolais · Jun 5, 2005

Re: Pallet Forks for Loader;

If this is the same (click here>) 870 I dof't think you'll be able to lift a ton with it. By these specs the tractor only weighs 2515 lbs. I move ton pallets of feed and mineral with a 73 hp 2 wd and it's all I want to drive with. Hard on the front end.

Without a lot of ballast I expect the rear wheels will come off the ground if the reliaf valve on the loader doesn't dump first. And even with the ballast you may break the tractor in half. That's if the specs above are correct.

I've seen one 90-100 HP Deere break while digging stumps. It ain't pretty. And it's not just Deere, that's just the one I saw.

barngal · Jun 5, 2005

Thanks Charolais, this is the info I was looking for.

Yep, thats my tractor, and I've been seeing these fork attachments for the loader, as well as for the 3pt hitch.

I'd really like to be able to move around one ton pallets of feed, but I guess this tractor isn't going to help with that job. Meanwhile its unload and restack by hand (well, back and legs)...

thanks for your reply...

OkieG · Jun 6, 2005

If you have a couple extra empty pallets, break down the 2000# pallet, and just throw on as many feed sacks as your tractor will lift, and move those as needed. I've done that with bricks. My little tractor will not lift a full pallet, but will handle two or three partial pallets.

OkieG

Jagmandave · Jun 6, 2005

Older, used fork trucks are pretty reasonable if this is a regular, ongoing activity, you might check into one...........

marks · Jun 6, 2005

I too have an 870 but with a 420 FEL. Its capacity with loaded tires and rear ballast is 1042# at the pivot point My manual covers: 410, 420, 430 and 460 loaders, it did not provide info on the 440. Furthermore of those four loaders, only the 420 is specified for the 870. Tire type and size is also a factor. The physics on this stuff isn't always self evident, and can sneak up on you when least expected resulting in a roll-over. If perchance you do have one of the above loaders and need some info from the manual, I'd be glad to look it up and/or fax it to you.

clancy · Jun 9, 2005

I have an 870 with 440 loader. The manual says loader capacity is 2065lb breakout (bucket), 1780lb breakout (lift arm), 920lb lift at full height. With proper ballast and tires could probably move the pallets, but unloading trailer might be too much. I'd talk to my JD dealer before giving up on the idea.

Ledgemere Farm · Jun 9, 2005

My brother-in-law put shims in the loader of his Kubota to get more lift. I do not think it's a good idea, but allot of people do it. Still, a ton is too much for an 870. I second the notion of getting extra pallets. Good luck! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

LBrown59 · Jun 28, 2005

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( If you have a couple extra empty pallets,

OkieG )</font>
-----------------
You can never have 2 many empty pallets laying around.
You can pick up decent free used pallets if you keep an eye out for them.

PineRidge · Jun 28, 2005

We always seem to have a truck or two coming in with merchandise on pallets. The majority of the time the drivers are anxious to get them out of their way so we save them. We have a pile of them up by our garden area. We give them away and use a few for storing our implements on (keeps them off the damp ground.)

If nothing else they make extremely short work of starting a fire to burn limbs and other debris. And if you tie a few of them together using wire they make nifty inexpensive compost bins.