Forks Pallet forks: How much weight can the tips handle?

[Gypsy Rose]

I wonder how much the-tine weight capacity rating relates to the many tasks one might use a pallet fork for. From what I can see, fork profiles can vary significantly, i.e. some that I've seen in photos posted by folks in this forum carry their full cross-section from end to end, while others are tapered quite a bit over their length. On the tapered forks, there may be enough thickness back at the right-angle bend to keep the fork from bending at that point when loaded evenly across their length, but out near the tips where the material is much thinner it seems like it would be more of a chance to bend them up. Or, is it that with the weight out near the ends (and far from the fulcrum), a loader with a weight rating significantly lower than the forks cannot apply enough force to do damage?

 

[Johndeere3720]

Amazingly enough, these forks i refurbished can handel up to 4000 pounds easily. How? I had them on the back of my Dad's 3720 and moved trailers and pallets around with them. One trailer i moved had atleast 3500 pounds or more of weight on it. The trailer was full of trash, concrete, and masonry stuff. I was suprised at how strong they were. They originally were used on my Step Mom's Bobcat skidsteer and when she moved out here from utah, sold the Bobcat and ended up bringing the forks with her. Last summer, She decided it was time to get rid of them by scraping them but instead I got them and now they fit on my Yanmar tractor. Long story short, I may never bend these forks when working with my Yanmar.

 

[wkpoor]

Most pallet forks are tapered. The bending stress is at the bend. Just look at your arms. They are smaller at the wrist and larger at the elbows. If you can bend the tips then you can bend the root too. However not possible with a light duty CUT.

 

[IXLR8]

That's good to know. I recently ordered a set of Construction Attachments forks (1800 lb capacity).
Kevin

Kevin, let us know how they work out for you.. I am looking at the same ones.

TIA

 

[Whatswrong]

Just my two cents ,your JD corporation tines could be better but I would say you are lucky ,guys at work have bent one tine on the JD 544TC ,this one would never hold after straightening either ,and also on the old Patric both in the 15000 lb range units by prying rather than lifting.

 

[Gypsy Rose]

Most pallet forks are tapered. The bending stress is at the bend.

The non-tapered forks I've seen are usually ones that have been home built, or inexpensive ones that use box steel. I agree that the stress is at the bend, provided the forks are used for lifting. Pallet forks on a tractor, however, have so many applications. When asking my initial question I was wondering how strong a set of forks with a given rating are for tasks like placing all the weight at the tips, or something more likely to bend the tips such as prying/levering with a fulcrum out near the tips.

 

[ChuckinNH]

I have the same Kubota forks that Bstrom has, and have used them quite a bit digging, lifting, and moving stones, logs, brush, etc. I find they are pretty tough, and haven't damaged them yet. Some of the rocks have been too heavy to lift more than a few inches with my LA364 loader.

 

[Brad_Blazer]

As I understand it, the weight rating for pallet forks is for a load on both tines at the mid-point. My question is, for a given mid-tine rating, how much weight can be put on the tips of the fork without bending or otherwise damaging them?

I plan to use a set of 1800 lb forks to place rocks on a stone retaining wall. While I may end up using slings for some of the stones, I'll probably place most of them by simply lifting with the tips of the forks.

Have any of you managed to bend your forks by overloading the tips?

Kevin

1/2 of the mid point rating is available at the tips since the moment arm is doubled.

 

[beenthere]

.................When asking my initial question I was wondering how strong a set of forks with a given rating are for tasks like placing all the weight at the tips, or something more likely to bend the tips such as prying/levering with a fulcrum out near the tips.

Strongly suspect the fork load rating is a balanced load equally distributed on the forks. Not rated at the tips.

And yes, they are more likely to bend at the tips if prying/levering with the fulcrum out near the tips.

Go careful. Some forks are prolly better than others.

 

[Gypsy Rose]

Kevin, let us know how they work out for you.. I am looking at the same ones.

TIA

My CA forks arrived from Everything Attachments a couple days ago. Free shipping to a Yellow freight terminal a few miles away. Great service all the way from placing the order to delivery. Kudos to Ted and the gang at (Temporarily blocked due to reports of company closure).

They look well constructed with quality welds and materials, although the paint doesn't seem like it'll hold up long. (Some of it had already worn off in shipment.) I've tried the forks for a couple of tasks, but have yet to put them through their paces. I did, however, confirm that the lifting capacity of my JD790 with a model 70 FEL is such that I don't have much to worry about with weight out at the tips of the forks. Large rocks that I'd scooped up with the bucket (i.e. in close) simply could not be lifted when placed out at the tips of the forks. In order to get the leverage on them I had to slide the forks far under them to get them close to the rack.

As for the way that the forks slide from side to side on the rails, I do like the way that they're adjustable to any position and the fact that they don't float, but, in my limited use, I've had the forks slide sideways while carrying a load. (There's not a level spot on my land, so everything involves working on a side hill.) I'm not sure if it'll be a problem, but I could see the ability to lock them in position as desirable - perhaps a future modification on my part.

~Kevin