Pallet Jacks

[bdhsfz6]

As I get older, I find it more and more difficult to mount & remove implements. Over the years, I've used various tricks to ease the process. I palletized all my implements and installed heavy duty casters on the pallets to be able to move them around in the barn. I use the FEL forks to put them in position, and the casters to roll the final few inches up to the tractor. The problem is, the barn is getting too crowded with implements to be able to maneuver the tractor to pick them up with the forks. Yeah, I know, I need a bigger barn and another tractor but that isn't in the cards right now.

As a result, I find myself rolling the palletized implements around manually. This wasn't an issue a few years ago but now, with my bad back & joints, it's a real problem. I switched from moving the pallets with the FEL forks to a pallet jack. This helped a bit but it still takes more effort than I'm capable of sometimes.

I considered a powered pallet jack but they were heavy, bulky and expensive. Lately, I've been seeing these newer, lighter, more compact and reasonably priced jacks powered by lithium batteries. I'm considering this one from Apollo:

3300lbs Fully Electric Walkie Powered Pallet Jack with Lithium Battery

Powered navigation for urban deliveries, small markets and limited stock areas. 10 seconds to change battery reduces downtime. Push-button lift control and forward/reverse thumb wheels on handle. 4-6 hours service per charge. 3 hour charge time. It may vary depending on the usage and...

www.apolloliftus.com

Has anyone had any experience with these relatively new jacks? The specs are impressive and what reviews I can find are favorable, but it seems a lot to expect from an $1800 jack.

 

[JCoastie]

No experience with it, but the idea sure is nice!

Several on Amazon including Apollo with reviews to read.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=electric+pallet+jack&crid=30J398LJ4RTE0&sprefix=electric+pallet%2Caps%2C140&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_1_15

 

[ArlyA]

I used pallet jacks in general to load truck boxes with 5000lbs loads (sometimes 8k!) so here is a few warnings about there use. The trailer box needed to be level or down hill to get them to roll in. The wheels on the jacks are tiny and can't get over much of anything, so we'd sweep the out the trailer with each load or you've get stuck on floor debris. It was normally a two man job, sometimes even three to get them rolling.

They are great tool to have if your floor is level, smooth and clean.

 

[BlueKnife]

Small used forklifts can be had pretty cheap, often for not much more than that powered pallet jack. FWIW.

 

[nyone]

Have you thought about stacking attachments on pallet racking?

 

[bdhsfz6]

Have you thought about stacking attachments on pallet racking?

I store some pallets on a "rack" made from a 4 post truck service lift. I lower it to the floor and move them with the FEL forks. I still have to move them around at floor lever though.

 

[Runner]

I have your exact same problem, i.e., a barn full attachments that have to be moved. I don't know if you have a quick hitch, but I do, and I made a loader-mounted quick hitch and use it to move attachments around, among other things. I never have to leave the seat of the tractor until it's time to hook up the PTO.

Obviously, this won't work if you can't access the attachments with the tractor, but all of mine are parked in line from front to rear of the barn. Sometimes I have to move
3 or 4 items to get to the attachment I need, but it is easy with this setup. I try to keep the less used items toward the back of the barn.

Looking at the last pic of my storage bay, here is what I would do to gain access to my rotary cutter, which is on the bottom, left side under the pallet rack.
1. Move out the pallet forks.
2. Grab the carryall (which is also where I store the front quick hitch as seen in this photo) and move it outside.
3. Release the front quick hitch from the carryall (OK, so I do have to get off the machine to do that).
4. Grab the rear finish mower with the front quick hitch and move it outside.
5. Grab the landscape rake and move it outside.
6. Grab the rotary cutter and move it out where I can mount it on the rear 3-point.

This works for me because I only use the rotary cutter 2 or 3 times per year and really doesn't take more than a few minutes. Main point is, I don't have to physically move anything myself, just let the tractor do the work.

Also in the picture are my chipper and overseeder, which are on dollies and can be moved with minimal effort into position to hook up.

 

[shooterdon]

My buddy used that type of battery jack when he worked for a freight company. He loved it until it broke but not sure what went wrong with it. Anyway, I am looking at getting his and fixing it or buying a new one.

It is not going to stall on a small stone or piece of bark like a manual jack.

He used his every day for about two years. That is a lifetime of service for me. I need a pallet jack maybe 50 times a year.

 

[bdhsfz6]

He used his every day for about two years. That is a lifetime of service for me. I need a pallet jack maybe 50 times a year.

Same here. I'm not too concerned about longevity, since it will be used infrequently. I am a bit concerned about the battery though. The barn isn't heated or insulated and Lithium batteries don't like to be charged when it is too hot or too cold. I may have to store & charge it in the heated shop

 

[bdhsfz6]

I have your exact same problem, i.e., a barn full attachments that have to be moved. I don't know if you have a quick hitch, but I do, and I made a loader-mounted quick hitch and use it to move attachments around, among other things. I never have to leave the seat of the tractor until it's time to hook up the PTO.

Obviously, this won't work if you can't access the attachments with the tractor, but all of mine are parked in line from front to rear of the barn. Sometimes I have to move
3 or 4 items to get to the attachment I need, but it is easy with this setup. I try to keep the less used items toward the back of the barn.
View attachment 874362
View attachment 874363

I do have a quick hitch but I find it easier to move the palettized implements with the FEL forks. The casters on the pallets make it easy to fine tune the position when hooking up the implement.