Tough to move pallet forks

[jmc]

IIRC, on a real forklift, the top rail that the forks slide on is tapered to match the taper you described. Maybe the bottom rail too.

I have a fork frame that was from an outfit that fabs things "hastily". This rail has no matching taper and worse, its edges are sharp and as-cut with a plasma cutter. Breaking those sharp edges (4) made sliding the forks easier. It only took a few minutes with an angle grinder.

Best place to force the forks sideways is midway between the top and bottom contacts.

 

[JerryK]

I don't grease mine, just attracts sand. It helps if you unlock the pins so the forks can slide. Then raise the FEL and point the forks straight down... When you get them close to where you want them, release the pins so they can pop back into postion. Usually move easier in that position.

 

[CMV]

Unless rust is sticking them, I'm not sure grease would be good there. Would make crud want to stick where it otherwise wouldn't and make problem worse? Don't know since I only put a little on the latches themselves, but think going along that whole rail would just encourage a lot of crud to stay there then get bound up between the forks & frame.

Are the notches the problem? Mine are fairly large so the spring-loaded detent interfering with the notch isn't problem - it's more the fork wants to tilt a little which causes it to jam on the frame so it won't slide well. An angle grinder to the notches wouldn't help that any.

I like the tilt down idea too and will try that - makes sense that should make them much easier to slide.

 

[ning]

Unless rust is sticking them, I'm not sure grease would be good there. Would make crud want to stick where it otherwise wouldn't and make problem worse? Don't know since I only put a little on the latches themselves, but think going along that whole rail would just encourage a lot of crud to stay there then get bound up between the forks & frame.

Are the notches the problem? Mine are fairly large so the spring-loaded detent interfering with the notch isn't problem - it's more the fork wants to tilt a little which causes it to jam on the frame so it won't slide well. An angle grinder to the notches wouldn't help that any.

I like the tilt down idea too and will try that - makes sense that should make them much easier to slide.

The problem's not the notches - the pins are up and out of the way, and even when the fork is between the detents they don't want to slide. I'll try the gravity assist for now, but I may break out the grinder at some later point...

 

[Maharaja]

Grease the fork bars
Depending upon how large the forks are, lift the tip while pushing or pulling top of vertical shank.
Fork locking pins are to position in notches to prevent drift .

As someone mentioned a hydraulic fork positioner is a nice feature if moving forks often.

 

[3Lfarms]

I use Fluid Film and tilt the forks almost straight down. My forks are 60” and pretty heavy. Makes it much easier than just trying to kick them over.

 

[Bigfoot62]

I also raise my loader a bunch and point the forks almost straight down. This relieves the pressure of gravity and they slide easier

^ Yeah, that.

 

[Btown]

I tilt my forks down a bit, not straight down. When they were delivered they had some white grease on them and slid much easier. How much space do you have at the bottom of the forks where it slides on the fork.

 

[Industrial Toys]

My first fork carrier was built by HORST wen they were still a small company. I took some commercial forks to them and said, make a carrier for a JD 640 Loader. They did, and it was a little crude too, mild steel that gets slightly bent at the notches and bolts on the end to keep the forks from coming off.

 

[bigtiller]

Wash all the dirt, grease, and oil off. Sand off any rust. Now slather it up with paraffin wax.

Paraffin wax acts like a dry lubricant, will shed water, prevent rust and won't attract dirt and debris.