Which Pallet Forks for Tractor

[atsah]

The further away you get from the the loader arms, the less weight you will be able to lift. No to mention the stress one is putting on a very small area inside the bucket, clamp on folks don't make any sense unless someone is lifting 25% of the loaders capacity IMO..

 

[ptsg]

It still isn稚 true for a forklift. While it might not make any difference to the hydraulics it will make a big difference on tipping the machine forward.

Yes I know that but I thought that was also kinda obvious. I suppose I need to type all the details.

 

[Jchonline]

I would get forks that can at least lift max capacity of your FEL. That is usually the 3k or 4k variants. Adjustable is also a must for me.

 

[WM75Guy]

Non adjustable forks would be an instant deal breaker for me. 4000 lb forks are commonly paired with tractors that size.

I agree with RickB about the non-adjustable forks. I have the Land Pride PFL 3048 forks. They are 3000# capacity and 48" length. Pallets are not standardized as well as the loads I have picked up. No way I could have done things with forks on the bucket. The bucket weight, flex of the bucket, and extra length from the pivot will decrease what you can lift.

 

[BoylermanCT]

Kioti rates the DK5010 loader at 2716 lbs capacity. I would get forks rated for more than that, so the loader is the weak link and simply won't lift a load too heavy rather than having the forks fail because the tractor could lift the load but the forks could not handle it. I have 4000 lb SSQA forks and they are on the tractor far more than the bucket is.

 

[metalbender]

Unless you have exceptionally steady hands on the control, precision pallet work is difficult with the bucket mounted forks. The extended distance from the pivot point increases the speed of the curl function to make things interesting to say the least.

 

[spitter]

My forks are on my tractor way more than my bucket and I am always moving them in and out . Clamp on forks are good for once in a blue moon use If you plan on using them regularly get SSQA forks:thumbsup::drink:

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

I think I'm going to go with the Artillian set up. I like the idea of the interchangeable tools on one frame, even if I don't get any more of the tools, it at least adds some versatility.

I'm looking at the 3000 lb capacity set, with the 48" forks. The 3000 lb frame has a built in 2" receiver hitch, which is a nice touch I think.

https://www.artillian.com/product/fork-frame-set-with-3000-lb-skid-steer-quick-attach-pallet/

I may come back and get the digging spade later, for digging holes for planting trees and bushes. Don't know about the grapple yet? Would like to see more reviews on it.

I have a set of clamp on bucket forks. They are not quite completely worthless, but they are close. I plan on giving them to my neighbor once I get my SSQA set. He has an ancient JD with a pin on grapple bucket. Maybe he can use them. But I would like to never put them on again. More frustration than they're worth.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

Ironically enough, I had to move a pallet of sandbags this morning to get the lawn furniture put up for the winter. So, I took a quick couple of pics to illustrate a couple of the issues with clamp on style forks.



This will illustrate how far forward of the pivot pins the load sits when moving pallets. That is 22 bags of sand weighing 60 lbs each, plus the minor weight of the hardwood pallet itself. So, 1320+ pounds, but the center of the load is over 3 feet (closer to 4 ft) in front of the pivot pins. The pallet is sitting on the forks at an angle because it was actually all the way into the corner and I had to come in slightly angled to grab it.



Here is the pallet just off the ground. Notice the blocked line of sight to line up "the shot" of getting the forks into the pallet. A tall guy can kind of see over the top of the bucket when it's down at ground level like this. But if I was trying to stab a pallet that's on a truck or trailer, forget it. The bucket entirely blocks the view of lining up the shot, and a spotter is mandatory. In this pic, I'm putting the pallet of sandbags back in the garage, as it's not winter enough to need the ballast in the pickup yet. So I'll still have to come get this pallet later and set it in the bed of my truck. Hope to have my new forks by then.

 

[PEJ5]

Kiotio DK5010 is the tractor. I've been warned on here before that I can't lift much with a tractor, and I believe that. I regularly unload steel trucks and often it's just light stuff. I'd like a set of pallet forks for when there's too much snow on driveway. Since I cannot lift much with a tractor anyway do I need heavy duty pallet forks? What about these cheap ones on Amazon?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/slredirec...1513901&id=6803601500150854&widgetName=sp_atf

I have a DK5010 as well and I went with 4200 lb SSQA forks from HLA. I enjoy them for many jobs and they are on more than the bucket. I selected the 4200# model, because I saw that my FEL has a breakout force of 3900 lbs and I did not want to bend my forks. I figured there would be times I might attempt to pry at something. Already, I have pulled out a partially uprooted tree stump using curl rather than lift - it took a couple of tries but it came out of the ground nicely. No hand shovel was used. Gotta love what a tractor can do!