Thinking about restoring my HLA pallet forks

[nerwin]

This is the pallet forks that came with the tractor. But It's looking a bit rough and I'm thinking it could be a fun project to scrape off the peeling paint and clean up the rust and give it a fresh coat of black enamel paint. I do have issues with the locking pin things on the tines and they are really difficult to slide back and forth so I'm thinking a fresh rebuild and fully grease everything it should be a really nice set of pallet forks.

I wanted to make this post so I can share some pictures of the progress I make on it and welcome any advice.

I'm sure others wouldn't bother but I wanna put my own scratches on it! Seriously though, just wanna fix the rust.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

That is a nice set of forks!

Scraping the paint off... HAHAHA your funny.
That is more than likely 2 part or baked enamel.
Unless I'm completely wrong ( wouldn't be the first time) and it's just cheap paint that's not bonded well.

If the "paint" can be scraped off and it's thick it's not paint, it's powder coat, and that is a real bear to work on.
I don't think it's Powder Coated.

Have you ever use roloc wheels and a die grinder or rust remover disks for a grinder?
Or even better a Soda blaster (my favorite) or Sand blaster.
That would be the quickest and easiest way to get anything loose and rust off of it and prep it for new paint.

If you don't take the latches apart, Oil the pins and slides don't grease them.
If you do take the latches apart then use grease, pack it around the spring to make it last a long time.

 

[Hugo Habicht]

Scraping off the loose paint bits and removing the rust (not easily done if you don't want to see rust again) is a good idea. The corrosion will continue under the good paint otherwise.

On my tractor frame the paint is mostly good and the paint is tough to get off, so I am debating if I only treat the rusty bits and leave the good parts alone. I think this would be a time saving option.

If I want to clean everything I use CSD disks in an angle grinder on the good paint parts and then sandblasting on everything followed by a chemical rust remover (phosphoric acid, 30-40%).

Nice pallet forks, I would certainly do something to stop the rust and grease everything and make them usable again.

 

[Motion]

Disassemble, sandblast, powder coat then rescratch as desired.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

I have a set of 900# HLAs for my BX23S, it's powder coat 'paint'.PITA.
However If you want to have fun ,come on over, and 'practice' on mine !!!
every month or 2, I just spray 2-3 light coats of gloss black enamel, then spray rustcheck on the rails,forks...wherever slidey things slide..... looks GREAT for 3-4 days, then...back to 'normal'
PC paint is a run around to avoid HUGE 'environmental' charges up here. Heck a gallon( well 3.78 Liters) of oil based paint is now $100 CDN.

 

[JimmyJazz]

This is the pallet forks that came with the tractor. But It's looking a bit rough and I'm thinking it could be a fun project to scrape off the peeling paint and clean up the rust and give it a fresh coat of black enamel paint. I do have issues with the locking pin things on the tines and they are really difficult to slide back and forth so I'm thinking a fresh rebuild and fully grease everything it should be a really nice set of pallet forks.

I wanted to make this post so I can share some pictures of the progress I make on it and welcome any advice.

I'm sure others wouldn't bother but I wanna put my own scratches on it! Seriously though, just wanna fix the rust.

View attachment 150212

View attachment 150211

Your time would be better spent taking your kids to the zoo.

 

[nerwin]

Your time would be better spent taking your kids to the zoo.

I don't have kids

 

[nerwin]

I don't know if it's powder coated or not. I'll take some closer pictures. It's peeling like paint which made me think it's just painted. But it could be powder coated which will make things harder.

Is it difficult to repack the pins so they work smoothly?

I know how to use tools guys

I got everything to rebuild...many grinders, cabinet full of abrasives, sand blaster, paint sprayer, etc.

I just want to stop the rust as these are quite expensive forks. Apparently these forks were purchased new back in 2022. They look older than that so I'm not sure. The tines are in good shape...it's just the frame that's a little rough. The previous owner definitely preferred this attachment, must've been his favorite haha.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

my pins work fine when I lube them . Rustcheck is a kinda semithick oily spray that clings pretty good.The rails do need to be slippery for the forks to slide.
Mine is stored inside ,under the big worktable, so rain doesn't wash away the lube.
forks vs bucket is probably 50/50. They are GREAT !!!

sadly only real 'cure' is to remove 100% of the PC paint, then use a quality 'real' paint. Epoxy paint might be best IF you let it properly cure BEFORE you use the forks. The paint on the 'rails' where the forks slide will get scraped off ,no matter what you put on.

 

[fried1765]

Scraping off the loose paint bits and removing the rust (not easily done if you don't want to see rust again) is a good idea. The corrosion will continue under the good paint otherwise.

On my tractor frame the paint is mostly good and the paint is tough to get off, so I am debating if I only treat the rusty bits and leave the good parts alone. I think this would be a time saving option.

If I want to clean everything I use CSD disks in an angle grinder on the good paint parts and then sandblasting on everything followed by a chemical rust remover (phosphoric acid, 30-40%).

Nice pallet forks, I would certainly do something to stop the rust and grease everything and make them usable again.

Use OSPHO before painting rusty steel

 

[nerwin]

Took some close up pictures of the pallet forks in sorta rough condition. It might be powder coat but its not very thick, breaks off easy.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

yup powder coat...seen that too many times....

'breaks off easy' is the tell tale.

hit it with compressed air and SHEETS of it will peel away.... (actually better/easier than grinding...... )

rust on latches says never oiled or at least not very often in it's life.

 

[RCW]

Looks like a worthwhile project.

Lift cylinder on my snowblower was powder coated and most peeled off last couple winters.

Hit it with some rattle-can Rustoleum last fall. Been out often this past winter and it's held up well.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Frame is Powder coat (red)
Forks appear to be paint(green)

Strip the Powder coat and paint it all!
Quick sand blast on the forks to remove rust.

Pull the latch pins, springs, and levers before painting.

If you want to do anything to those, either paint the latch levers or electroplate them.

 

[nerwin]

Frame is Powder coat (red)
Forks appear to be paint(green)

Strip the Powder coat and paint it all!
Quick sand blast on the forks to remove rust.

Pull the latch pins, springs, and levers before painting.

If you want to do anything to those, either paint the latch levers or electroplate them.

View attachment 150277

I assume the latch pins are fairly easy and simple to rebuild?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I assume the latch pins are fairly easy and simple to rebuild?

100% easy.
Use a block of thin wood or metal and a clamp to hold the latch pin portion up so the lever is loose.
Remove the retaining pin holding the lever to the latch pin.
Then loosen the clamp and remove the latch pin.
All done.

I think on mine, I didn't put the latch lever holding pin back in, I used a bolt and lock nut so it's easy to remove in the future if they need worked on.