Slide On fork receiver hitch problem

Smokeless

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3901/Loader/Rear Blade/Box Blade/LP Mower/Pallet forks IH M,,Cub & sickle mower
Feb 5, 2018
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Southern Illinois
Boy was I surprised. This am decided to fab a slide on receiver hitch for my forks. Everything went ok until I tried to lift me trailer. I is fairly loaded with scrap metal but nothing that heavy and their is not much tongue weight to start with. Anyway when I hooked it to the receiver trailer hitch, the hydraulics would not raise the tongue. Bout only thing I can figure is too much weight for the end of the forks or my hydraulic system is in trouble. Do i need to fab a unit that slides on both forks rather just one? Any ideas are welcome, thanks
 

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Dave_eng

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You need to read the specifications on your loader's performance to understand why you cannot lift what you want.

Specifications will provide a value in pounds when the weight is located at the pivot point of the bucket and then a much lower value for a weight located say 24" further forward.

With your forks you have moved even further forward and you do not have much lifting capacity at that distance from the bucket pivot point.
forum forks.jpg

As a test, use a chain to try and lift the trailer tongue. Connect the chain to where the back of the forks connect to the loader frame.

Likely you will be able to lift it with the vertical load at that position.

Dave
 
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RCW

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That's a product of your lift point being WAY out in front of the "pins" for the loader mount. Loaders are rated for lift capacity at the pins and about 24" forward of the pins. The further out you go, the less capacity you have. That capacity drops very quickly with distance from the pins.

Honestly, I would not recommend moving that trailer with your hitch way out there at the end of the fork. I can foresee unanticipated consequences, none of which are good. I fear losing control of the trailer (it does look heavy), or bad side-torque on the loader arms, as the "lever" is now much longer, also a function of physics.

Not being disrespectful at all. I just don't think it's a good idea.

PS - Dave must type faster than me..... 😀
 
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ccoon520

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Your instincts are probably right. I'm assuming those are 42 or 48" forks which is a huge lever. The max lift on the loader 500mm (20") in front of the pins is 855 lbs which is about 300lbs less than at the pin (1131 lbs). So you'd be lucky if you got 400-500 lbs of lift.

Also you may be exceeding your pallet forks' capacity rating with the load cantilevered out that far. I'd recommend either welding a hitch receiver into the middle of the headache rack on your pallet forks' frame or getting a scrap fork and cutting the fork down to about 5-10" long and then using that.
 

Smokeless

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3901/Loader/Rear Blade/Box Blade/LP Mower/Pallet forks IH M,,Cub & sickle mower
Feb 5, 2018
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Southern Illinois
You need to read the specifications on your loader's performance to understand why you cannot lift what you want.

Specifications will provide a value in pounds when the weight is located at the pivot point of the bucket and then a much lower value for a weight located say 24" further forward.

With your forks you have moved even further forward and you do not have much lifting capacity at that distance from the bucket pivot point.
View attachment 44632
As a test, use a chain to try and lift the trailer tongue. Connect the chain to where the back of the forks connect to the loader frame.

Likely you will be able to lift it with the vertical load at that position.

Dave
Well that bout sums it up, just another miscue. Yes, I should have checked the loader specs first. I will try the chain advice just to confirm, I dont see any benefit fab a unit that goes over both forks and lies adjacent to the headache rack. Cant see the hitch that far back. And yes they are 42 inch forks. I read the reviews on Titan www site and I figured I have enough scrap to build one. They never said how large of trailers they were moving, and maybe they all have a stouter tractor, Thanks for the post
 

Lil Foot

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Here is what I made for moving trailers:

IMG_0228.jpg IMG_0231.jpg IMG_0234 rotcopy.jpg IMG_0237.jpg
 
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Smokeless

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3901/Loader/Rear Blade/Box Blade/LP Mower/Pallet forks IH M,,Cub & sickle mower
Feb 5, 2018
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Southern Illinois

Smokeless

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3901/Loader/Rear Blade/Box Blade/LP Mower/Pallet forks IH M,,Cub & sickle mower
Feb 5, 2018
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Southern Illinois
Your instincts are probably right. I'm assuming those are 42 or 48" forks which is a huge lever. The max lift on the loader 500mm (20") in front of the pins is 855 lbs which is about 300lbs less than at the pin (1131 lbs). So you'd be lucky if you got 400-500 lbs of lift.

Also you may be exceeding your pallet forks' capacity rating with the load cantilevered out that far. I'd recommend either welding a hitch receiver into the middle of the headache rack on your pallet forks' frame or getting a scrap fork and cutting the fork down to about 5-10" long and then using that.
yup 42inch forks. Basic math really sums it up, not much lifting power where I placed the receiver ball. Gotta come up with something better. I was trying an alternative to twisting around in the tractor seat. Thanks for posting, just more info and I appreciate it.
 
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Smokeless

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3901/Loader/Rear Blade/Box Blade/LP Mower/Pallet forks IH M,,Cub & sickle mower
Feb 5, 2018
237
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Southern Illinois
That's a product of your lift point being WAY out in front of the "pins" for the loader mount. Loaders are rated for lift capacity at the pins and about 24" forward of the pins. The further out you go, the less capacity you have. That capacity drops very quickly with distance from the pins.

Honestly, I would not recommend moving that trailer with your hitch way out there at the end of the fork. I can foresee unanticipated consequences, none of which are good. I fear losing control of the trailer (it does look heavy), or bad side-torque on the loader arms, as the "lever" is now much longer, also a function of physics.

Not being disrespectful at all. I just don't think it's a good idea.

PS - Dave must type faster than me..... 😀
All noted, no offense taken. Appreciate the post
 

GreensvilleJay

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UPMI has posted the solution ! And yeah loader 'specs' are deceiving as is anything from the dealership. They said my BX23S would lift 700#........nope, after doing the 'math' , maybe 350 and that's if RIGHT against the loader frame. BTW 24x30 patio stones weight 100# each... I got another hernia that day...
I use a rcvr on the tip of my 5' forks on my A-C forklift and it easily lifts any loaded trailer I have here. Keep in mind it's rated for 5000#, 24" FROM the frame.... Yes, it's a tad wobbly and fun to manuver but has never let me down.
 

Smokeless

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3901/Loader/Rear Blade/Box Blade/LP Mower/Pallet forks IH M,,Cub & sickle mower
Feb 5, 2018
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Southern Illinois
As a test, use a chain to try and lift the trailer tongue. Connect the chain to where the back of the forks connect to the loader frame.

Likely you will be able to lift it with the vertical load at that position.

Dave
[/QUOTE]

How bout dat!!!!!! Puts my mind at ease bout system. There was more weight there than I thought.

Appreciate the posts.
 

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Smokeless

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3901/Loader/Rear Blade/Box Blade/LP Mower/Pallet forks IH M,,Cub & sickle mower
Feb 5, 2018
237
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Southern Illinois
UPMI has posted the solution ! And yeah loader 'specs' are deceiving as is anything from the dealership. They said my BX23S would lift 700#........nope, after doing the 'math' , maybe 350 and that's if RIGHT against the loader frame. BTW 24x30 patio stones weight 100# each... I got another hernia that day...
I use a rcvr on the tip of my 5' forks on my A-C forklift and it easily lifts any loaded trailer I have here. Keep in mind it's rated for 5000#, 24" FROM the frame.... Yes, it's a tad wobbly and fun to manuver but has never let me down.
guess i need a stouter tractor :)
 

Lil Foot

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Can you see the trailer ball as you connect to your coupler? I assume so, I like the unit you built.

What is that additional bar on the bucket? Looks fairly stout. Thanks for posting
I can see the ball fairly well, unless the trailer tongue is on the ground.
The additional bar is the stock welded on cutting edge.
 

Smokeless

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3901/Loader/Rear Blade/Box Blade/LP Mower/Pallet forks IH M,,Cub & sickle mower
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Southern Illinois

19thSF

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I am a fairly new tractor guy, but it seems to me that a three point trailer hitch/weight bar implement is a better way to move trailers. I bought a Titan Implements unit for about $140.00, which is not cheap, but not all the money either. I use it to move my car carrier trailer around. I would think that the lifting capacity of the three point exceeds that of the front loader, especially with that kind of a "moment arm". Sorry, "engineering jargon", I mean that far out!

I know all about Titan "quality", but with a keep it simple thing like this, their cheap stuff does the job.
 
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GeoHorn

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3-Pt ball hitch works fine if you don’t mind twisting-around, looking over your shoulder to hook up...and then doing it again to back your trailer into some spot. Front hitch is better for parking trailers instead of pulling them.