Bucket forks vs quick attach forks mathmatics, guru's enter!

[OrangePower]

I am still trying to get all the figures together, but, I dont see any "lifting" benefits between clamp on bucket forks and dedicated QA forks. If the BX23s has 1,000lb (rounded) lift at the pin (no bucket), then you add a 120lb bucket on a QA, you get 500lb lift at 48" according to TTwTim. A dedicated QA fork setup is min 160lbs (QA attachment and forks all ready to go). So, I would be losing 40lbs of lift from the start, which gives me 460lb of lift (averaged out). From there, the math starts kicking in. I believe there is a general rule you lose so much lift beyond the pin at certain inches the further out you go. I cant find that info again and give up, lol. But, from what I HAVE read, I think the two setups are neck and neck for lift capacity. I have an extra blade on my bucket now so I dont think I will be getting a smiley face on it any time soon with 400lbs on the end of a set of clamp on's. Other than that, I dont see any advantages with lift, other than paying an extra $400.

Am I missing anything in my mathematical euphoria, lol?

 

[jyoutz]

I am still trying to get all the figures together, but, I dont see any "lifting" benefits between clamp on bucket forks and dedicated QA forks. If the BX23s has 1,000lb (rounded) lift at the pin (no bucket), then you add a 120lb bucket on a QA, you get 500lb lift at 48" according to TTwTim. A dedicated QA fork setup is min 160lbs (QA attachment and forks all ready to go). So, I would be losing 40lbs of lift from the start, which gives me 460lb of lift (averaged out). From there, the math starts kicking in. I believe there is a general rule you lose so much lift beyond the pin at certain inches the further out you go. I cant find that info again and give up, lol. But, from what I HAVE read, I think the two setups are neck and neck for lift capacity. I have an extra blade on my bucket now so I dont think I will be getting a smiley face on it any time soon with 400lbs on the end of a set of clamp on's. Other than that, I dont see any advantages with lift, other than paying an extra $400.

Am I missing anything in my mathematical euphoria, lol?

The stability of SSQA forks is hands down better no matter what machine you put them on, compared to clamp on forks. The SSQA frame sits back against the lift arm plate and the load Being closer to the pins is much more stable than sitting out there way in front of the bucket. The effect is a longer fulcrum for the load unbalancing the front of the tractor. Spend the extra money and get SSQA.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

Depending on the load, you can get it closer to the frame with QA forks than boltons and a bucket.
I have HLA 900# QA pallet forks for my BX23S and they will juuuuust lift a set of duals form a dump truck.
The weight of bucket vs forks/frame may be a 'wash' BUT you get far better control and stability with forks.
Be sure to max out the air in the fronts !
ANY QA forks rated for 700-900#s will do , don't buy 1000,1500 or 2000# units. WASTE of money.

 

[mikester]

I am still trying to get all the figures together, but, I dont see any "lifting" benefits between clamp on bucket forks and dedicated QA forks. If the BX23s has 1,000lb (rounded) lift at the pin (no bucket), then you add a 120lb bucket on a QA, you get 500lb lift at 48" according to TTwTim. A dedicated QA fork setup is min 160lbs (QA attachment and forks all ready to go). So, I would be losing 40lbs of lift from the start, which gives me 460lb of lift (averaged out). From there, the math starts kicking in. I believe there is a general rule you lose so much lift beyond the pin at certain inches the further out you go. I cant find that info again and give up, lol. But, from what I HAVE read, I think the two setups are neck and neck for lift capacity. I have an extra blade on my bucket now so I dont think I will be getting a smiley face on it any time soon with 400lbs on the end of a set of clamp on's. Other than that, I dont see any advantages with lift, other than paying an extra $400.

Am I missing anything in my mathematical euphoria, lol?

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[SRRGC1]

Presuming you have the QA bucket; QA forks are far better for all the reasons mentioned above. Additionally, you can damage your bucket with clamp-on forks. Also, harder see see clamp-on forks when attempting to load items. Unless you by passed safety switches, your tractor will shut down if you stand up in an attempt to see your clamp on forks better.

 

[foobert]

My biggest disappointment with the BX is the loader lift capacity. 900# sounds like quite a bit until you start accounting for all the actual usage case conditions:
1) the actual load is never at the pin
2) the bucket/fork weight is subtracted out
3) you want to go higher than some inches off the ground

You're rightfully worried about weight of the bucket vs forks, but, the distance from the pin maybe be more important.

In my case, I needed to go to full height to get hay bales into the loft. 2 bales (~110# each) stacked flat across the forks tops out about at least a foot short of getting to full height. But, if I stack the bails by the fork frame, it'll *just* reach full height.

Gee whiz, that #900 pounds is suddenly <200# of full useful lift.

 

[Jasper2018]

Get the QA forks. The clamp on style are a waste of money
I have a set that I would gladly sell for a QA set. Forks do not align correctly even using the optional brace. Hard to see where your forks are do to bucket being in the way.

 

[SteveBX23]

My biggest disappointment with the BX is the loader lift capacity. 900# sounds like quite a bit until you start accounting for all the actual usage case conditions:
1) the actual load is never at the pin
2) the bucket/fork weight is subtracted out
3) you want to go higher than some inches off the ground

You're rightfully worried about weight of the bucket vs forks, but, the distance from the pin maybe be more important.

In my case, I needed to go to full height to get hay bales into the loft. 2 bales (~110# each) stacked flat across the forks tops out about at least a foot short of getting to full height. But, if I stack the bails by the fork frame, it'll *just* reach full height.

Gee whiz, that #900 pounds is suddenly <200# of full useful lift. View attachment 73710

Same. Comparatively speaking, I have a friend who has an L39 who is also less than impressed with its lift capabilities with the FEL

 

[SteveBX23]

Get the QA forks. The clamp on style are a waste of money
I have a set that I would gladly sell for a QA set. Forks do not align correctly even using the optional brace. Hard to see where your forks are do to bucket being in the way.

Understanding limitations helps. I have clamp ons and they serve the purpose well. I can lift them and place them on the bucket if needed, but I’m able to get them on using the FEL without getting off the tractor. Not that difficult

 

[Millsertime]

As others have mentioned, the biggest advantage of QA is that YOU CAN SEE what you are picking up and you aren't having to deal with the bucket in the way of your line of sight!

That alone is worth $400 IMO.

 

[Crash277]

Why I prefer ssqa forks. I just moved a pile of logs Today. Using the grapple and the ssqa forks. Grapple because the amount of snow was crazy so trying to line forks up under logs would have been a pain. Some of the logs I couldn’t lift. I could only curl. I moved the entire pile. Tossed on the bucket. Cleared the snow, then tossed down 2 sacrifice logs to put the pile on. Instead of the grapple I decided to use the forks to re stack. Once I curled a log and it was as close to the pivot point as possible. I was able to lift every log. With clamp on forks I can guarantee I wouldn’t have been able to lift them all.

 

[BigG]

My biggest disappointment with the BX is the loader lift capacity. 900# sounds like quite a bit until you start accounting for all the actual usage case conditions:
1) the actual load is never at the pin
2) the bucket/fork weight is subtracted out
3) you want to go higher than some inches off the ground

You're rightfully worried about weight of the bucket vs forks, but, the distance from the pin maybe be more important.

In my case, I needed to go to full height to get hay bales into the loft. 2 bales (~110# each) stacked flat across the forks tops out about at least a foot short of getting to full height. But, if I stack the bails by the fork frame, it'll *just* reach full height.

Gee whiz, that #900 pounds is suddenly <200# of full useful lift. View attachment 73710

Build yourself a table to match the height of your trailer. Slide the bales onto the table and then pick it up to the loft from low on the table. To gain a little more height build the table to match the tailgate of the truck and forget the trailer. I do not know if that is practical due to the number of bales that you buy at one time.

 

[JimmyJazz]

The guy on YouTube GP Outdoors has covered this topic. Look it up. Might be helpful.

 

[RalphVa]

You need GOOD clamp on forks like those from Titan that supply chains that wrap around the FEL to keep them from bending the bucket.

Big advantage of clamp on forks is cost and storage, easier on both. Think dedicated forks are MUCH better for heavy loads.

Biggest advantage of dedicated forks is visibility.

I got all this info when I asked about them on TbN

 

[foobert]

Build yourself a table to match the height of your trailer. Slide the bales onto the table and then pick it up to the loft from low on the table. To gain a little more height build the table to match the tailgate of the truck and forget the trailer. I do not know if that is practical due to the number of bales that you buy at one time.

Truck and trailer were both fully loaded. We go through a couple of tons a year.

Such a PITA to even need to think about a table, yadda yadda ... (Which, great minds and all -- I'm already in motion on similar thought )

 

[OrangePower]

Thanks for all the feedback ladies n gents. I am working on a QA set right now. Found a set of fork an hour away for $100 and a frame for $150. I could probably weld my own, but, at $150, that would be hard to beat.

You need GOOD clamp on forks like those from Titan that supply chains that wrap around the FEL to keep them from bending the bucket.

Big advantage of clamp on forks is cost and storage, easier on both. Think dedicated forks are MUCH better for heavy loads.

Biggest advantage of dedicated forks is visibility.

I got all this info when I asked about them on TbN

Kind of depends. I had a $99 set off ebay that did what I needed it to do, but, it was the 36" ones and too short for my water tanks. I sold them and now in the process of getting longer ones. While I understand that a set of dedicated QA forks are the way to go, $700+ (buying the titan brand) and a loss of 60lb (taking a wild guess) is pretty debatable to a pair of ebay forks for casual lifting. I mean, even if I do get the setup I am wheeling and dealing on for $300 ($425 will be backup plan "B"), whats the use if I am equal to and or lose lift capacity over $150 forks? Not much stability loss with 300lbs, I would not think. That, and, whatever I lift would not be over 36" at most. Wait, how tall is a truck bed? Hmmmm.....................

 

[leveraddict]

A tractor sucks as a forklift....period!

I have clamp on's I use once a year just to lift implements chest high for cleaning and touch up to deter rust. Also moving them around the yard and moving some lumber around.

It all depends what you will use them for. Again...a tractor sucks as a forklift!

 

[Goz63]

A tractor sucks as a forklift....period!

I have clamp on's I use once a year just to lift implements chest high for cleaning and touch up to deter rust. Also moving them around the yard and moving some lumber around.

It all depends what you will use them for. Again...a tractor sucks as a forklift!

A tractor sucks compared to a dedicated anything pretty much. My zero turn blows it away as a mower, a mini ex blows it away vs back hoe, and yes a true fork lift is much better than pallet forks on your fel BUT I can do all those things with one machine just not the greatest. When I was looking for my tractor and implements everyone said get a grapple, it is always on my tractor. Well I got one and love it but is it on my machine all the time? No. My pallet forks are. I use them constantly . I have a small horse farm and I am always moving stuff around from fertilizer for the pasture to putting things in the loft of the pole barn they are used all the time. As for clamp ons GP Outdoors has a couple videos on YouTube that are good. For me putting the forks farther out by clamping them to the bucket and low visibility would push me for the dedicatedSSQA type. For a tractor implement forks are pretty cheap. (I paid $550 last June when I bought my tractor) It is much easier to switch an SSQA attachment vs clamping on the forks and lastly I don’t want to bend my bucket. If you use them very little, which like I said I use mine a lot, then clamps may save some cash. If you find you love ‘em like I do then you might need them more often and get sick of clamping on and off. There has to be a good market for clamp ons or they wouldn’t make them. As for lifting capacity, if that was such a big deal than the BX May have been a little light for the original purchase. That machine was not designed to be a FEL powerhouse.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

yes, the ACTUAL lifting capacity and height of the BX23s is 'dismal' BUT it sure beats using a wheelbarrow or a dozen other WORSE ways of hauling something heavy and awkward from point 'a' to 'b'.
That being said, it's managed to do a LOT of jobs in minutes that'd take me all day. For those bigger jobs, I can use the D-14/carryall or the A-C forklift.Neither cost me much and are cheap to run.
If I needed to get hay into a loft, I'd buy an old elevator and rework it, or re 'landscape' the lot so trailer could park next to the barn. The older I get, the more I look into 'options' instead of brute force.Rather spend an extra 1/2hr getting a job done, than 3 days laying in bed from a bad back....

 

[pjoh784350]

I am still trying to get all the figures together, but, I dont see any "lifting" benefits between clamp on bucket forks and dedicated QA forks. If the BX23s has 1,000lb (rounded) lift at the pin (no bucket), then you add a 120lb bucket on a QA, you get 500lb lift at 48" according to TTwTim. A dedicated QA fork setup is min 160lbs (QA attachment and forks all ready to go). So, I would be losing 40lbs of lift from the start, which gives me 460lb of lift (averaged out). From there, the math starts kicking in. I believe there is a general rule you lose so much lift beyond the pin at certain inches the further out you go. I cant find that info again and give up, lol. But, from what I HAVE read, I think the two setups are neck and neck for lift capacity. I have an extra blade on my bucket now so I dont think I will be getting a smiley face on it any time soon with 400lbs on the end of a set of clamp on's. Other than that, I dont see any advantages with lift, other than paying an extra $400.

Am I missing anything in my mathematical euphoria, lol?

the post is well covered but I vote for ssqa forks as well. Biggest thing to do now is get a source for pallets. Since the lift capacity is limited I stack smaller loads on pallets then stack the loads into piles to save room. You have to remove each pallet to get what you want but its a lot easier (and funner) using the BX than it is by hand!