In praise of Pallet Forks

[gssixgun]

It seems that I am always finding new ways to use these things

Finally getting around to putting the new Wellhouse together, building the walls

and you end up with these monsters that weigh in at "Way too Damn Much" so ya break out the Kubota and the pallet fork...

I never actually lifted anything myself, just gently and slowly maneuvered it with the bucket and finally slid it all right into place...

Three outta the four walls are now up and I haven't pulled my back out yet

"I love my Pallet Forks"

 

[meackerman]

use mine all the time.

this weekend it was to lift 4x8 sheets of OSB up to the roof of my barn so I didn't have to haul them up manually one at a time.

also use them to get the bundles of shingles up on the barn, otherwise those bundles are a real pain to carry up a ladder.

 

[zippyslug31]

I'd really like to pick some of these up, but I'm wondering how sorry I'd be by not going with the full front fork attachment. Seems to me that not being able to see through the bucket would make life harder than it needs to be. I have the quick release front on my loader so it seems like it would be a snap for me to drop the bucket and hookup the lift fork attachment instead of having to mount the forks to the bucket each time.

But the cost difference is pretty substantial.
Hmmmm........ decisions, decisions...

 

[Billdog350]

Zippy, if you have the QA on your loader its a no-brainer. Between the visibility, weight, durability, and capability, the QA forks will win every time hands down. The clamp on forks can damage your bucket over time, don't have as much visibility, and reduce your lifting capacity because you're lifting your bucket plus the forks rather than just the fork attachment.

Spend the extra few $$$, if you can afford the L3901 it will be worth the extra few hundred for the dedicated forks. You will NOT regret them.

 

[DWLG1958]

Zippy,
Lower lift capacity with the bucket forks (load out farther)
Better capacity with actual pallet fork set-up (load closer in)
I got a Landpride PFL2042 and love it.
Like Billdog350 said, "no regrets" with real deal....

 

[Lil Foot]

I have clamp-on-the-bucket forks, got them with the tractor. I would have never guessed they would be so useful for so many different things. It would be great not to have to "look around" the bucket, and the extra capacity gained if they were mounted closer would be nice, but for me, neither is a deal breaker.
They've saved my back more times than I can count, and I would not be without them.
A side note: All of the forks I see today (craigslist or wherever) are lacking a feature that my old ones have. Mine have pockets that hold a short piece of 2x4 at 90 degrees, (like the ones pictured above) that keep the load from sliding back. The pic shows the pockets, but alas, no 2x4s.

 

[TripleR]

My son has found our forks to be essential building his house, He uses them to unload and move material, put material on the roof etc. I know the safety police will squirm, but he also uses a home built man-lift mounted to them.

 

[zippyslug31]

Zippy, if you have the QA on your loader its a no-brainer. Between the visibility, weight, durability, and capability, the QA forks will win every time hands down. The clamp on forks can damage your bucket over time, don't have as much visibility, and reduce your lifting capacity because you're lifting your bucket plus the forks rather than just the fork attachment.

Spend the extra few $$$, if you can afford the L3901 it will be worth the extra few hundred for the dedicated forks. You will NOT regret them.

Zippy,
Lower lift capacity with the bucket forks (load out farther)
Better capacity with actual pallet fork set-up (load closer in)
I got a Landpride PFL2042 and love it.
Like Billdog350 said, "no regrets" with real deal....

That's what I was afraid of... yet one more thing to sell Mrs. Slug on!

 

[zippyslug31]

My son has found our forks to be essential building his house, He uses them to unload and move material, put material on the roof etc. I know the safety police will squirm, but he also uses a home built man-lift mounted to them.

I've often thought about doing the same. Got any pics of your son's solution?

 

[forceten]

http://www.mytractortools.com/forks.html

IS what I picked up - they came in last week! So nice to be able to see through the forks and get under pallets! These use the kubota quick attach in the front. So two pins and bucket comes off, forks go on. The tines are fixed but I have no trouble with that. Was a bit of money with shipping. The thing that swung my m,oney to these was it can go on the front AND also the three point hitch in the back.

So buy these and you have front forks AND rear forks!

Best purchase this past month! And I have started using forks more and more. So much so the forks have been staying on Kubbie - and the bucket is on a dolly

 

[TripleR]

I've often thought about doing the same. Got any pics of your son's solution?

Sure don't, but here is a good thread on one. He left the metal and solid back panel off and it does OK without the metal, but sure needed to reinforce the back after the first day.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/302106-wife-lift-work-platform-build.html

 

[Tooljunkie]

My son has found our forks to be essential building his house, He uses them to unload and move material, put material on the roof etc. I know the safety police will squirm, but he also uses a home built man-lift mounted to them.

I would never consider using a cage type manlift anytime from a tractor bucket.
If it was to pop a hose, things could get real painful real fast. Have done it in the past, never again.

 

[gkk2001]

I had the non QA bucket and had a set of the bucket bolt on forks and since upgraded to a QA bucket and spent ~$500 on a bonified pallet fork set.

Both are great but if you want to carry heavy loads (by a large margin), the QA fork set beats bolt ons. But out of necessity, I carried more than thought possible with the bolt ons. Either way, you get much more work done from your tractor.

 

[gkk2001]

By the way, I will sell the bolt on forks real cheap, have no use for them any longer. Ideally someone in GA.

Let me know, we can correspond off line. Thanks

 

[TripleR]

I would never consider using a cage type manlift anytime from a tractor bucket.
If it was to pop a hose, things could get real painful real fast. Have done it in the past, never again.

I expected that some would express concern and that's understandable. Some are comfortable using them and some aren't. I prefer scaffolding, but if I had to choose between a long ladder and man lift, who knows. I blew a hose on an old backhoe and the descent was very manageable.

They are quite common in my area and no one has had an issue, I am not recommending anyone to use one, just reporting many do.

 

[bcp]

I've been using ladders all my life, and never yet blown a hydraulic hose on one or heard of it happening.

I do plan a work platform for my loader, but will have a cylinder lock channel or a telescoping square tubing post for safety.

Bruce