Best width for pallet forks ?

[Arky217]

If you were going to build bucket forks for your non QA bucket; AND your were going to build them in a manner that the width was not adjustable, what would be the maximum outside to outside dimension so that most pallets would fit ( I don't know if there is a standard for pallet construction, but even so, I doubt that pallets are all built to the same dimensions ).

Thanks,
Arky

 

[pat32rf]

My forks are made from HD truck axles, about 1 1/2" round stock. They are adjustable but one setting fits 95% of my skids. For my use, I wouldn't do without a way to adjust them...One of the narrow settings lets me throw on a set of 2" pipe extensions and pick up a ski-doo from the rear, one on each side of the track. Another wide setting with the same extensions lets me pick up my aluminium boat from the rear. Pull off the extensions and I pick up and load my firewood logs. Flat forks would just be too limiting

 

[CurlyDave]

I agree, adjustable is the way to go. Now if you want to do the least possible work, one one fork has to be adjustable, but the load will frequently be off-center if you do that.

 

[rockinmywaypa]

another good reason to make them adjustable is this, I actually used them to dig a hole into frozen (top) ground by sliding them together. Worked slick as anything to get er done. Just pointed them into the dirt, lifted the weight of the tractor onto them and then rolled them up out of the ground.

 

[Arky217]

All good suggestions, only thing is, they don't address the question.

Thanks,
Arky

 

[Runner]

I'd say that a maximum out to out dimension of about 30 inches would fit most of the pallets in my stack.

 

[CurlyDave]

All good suggestions, only thing is, they don't address the question.

Thanks,
Arky

If I was absolutely dead-set on fixed spacing forks, I would go look at a pallet jack, like this one, - Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices and measure the spacing of the forks on it.

Can't go too far wrong there.

I have one, but it is in OR and I am in CA.

If you have a Harbor Freight nearby they would have one on display, any of the big box stores would have one that they use, or rental yards frequently have them.

 

[FallbrookFarmer]

If you were going to build bucket forks for your non QA bucket; AND your were going to build them in a manner that the width was not adjustable, what would be the maximum outside to outside dimension so that most pallets would fit ( I don't know if there is a standard for pallet construction, but even so, I doubt that pallets are all built to the same dimensions ).

Thanks,
Arky[/QUOTE

My pallet jack is : 27 inches outside edge of forks
14.5 inches inside edge to inside edge
6.25 inches, each fork
Hope it's helpful

 

[RickB]

All good suggestions, only thing is, they don't address the question.

Thanks,
Arky

I would not build pallet forks of any kind that were not adjustable for width. Non-adjustable forks are not useful enough to bother building or buying IMHO.

Your mileage may vary.

 

[Bennet.man]

Arky,
I am in the same boat as you; not having a QA bucket and wanting to build some sort of forks setup. Can you please post pics and descriptions on your build when you get started? I am curious on how you do it. Thanks.

 

[GE222]

A standard pallet jack is 27" wide. That would be fine, except if the load is on an uneven surface, it could be tippy.

If they have to be fixed, how about a mount that would allow individual rough adjustments. such as 27", 32", and 42" (just rough numbers).

 

[toy]

Arky I have had to deal with three different sizes of pallets. One of them you probably wouldn't have to deal with that often, and that one was used under a machine that was machine specific. The other two one of them had three cross members that run from front to back and the other had four. The problem that you would need to know is how wide you would need to make them to fit around two cross beams of a four cross beam pallet and still fit the three cross beam pallet. If your forks don't fit around the four beam pallet then you would have to unload them off center and I don't like to do that. I'll look and see if I have a four beam pallet I will measure that and get back to you on it, maybe someone else can get that measurement faster than I can though. I will also measure the outside distance of the beams. Hope someone else can getyou the answer before I can so you can get to work on it.

 

[tessiers]

Most of my standard pallets are 39", 45", or 52" wide. 3 skid pallets would be about 34" between outside skids. 4 skid pallets are usually 12" between center skids. I would go 32" out to out because wider is more stable and with a 4" fork you would have 24" between. My pallet jack in the shop is only 24" out to out and it sucks with the 4 skid pallets, most pallet jacks are too narrow for stability on rough ground. I managed for a long time with a set that attached to the loader arms on a Massey, 41" I think out to out. Just fit in a 45" pallet and the 39's I was SOL. The adjustable is the nicest thing since sliced bread but you gotta do what you gotta do. Good luck!!

 

[toy]

arky I just measured the three pallets that I have in my garrage. Two of them had three cross members and one had four. The two that had three cross members from the inside of the outside cross members one was 41 inches and one was 36 inches. The one that had four cross members was ten inches from outside to outside of the middle two cross members and the measurement between the two outside cross members on that one measuring from inside to inside was 24 and1/2. Like tessiers said it seems that the distances vary so maybe that will get you in the ball park to be able to make a useful set of fixed position forks, but it surely would be nice to have the adjustable forks. There have been quite a few threads of posters making forks on this web site maybe you could take a look at them and might be of a help to you on your build. Hope this is of some help to you. All the best on your build.

 

[HardlyWarcane]

Look at this - how hard could it be? As long as you have the welding gear and a little welding knowledge.
Pin them on and leave them ,or unpin and take off.
They work as a back stop for other loads in the bucket too!
These were take of a new Cat backhoe / tractor / loader. So there is probly a Pat. Pend. so don't build completly the same.

 

[HardlyWarcane]

Here is another way to make floating forks - now the pic is for a graple (nice work by the way !)
Now in your mind take away the center grapple arm ,you would have a pipe from one side to the other ... get an old pair of forklift forks or cut some "u" channel and weld in an "L" shape with a pipe welded to the top of the "L" and you could slid the forks where ever you wanted to - undo a pin and take them off ??? what ever!
Or here is a clamp on type fork - adjustable - Canada Forks - Canada's Best Suppliers for Tractor Bucket Attachments

Or here - Bucket forks and pallet forks by CTI for loaders, backhoes, skid steers
I just googled bucket forks and these sites showed up!
Goodluck!