Yup, another pallet fork thread by a newb :-)
- Thread starter Panik
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George2615
Super Member
Yes, the forks adjust from 6"-44" width
juddspaintballs
Silver Member
My only issue with those is that the grapple portion would be in the way when trying to lift a fully loaded pallet.
I know your wife is hating on a guy named James in Branson right about now.
Naw, I left your name out of the discussion. Realistically the grapple isn't going to happen, in fact I think I got laughed at when I mentioned it earlier today.
LOL, I'm pretty good at mission creep by myself without any encouragement. In all honesty we have 10 acres and the 3 acres that are cleared were well cared for by the previous owners. While I'd like to be able to justify a grapple I really can't for the work I need to accomplish. Besides we're in the process of fencing about 1/2 acre (3 board, vinyl coated wire, 4x6 post) as kid and dog containment. Between that and the little golden retriever girl we have coming in a month or so we're kinda tapped on grand and above level expenditures.
Quick aside, here's a pic of her older brother who came to live with us last year:
GolfAddict, thanks for clarifying about the angle of the forks in relation to the bucket. I really do like the idea of easy on and easy off. By any chance do you happen to know the weight of the forks? I'm not particularly worried as I have a neighbor with a skid steer that I can always lean on if needs be, but it'd be nice to have an idea how much of the weight capacity they Harry's forks consume.
I am going to try to email/call Harry this weekend about the spring mechanism. If I get any usefully info I will post it back here.
Thanks for the link. I'm not quite sure ebay is on the same page with what bucket forks are.... When I clicked on your link this is the first item that came up :confused3:
I'm guessing you were trying to point me towards the clamp on forks, that run around $170.00. I have seen the wood pallet forks you are talking about. I think the idea is really cool, and applaud the ingenuity but in truth if I am going to go through with getting forks I think I need something that will last in the long term.
TBH in order to be realistic about looking at getting forks, and I'm leaning toward the bxpanded version, I should give one of the local Kubota dealers a call a price out Kubota's QA system and a dedicated set of pallet forks. If for no other reason than the sticker shock will allow me to feel comfortable about spending 170.00 to 300.00 for clamp on forks.
brokenknee
Platinum Member
for the e bay ones you need to scroll down on the page.
puckgrinder85
Platinum Member
This was going to be my suggestion was some sort of tine system either built or bought to bolt into the bucket and give you fingers sticking out of the bucket. Our "brush" bucket is a standard bucket with 6-7 1" square steel tines welded in place. This could easily be made into something that would just bolt into the bucket and would give you a nice medium between forks and a brush handler and you still keep bucket capacity for loading stuff that might fall through the tines. Our obviously has the grapple but the tines work really well for raking into a brush pile. With curling back all the way you'd retain quite a bit of brush.
GolfAddict
Veteran Member
I don't know the weight, I'd guess about 20 lbs each fork. They are pretty light, don't reduce your lift capacity much. But I have to say that, though light, I don't think you could bend them with normal use on your loader. In my experience, you run out of lift power long before these would ever bend or something like that.
I'll be real interested to see that, thanks!
:drool: That would be so awesome to have.
Then you'd be able to quickly switch between bucket, forks, and your new grapple. (It's just a matter of time you know...
)
GolfAddict
Veteran Member
I should clarify that when I have truly maxed out the loader lift capacity using the forks (it was moving fresh cut oak logs), I was using four forks. I've never maxed out lift capacity using only two forks.
However, I move my implements (on pallets) around all the time using two forks. The rototiller weighs 520 lbs without the pallet.
Well, I had a good laugh with one of salesman at the Beshears Tractor yesterday. Called and asked about pricing on a QA plate, forks, and frame for the forks. After the salesman looked up pricing there was a big pause and his response was something to the effect of:
"ummm, I have a set of full size forks on site that are cheaper than what you are looking at. You might want to look at some of the after market options."
Basically in order to get outfitted with QA forks through Kubota would run over a grand. :yuck: BXpanded is looking more and more likely. Gonna get an email out to Harry sometime today. While it would be nice to have dedicated QA forks it ain't gonna happen for that price.
GolfAddict thanks for the weight info, at ~20lbs per fork that's downright reasonable. I still haven't decided between 2,3, or 4 forks yet. The grapple might happen someday, surprisingly the price of a QA plate by itself from Kubota was the only reasonably priced part of my conversation with the dealer at 300.00. So it's within the realm of possibilities to have a QA grapple...... maybe after all three kids have graduated from college :laughing:
"ummm, I have a set of full size forks on site that are cheaper than what you are looking at. You might want to look at some of the after market options."
Basically in order to get outfitted with QA forks through Kubota would run over a grand. :yuck: BXpanded is looking more and more likely. Gonna get an email out to Harry sometime today. While it would be nice to have dedicated QA forks it ain't gonna happen for that price.
GolfAddict thanks for the weight info, at ~20lbs per fork that's downright reasonable. I still haven't decided between 2,3, or 4 forks yet. The grapple might happen someday, surprisingly the price of a QA plate by itself from Kubota was the only reasonably priced part of my conversation with the dealer at 300.00. So it's within the realm of possibilities to have a QA grapple...... maybe after all three kids have graduated from college :laughing:
k0ua
Epic Contributor
How handy are you with the steel, so to speak? I have seen people make all of these things themselves. Welder, bandsaw and a good junk pile. On my last tractor I made the ignorant mistake of not getting the optional SSQA setup to start with. I bought it later and yes it was expensive. Far more than if I had gotten it to begin with.
HA! Interesting turn of phrase. In high school and college I shot competitively and at one point was on the U.S. National Shooting Team. Sadly, that doesn't help me a dang bit with welding/fabricating skills. That's on my list of skills to learn one of these days - however, time is a bit of a scarce commodity at the moment. I'm currently multi-tasking with typing and trying feed my daughter toddler blueberry super fruit pur馥, while listening to make sure her two older brothers aren't getting into trouble in the living room.
In truth I don't mind the 300.00 for Kubota's QA plate/bar. As far as I understand it attaches to the loader arms and works with the existing pin positions of Kubota buckets so no welding mods are necessary. And I believe there are aftermarket grapples that work with this configuration
I just am not interested in being raped by Kubota for the forks and fork frame. 900.00 for two forks and a frame is just a wee bit excessive.
In truth I don't mind the 300.00 for Kubota's QA plate/bar. As far as I understand it attaches to the loader arms and works with the existing pin positions of Kubota buckets so no welding mods are necessary. And I believe there are aftermarket grapples that work with this configuration
I just am not interested in being raped by Kubota for the forks and fork frame. 900.00 for two forks and a frame is just a wee bit excessive.
Poopdeck Pappy
Elite Member
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Panik, I haven't bought or used the BXpanded forks so I won't be any help. But I did want to say that Harry is a great guy to deal with and makes quality products. I recently bought and installed his Piranha toothbar on my BX23, and it is very well made and works great. I called and talked to Harry before I bought it. He was very helpful. Thumbs up to BXpanded.
k0ua
Epic Contributor
Ok, so you are "handy with the steel" but in a more traditional meaning!.. I shot USPSA/IPSC and IDPA for may years.
Here is my conversion of a pin on bucket to SSQA if you want a laugh.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/customization/208653-so-you-think-converting-pin.html
I shot American and International Skeet. Always wanted to trying practical shooting - I have browning hi-power that I would love to have fun with even if it meant a disadvantage in terms of capacity or power.
In any case I got an email out to Harry today and will post his responses to my questions when he replies.
In any case I got an email out to Harry today and will post his responses to my questions when he replies.
tjkubota93
Veteran Member
I welded one link of chain on the bottom of my bxpanded forks. I run a tie down from there around the bucket and to the one at the top that comes on them. They are sturdy, I have used them to hook a chain on to pull tractor out when stuck.
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tractorgp
Platinum Member
Don't know if you ran across my video on homemade forks. You can make them as long and as heavy as you like (keeping in mind your tractor loads). Anyway here's the video:
I basically just skimmed the thread. So take all I say with a grain of salt.
I bought a pair of the clamp on pallet forks (link below) for my Max25. I've only used them for about five hours. The prior owner of my property worked for the railroad. He used railroad ties for fence posts, buildings and left them littered across the property. I got the worst of it into piles over the years, but there have been areas that have never been mowed because I ran into crap he left behind.
So with the pallet forks on my 50" bucket I have been going through this spring and moving even the ones sunk into the dirt over to my burn pit.
<bragging>My BH has allowed me to pull the "dead" fence posts and then use the forks to move those to the burn pit as well.</bragging>
If things work out, this summer I'll be able to mow most of my property since I bought it.
It sounds like you have the talent to make a pallet to put under your cuttings. Or in my case, at my last company we used enough supplies and had enough deliveries that our supply manager had a stack of empty pallets by the loading dock that I could take all of them to just burn, for free.
So I'm suggesting that you don't blow off the cheap forks completely.
Clamp on Pallet Forks 1,500 lbs Capacity w/ Stabilizer Bar
I bought a pair of the clamp on pallet forks (link below) for my Max25. I've only used them for about five hours. The prior owner of my property worked for the railroad. He used railroad ties for fence posts, buildings and left them littered across the property. I got the worst of it into piles over the years, but there have been areas that have never been mowed because I ran into crap he left behind.
So with the pallet forks on my 50" bucket I have been going through this spring and moving even the ones sunk into the dirt over to my burn pit.
<bragging>My BH has allowed me to pull the "dead" fence posts and then use the forks to move those to the burn pit as well.</bragging>
If things work out, this summer I'll be able to mow most of my property since I bought it.
It sounds like you have the talent to make a pallet to put under your cuttings. Or in my case, at my last company we used enough supplies and had enough deliveries that our supply manager had a stack of empty pallets by the loading dock that I could take all of them to just burn, for free.
So I'm suggesting that you don't blow off the cheap forks completely.
Clamp on Pallet Forks 1,500 lbs Capacity w/ Stabilizer Bar
TJbeck93 - Thanks for the pictures, especially of the clamping mechanism. I like your idea of welding a link on the forks - I'm going to have to bribe my neighbor into a a wee bit of welding.
Tractorgp - I did indeed see you video. I like the ingenuity of your idea Out of curiosity have you every experienced any issues with the fork slipping, i.e. sliding out of parallel with each other when in use?
Jimpen - Thanks for the inspiration! I too have a ton of railroad ties that the former owner put into use for landscaping. Forks of some form are a necessity. We have a 5' RR tie retaining wall that needs rebuilding, multiple RR tie steps that are at the end of their life expectancy, as well as road edging and planter beds that will need work in the next several years. Have you figured out a disposal solution? My local landfill won't accept them so I am getting ready to start looking at any waste to energy facilities in the region that will take them and hoping I might find one that accepts ties without a permit.
Tractorgp - I did indeed see you video. I like the ingenuity of your idea Out of curiosity have you every experienced any issues with the fork slipping, i.e. sliding out of parallel with each other when in use?
Jimpen - Thanks for the inspiration! I too have a ton of railroad ties that the former owner put into use for landscaping. Forks of some form are a necessity. We have a 5' RR tie retaining wall that needs rebuilding, multiple RR tie steps that are at the end of their life expectancy, as well as road edging and planter beds that will need work in the next several years. Have you figured out a disposal solution? My local landfill won't accept them so I am getting ready to start looking at any waste to energy facilities in the region that will take them and hoping I might find one that accepts ties without a permit.
As a separate issue I did receive a reply from Harry to my questions:
1) Have you established a per fork weight capacity?
The forks are stronger than the loader. We never heard of a bent fork or bucket. We rate the forks at 600 lbs per pair, at 12 from the base.
2) Is there an easy way to service the clamping mechanism/spring holding the forks to the bucket lip? Please excuse the question but I have heard of people occasionally losing the spring out of the clamps. If I am mistaken please accept my apologies.
There is a very easy adjustment if the clips get loose.
3) Would you be willing to provide a width measurement for the clamps? My reason for asking is that one of my bucket hooks is attached just to the inside of the level indicator and I would like to know how much that will offset my placement of the forks.
The clamps are approximately 7 wide. The outside edge of the fork would be about 3 from the hook. The bracket will fit outboard of the level indicator.
4) I know of one gentleman who had issues with Kubota having changed the bucket lip design on his bx25 and as a result you were gracious enough to work with him on providing a solution. Is there a way to determine in advance if this is going to be an issue? Or have you been able to make adjustments to your clamps so that Kubota's changes are not problematic?
The bucket aberrations have not shown up on any of the BXs except the BX25. It shouldn't be an issue on the BX2350.
I am going to go ahead and place an order with Harry for a set of forks. From all reports it sounds like he has an awesome product that will fit my current and future need. I do greatly appreciate everyone's input and all of the good ideas and products that have been suggested.
1) Have you established a per fork weight capacity?
The forks are stronger than the loader. We never heard of a bent fork or bucket. We rate the forks at 600 lbs per pair, at 12 from the base.
2) Is there an easy way to service the clamping mechanism/spring holding the forks to the bucket lip? Please excuse the question but I have heard of people occasionally losing the spring out of the clamps. If I am mistaken please accept my apologies.
There is a very easy adjustment if the clips get loose.
3) Would you be willing to provide a width measurement for the clamps? My reason for asking is that one of my bucket hooks is attached just to the inside of the level indicator and I would like to know how much that will offset my placement of the forks.
The clamps are approximately 7 wide. The outside edge of the fork would be about 3 from the hook. The bracket will fit outboard of the level indicator.
4) I know of one gentleman who had issues with Kubota having changed the bucket lip design on his bx25 and as a result you were gracious enough to work with him on providing a solution. Is there a way to determine in advance if this is going to be an issue? Or have you been able to make adjustments to your clamps so that Kubota's changes are not problematic?
The bucket aberrations have not shown up on any of the BXs except the BX25. It shouldn't be an issue on the BX2350.
I am going to go ahead and place an order with Harry for a set of forks. From all reports it sounds like he has an awesome product that will fit my current and future need. I do greatly appreciate everyone's input and all of the good ideas and products that have been suggested.
