Question on Pallet Forks

[dragoneggs]

Hey Diggin It,

I am not familiar with your tractor but I am dang happy with my Jery's QA and adjustable forks. Being that I have a SCUT, I wanted to make sure I maximized my pallet lifting load, I steered way clear of clamp ons. I can swap out my bucket for forks in less than a minute. I also love the adjustable sliding forks that adds so much versatility. My QA and forks are very light but plenty strong to lift anything my hydraulics can handle.

Again, I vote for a QA arrangement!

 

[deezler]

my chain on titan forks are doing great handling the 1200 lb concrete hog slats

Well, duh, your loader is rated for what, 3000+ lbs? Us guys on compacts have a bit more of a struggle.

 

[Diggin It]

I don't even know if any type of QA gizmo is possible for these littler machines, but even if they are, I'm pretty sure they'd cost more than a set of forks. Kinda wish people would move away from that angle.

 

[tomplum]

I don't even know if any type of QA gizmo is possible for these littler machines, but even if they are, I'm pretty sure they'd cost more than a set of forks. Kinda wish people would move away from that angle.

The Q/A stuff does work well without lots of effort so they're a popular solution- but I think some folks don't realize that you have a pinned on bucket. The clamp ons are the most popular solution for these pin on buckets. I think that you would be fine with them. All that being said, I'm watching this thread thinking you just may come up with something kinda slick to have forks w/o adding a bunch of weight.

 

[Xfaxman]

I don't even know if any type of QA gizmo is possible for these littler machines, but even if they are, I'm pretty sure they'd cost more than a set of forks. Kinda wish people would move away from that angle.

The Q/A stuff does work well without lots of effort so they're a popular solution- but I think some folks don't realize that you have a pinned on bucket. The clamp ons are the most popular solution for these pin on buckets. I think that you would be fine with them. All that being said, I'm watching this thread thinking you just may come up with something kinda slick to have forks w/o adding a bunch of weight.

Do what I did, made some pin on forks:

 

[deezler]

I don't even know if any type of QA gizmo is possible for these littler machines, but even if they are, I'm pretty sure they'd cost more than a set of forks. Kinda wish people would move away from that angle.

Yeah sorry, though that might have been helpful to make clear right up front. The LS website, perhaps intentionally, doesn't show any clear pics of the back of the bucket. So it was hard to tell if you had SSQA or not.

While adapting SSQA to your loader would be somewhat expensive, it would also be HEAVY. Relatively speaking, anyway. So it really isn't so practical for the littler machines. some cheap clamp-ons should do you just fine.

 

[4570Man]

I don't even know if any type of QA gizmo is possible for these littler machines, but even if they are, I'm pretty sure they'd cost more than a set of forks. Kinda wish people would move away from that angle.

It’s the far better way. But if you’re happy not being able to see the forks and lifting maybe 300 pounds are possibly bending the bucket than have at it.

 

[deezler]

It’s the far better way. But if you’re happy not being able to see the forks and lifting maybe 300 pounds are possibly bending the bucket than have at it.

Eh, chill out a bit there. He doesn't have SSQA now. Should he try to fabricate it all himself? We're talking hours and hours of work, hundreds of dollars invested, and probably 150+ lbs of loader capacity lost for the adapter and bucket mods needed.

I've used my clamp-on pallet forks to lift my entire loader capacity hundreds of times now, no bent bucket yet - but I do have a beefy toothbar that the forks clamp onto.

 

[4570Man]

Eh, chill out a bit there. He doesn't have SSQA now. Should he try to fabricate it all himself? We're talking hours and hours of work, hundreds of dollars invested, and probably 150+ lbs of loader capacity lost for the adapter and bucket mods needed.

I've used my clamp-on pallet forks to lift my entire loader capacity hundreds of times now, no bent bucket yet - but I do have a beefy toothbar that the forks clamp onto.

If this was going to be a frequently used tool it would be well worth the couple hundred dollar investment. If it’s going to be used once a year than probably not. I personally don’t see how you could not use forks all the time. If I could only have my bucket or the forks I’d pick forks. I doubt a SSQA would weigh 150 pounds for this size machine but even if it did your forks would lift a lot more like that.

 

[k0ua]

The desire for some SSQA forks was my initial reason for converting my previous tractor a Kubota L3400 from pin on to SSQA. I should have bought it with SSQA from the start. But I just didn't understand the importance of SSQA and how it allowed for versatility to add forks, grapples or boom poles or anything else your mind can think up and you can build. I paid dearly for the conversion where it would not have cost that much up front if I had the brains to buy it in the first place.

I had a nice pair of clamp on forks, and in my opinion, they sucked. I did get some use out of them, but they certainly were of limited use as compared to an actual set of SSQA forks. The bucket being out there in the way limiting your vision is only one of the problems, and of course the ever popular loss of lift because of the forks stuck out in front of bucket is another, BUT another problem not mentioned is the fact you cannot put ANY side pressure on these clamp on forks as they will fold up like an accordion. This happens a lot and is quite annoying. Another annoying factor for clamp on forks, or at least the ones I had was if you drag them backwards just a little bit on the ground as you pull out of a pallet the forks come off. Yeah, happened a lot to me.

Bottom line, clamp on forks, yes got some use out of them,. They were a pain to use for many reasons, and they were "weak" in lifting ability. I couldn't wait to convert to SSQA and get some forks.

 

[deezler]

If this was going to be a frequently used tool it would be well worth the couple hundred dollar investment. If it’s going to be used once a year than probably not. I personally don’t see how you could not use forks all the time. If I could only have my bucket or the forks I’d pick forks. I doubt a SSQA would weigh 150 pounds for this size machine but even if it did your forks would lift a lot more like that.

Yeah, you're not wrong.

I mean shoot, I'm planning to buy a whole new tractor just for some extra loader capacity and SSQA.

 

[crashz]

I moved an incredible amount of stuff with my 770 and clamp on forks. In fact, those forks were rated for about 4000lbs and meant for a tractor backhoe or wheel loader, so they were heavy.

The only issues I had were ballast related. The model 70 loader (which is no power house) had enough power to move the pallets to a usable height, but i was constantly fighting tractor instability. Never had any bucket issues but mine was rebuilt by a pro a long time ago.

I moved my father's entire company by using that combo and loading seven 53ft trailers! Full to the ceiling! Took me months of weekend work.

Some things to consider(I'm probably repeating for the million-th time):
- The load will be placed pretty far out. mine was at least 4 inches beyond the cutting edge. Even light weigh will may the tractor very unstable, so be careful.
- Don't use this as a work platform! My 770 is a little bigger that your machine. I tried this and nearly flipped the tractor over. I thought I had it well ballasted. Probably was fine front to back. I walked to the far corner, opposite rear tire lifted, pivoted on the front axle... you fill in the blanks. No permanent damage and no injury only due to extreme luck or divine intervention.
- The clamps will hold tight, but the ends always seem to move laterally. Especially when you don't want them too. A bar to hold them would work, but you'll lose adjustability.
- Don't try to poke things with them. Solid folks can (shouldn't) dig a little. These cannot.

 

[k0ua]

Yeah the last thing on earth I would do is put a man lift basket of some kind on a set of clamp on forks. And it might just be the last thing on earth you do. Man that scares me just to think about it.

 

[4570Man]

Yeah, you're not wrong.

I mean shoot, I'm planning to buy a whole new tractor just for some extra loader capacity and SSQA.

That’s what I did. I used to have a L3130 geared machine LA524 loader and bolt on bucket. I sold it and bought the L3240 with HST+ LA724 loader and SSQA. Much better.

 

[AchingBack]

I don't even know if any type of QA gizmo is possible for these littler machines, but even if they are, I'm pretty sure they'd cost more than a set of forks. Kinda wish people would move away from that angle.

Notice the black, pinned on, quick attach adaptor, between my loader and forks. I purchased it in 2010 from my Mahindra dealer for $425.55. It takes 5-10 minutes to change from forks to bucket. It was manufactured by KMW, Kansas Machine Works, part #1304-2043.

I don't know how much it weighs, but I do realize it reduces my lift capacity. I also realize my heavy duty Rankin forks do too. The are rated at 3600 lb. capacity, and are very heavy. More than I needed. But they were the only ones my dealer had, were kind of in his way, and I got a great deal on them, $795.00. In the first photo you can see the modifications I made so I can use them on the 3 point hitch.

 

[4570Man]

Notice the black, pinned on, quick attach adaptor, between my loader and forks. I purchased it in 2010 from my Mahindra dealer for $425.55. It takes 5-10 minutes to change from forks to bucket. It was manufactured by KMW, Kansas Machine Works, part #1304-2043.

I don't know how much it weighs, but I do realize it reduces my lift capacity. I also realize my heavy duty Rankin forks do too. The are rated at 3600 lb. capacity, and are very heavy. More than I needed. But they were the only ones my dealer had, were kind of in his way, and I got a great deal on them, $795.00. In the first photo you can see the modifications I made so I can use them on the 3 point hitch.

Here’s a mount I saw at the farm show that looks pretty similar.

 

[BoneStock]

Very interesting. Need more info and pictures of how it latches at the bottom. Did you modify the top of the fork to fit on the Quick Attach?

I will attempt to post pictures when the rain here stops. As for info; these are Class II Forks, 16” channel to channel. Each fork is 7,500 lbs rated. The top channel sits atop of my QA top section and the lower channel sits just inside the opening. I cannot do any pulling or prying, but forks are not designed for that to begin with. The QA is what my RK19 came with from the factory.

 

[Xfaxman]

I will attempt to post pictures when the rain here stops. As for info; these are Class II Forks, 16 channel to channel. Each fork is 7,500 lbs rated. The top channel sits atop of my QA top section and the lower channel sits just inside the opening. I cannot do any pulling or prying, but forks are not designed for that to begin with. The QA is what my RK19 came with from the factory.

OK that answers my question. They aren't latched, gravity holds them to the QA.

A lot of places sell just the Class II frame that your forks would fit on:

 

[4570Man]

OK that answers my question. They aren't latched, gravity holds them to the QA.

A lot of places sell just the Class II frame that your forks would fit on:
View attachment 592889

I had some of the gravity forks on my l3130 that dropped on the bucket. They were awful and fell off all the time.

 

[dragoneggs]

I thought I would post this thread I started a couple years ago when I was in the market for forks for my BX. This might not be of help to the OP because I don't know if Jery makes a version for his tractor but maybe worth a read for others... again I strongly recommend dedicated forks vs. clamp on if you want decent lift capability and don't want to risk ruining your bucket.

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/377403-bx-oem-qa-forks-vs.html