Clamp on pallet forks

[twowoode]

This is what I made for brush moving/hauling....Works well for small logs too....

DL, is that square tubing? What size and wall thickness?

 

[Rob REECE]

What is the consensus on those? I just need something to move brush from point a to point b, less than bucket load limitation by far. Or should i still get the qa version?

https://www.palletforks.com/skid-steers/pallet-forks-and-accessories/pallet-fork-attachment-with-pallet-fork-blades-–-skid-steer-quick-tach/133210.html

Would it fit my l2501 without any mod?

thanks.

Get a grapple bucket.

 

[Omega Woods]

Buy once, cry once. I have clamp ons and I wish I'd have just bought regular forks. Unless you just can't afford the qa forks, get a decent set and enjoy having the right tool for the job forever.

 

[dickhob]

I bought these 2yrs ago. If your use is for brush/log cleanup they do a great job. You can't beat them for the price.

60" CLAMP-ON DEBRIS FORKS V2

 

[Navvet]

I got the clamp-on to use for the rare occasions I need forks. They work great and store away in minimal space.

I have lifted several #3,000 pallets of blocks without a problem.

 

[bruceha2000]

You will want 42" long 1500-2000 pound forks if you are buying new

I got those when I bought my tractor. I later bought some 36" ones because I built firewood dry/store racks that I move to the porch landing for use. The racks are only 38" deep so the 42s passed through. Wouldn't be a problem except I want the rack right up against the door. The 42s are better for log carrying though.

Get a grapple bucket.

BIG BUCKS, especially if you need to get hydraulic power to the front either with a diverter kit or a 3rd function.

I wouldn't think it takes more time to swap a bucket for SSQA forks than it takes to mount the clamp on forks. Plus you don't need to carry the weight of the forks from storage to tractor and back. Personally, for the reasons stated by some prior respondents, I wouldn't get clamp ons unless I just couldn't afford SSQA or I had a pin on bucket.

Some things I do with my SSQA forks that I would not do with clamp ons.

• Dig rocks; bent bucket anyone?
• Carry well over 1,000 # of logs.
• Carry the wood racks, they hold a run. Again, bent bucket anyone? Plus with the weight WAY out there, my tractor probably couldn't lift them when full. Spec'ed at 1,650# to full height at the pins.
• I made a "poor man's logging winch". Yeah slow. Yeah more work with pulling the cable out multiple times. But a lot cheaper than a PTO forestry winch and I don't cut that much wood annually. 5,000# UTV winch I mounted on a metal plate, U shaped brackets underneath to hold it down on the forks. Slide the whole thing to the back of the forks and attach the metal plate to the tractor frame so there is no pressure on the loader or fork frame. Attach wires to the battery. Couldn't do anything like that with the bucket in the way.

 

[5030]

I got the clamp-ons and the cross bar to help stop twisting of the forks for my L3800. I also now have a warped bucket. Seems all the weight is placed on the bucket at the clamp point which is very far forward from bucket pivot point. As for moving brush or tree limbs, stuff like that, when dumping, the forks (even with the cross bar) would slide sideways out of alignment no matter how much torque I used. I changed the bucket to QA and now have QA forks. Much better for me.

The inherent issue with clamp on forks on a material bucket is if you overload them, you put a smile in the lower sheet and it's very hard to remove. It can be done with the correct tools but not a backyard wrench task. Most tractors today are sold with light duty material buckets. You usually have to specify an excavation bucket to get one. All I have and no I don't use clamp on forks either.

 

[JLH4]

The problem I found with clamp-ons is if you want to load some-thing into the bucket, 48" log, lumber etc, it will stop at the clamps or if it goes over the clamps it jams up against the clamps on the inside. I made these strap-on forks.

 

[7010P]

What is the consensus on those? I just need something to move brush from point a to point b, less than bucket load limitation by far. Or should i still get the qa version?

https://www.palletforks.com/skid-steers/pallet-forks-and-accessories/pallet-fork-attachment-with-pallet-fork-blades-–-skid-steer-quick-tach/133210.html

Would it fit my l2501 without any mod?

thanks.

I bought pallet forks originally as well and they worked pretty well for some lighter loads. I have a 100Gal tank that I carry in my truck to get diesel and found that the forks would bend my bucket a bit with that kind of load approx. 1000lb of load plus they bounced a lot. I had to use a 3/8 plate steel to keep them from bending the bucket with that kind of load though and I suggest the same thing. I recently bought an EA pallet forks capable of 4400 lbs which is more than my loader can lift (~3400lbs) and am very pleased with them even though they cost me severely. If your in the northeast Texas area I would sell the clamp-on bucket forks for $100. They are Titan brand and yes they are used and I bought the 2Klb capable ones so they are heavy duty.

 

[mgstevens]

I have the 1500lb clamp on forks from Titan and I like them. It's true you'll use them for a LOT more than brush - at least I do - and also true that they can distort the bottom of a loader bucket if used improperly. Improper use is just using the clamps to hold the bottom of the bucket. They have vertical members that will hold either a wooden upright, or some 2x3 steel box tube, which is to be chained around the bucket for additional stability. After noticing some bucket distortion, I began using the uprights and saw a marked improvement in the solidity of the forks - go figure!

For the price - think I paid about $145 - you can't go wrong, unless you want to heft heavy loads. Then get a set of proper forks. My loader will only lift about 500lb, so the loads I can handle at any rate are vastly under the capacity of these forks.

 

[JBF43]

I bought these 2yrs ago. If your use is for brush/log cleanup they do a great job. You can't beat them for the price.

60" CLAMP-ON DEBRIS FORKS V2

I bought one of these several years ago and have used the daylights out of it with no bucket damage or warpage. This past summer I also added "The Thumb' grapple to the top of the bucket. This combination of the debris fork and 'The Thumb' makes brush/ debris clean-up phenomenal. Just open the thumb, drive into the pile, clamp the thumb down and drive away with a huge amount of debris that doesn't move until you are ready to dump it. The multiple bars/ tines keep a lot of stuff from falling through vs just 2 forks.
Prior to this, I made my own clamp-on forks from 2 X 3 square tube with 2 sets of clamp bolts on each fork. THey still shifted, so I picked s good with and made an "H" bar out of angle iron to bolt between the forks once installed on the bucket. This eliminated the shifting problem. These also did not bend or warp the bucket. One thing I should mention is that prior to doing this type of work with my pin on loader bucket, I purchased some either 3/8" or 1/2" X10" flat bar and beefed up the bottom side of the bucket so the entire bottom of the bucket is equal thickness with the back edge of the scraper blade. This was done purposely so my bucket wouldn't have the built-in 'smile' I have seen in so many other buckets. The top of my bucket also has an added 2" square tube brace welded across it for top side reinforcement.

 

[stoppinb]

this is what i bought last year, use them a lot

man prices went up..... i paid 163 with tax

Amazon.com: Titan Attachments Light-Duty 46" Clamp-on Pallet Forks Stabilizer Bar Rated 1,500 LB Loader or Skid Steer : Patio, Lawn & Garden

Amazon.com: Titan Attachments Light-Duty 46" Clamp-on Pallet Forks Stabilizer Bar Rated 1,500 LB Loader or Skid Steer : Patio, Lawn & Garden

www.amazon.com

Bought some clamp-on forks for my first John Deere 15 years ago brilliant although mine don't have the spacer bar, they will be getting one now.

 

[Smokeydog]

Used the clamp on forks for years on non-ssqa tractors. Cheap and versatile.

Tools for tightening L&T bolts.

The clamp on forks are the preferred tool for digging sweet potatoes. Size and rounded corners minimize crop damage.

Have ssqa Bobcat forks too. Both have their best use.

 

[CoveredWagon2]

I have some "Home-Made" clamp on forks. they work great for most things. My tractor is a 2007 Kubota BX24, so I have limitatoins on how much I can lift. I have found those limits many times! I have bent my bucket at the clamp points, but not a big deal. I considered the QA option so I can get a real grappel, but is not cost effective considering the age and limitation of my tractor. I may add additional forks and a manual grappel for brush and stuff.

 

[KenEtch]

Does you loader already have the SSQA carrier?

If so, you'll never regret getting real forks, you'll use then 1000x more than you thing you will.

Lost of lift capacity, loss of visibility, having the load sooo far out in front (reduced maneuverability), and the risk of bending the bucket are all reasons not to get them. IMHO.

Amen in triplicate. I found clamp on forks inconvenient, always slipping sideways with lateral force, and huge loss of lifting capacity. With SSQA forks you can easily slide forks for different width items, lift MUCH more weight safely, and you'll find more uses than you dreamed of. Sold my clamp on forks, got SSQA & never regreted.

 

[jeff9366]

My loader has the factory qa bucket, so does that mean i can use any universal skidsteer pallet fork?

No.

SSQA and a Kubota pin on quick attach bucket are incompatible.

I have had both on Kubota tractors.

 

[swreeder]

I have a set that I used for several years on an old Yanmar tractor. I abused the heck out of them and that tractor, carrying massive loads of cedar and brush. I had some small dimples on the bucket where they clamped down, but no major damage with about 7 years of hard use.

 

[check]

I have some "Home-Made" clamp on forks. they work great for most things. My tractor is a 2007 Kubota BX24, so I have limitatoins on how much I can lift. I have found those limits many times! I have bent my bucket at the clamp points, but not a big deal. I considered the QA option so I can get a real grappel, but is not cost effective considering the age and limitation of my tractor. I may add additional forks and a manual grappel for brush and stuff.

Bxpanded.com has great bucket forks for your BX. Check it out. I have them myself.

 

[WranglerX]

DL, is that square tubing? What size and wall thickness?

Tube is 1-1/2 X 1-1/2 X .140.... Small tractor small forks..... May have been a little shy on material size, maybe 2 x 2 x .145 or .188 would have been better....

 

[VoyagernOK]

Though I am a huge fan of Titan Attachments, I wouldn't consider a non-adjustable set of pallet forks. I.e. the forks need to be able to adjust in and out to be different widths apart. We use them to lift all sorts of things and sometimes need them just 2' apart and sometimes up to 4' apart or more. They work great for picking up landscape boulders and placing them just where/how you want them... much better than a bucket for us. They work not only for picking up pallets, but also for picking up barrels, picking up manhole rings/lids, even picking up and moving other implements without having to connect/disconnect.
Forks will very often slip under things that a bucket won't. I've even seen a guy dig a 16" deep narrow trench for running a waterline by removing one fork and using the other like a long fixed spade.

I still prefer my grapples for picking up brush and stumps so that I can clamp them solidly. But I could see securing a load on a pallet fork if you had to move it a ways.