anyone built "slow-attach" forks?

[oldboyscout]

I was thinking of welding eyes to a set of forks or frame that would simply fit in place of a bucket. I know this would be slower than having a skid steer type attachment, bit it seems like it would be very easy. Has anyone tried?

 

[hr3]

Not sure about the ford you have but on the Kubota when you take the bucket off all you have is the ends of the loader arms and bucket cylinders,,

 

[oldboyscout]

the ends of the cylinders pin onto the bucket. What I'm thinking is a simple frame with forks (like a 3pth carryall) that would simply pin onto the cylinders.

 

[George2615]

I made a cheap set of carry all type forks. They can mount onto my bucket or rear 3 pt.
For the bucket, they just sit in the bucket. The top has a set of tabs that fit just over the outside of my 2" center mount hitch that is welded to the bucket top. A large pin slides through to hold it.
Mine are 4" x 1-1/2" channel welded to 2-1/2" x 1-1/2" rectangle steel and some 1/4" flat steel for bracing. These forks will hold more than my bucket can lift.

 

[smiley]

oldboyscout,
I have exactly what your talking about and it's factory made, on a light duty ARK loader that I adapted to my old Allis chalmers B. The forks look very similar to the ones George2615 built in the picture above. It just has angle irons on the back side of the frame that the lift arms and cylinders fit between, then you put the pins from the bucket in and your in business. It takes me longer getting on and off the tractor than it does to change bucket/forks, that's mostly because the forks and bucket are light enough to move into position by hand. I recently adapted the forks to use on the 3 pt hitch of my Cub Lo Boy, by bolting a channel iron in the center, to attach the top link. If interested I can post a photo

 

[Egon]

Some easily built forks.

 

[BHD]

I adapted my three point bale fork for the old loader and used the pins to hook it up,

it is one royal pain in the rear, it is doable and works, first what happens, is the forks or bucket is never level, so you have to adjust the loader arms to accept one pin, and then the other side, then the bucket tilt cylinders, will not be the same length and they do not hold them selfs out at the correct height, so you go lift the cylinder up and see how short or long, and try to adjust it by guess most of the time, and hope both move the same, and when you get it pin it and then the last one is a little easer, and then your done, (this is much more fun in blowing snow and sub zero temperatures),

built your self a quick attach system, for your bucket and your forks,

there were a lot of time because of the trouble to switch the units out you did not do it and either figured out a different way or put that job off, until you had more need to switch,

yes I had the old school system and would not go back, but it is do able,

 

[oldboyscout]

Trying to avoid the forks that attach to the bucket because I'm hoping to save lift capacity by keeping close to thepins. It's mainly for moving pallets of firewood.
I'd love to use it on the 3pth for stability, but without a hydraulic top link there's no way it will work around my uneven ground.
I thought of buying just the whole setup and welding eyes for the pins, but I doubt the frame spacing would happen to work out just right.
3-pt. Pallet Fork - Agri Supply

 

[niemeyjt]

I did something similar to what OP proposes - I posted pictures of it in an earlier thread:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...55399-forks-front-end-loader.html#post1899769

J

 

[skipmarcy]

This was my original 5' pinned-on bucket that came with my tractor. I made a set of 4 of these forks and drilled the bucket to attach any or all of them. They have lifted unbelievably well for me, just have to get used to them. After I bought the QA adapter and new 6' bucket for my tractor 5 years ago I cut the ears off this bucket and welded the QA plate on back. Now I leave a set of forks mounted on it ready to use.

The forks are made from receiver tubing so they can cost you a little but they have never come close to bending and I've lifted the rear of the tractor off the ground with them many, many times. I simply cut the ends tapered and welded flat steel and then dressed it all up with a grinder. What's nice too is that you can use the forks with taper up or down and you can mount the forks under the bucket or inside it, whatever works for you. The flat plates I use for back-up in the bucket are just plain 3/16 flat steel. The bolts are 3/4" with nyloc nuts so they don't vibrate loose. It takes a couple minutes to install a pair with a ratchet & wrench but is simple and now that I don't use that bucket for anything else it's ready whenever. I've used all 4 at once to pick up loose debris for loading. Most things I do just take the two forks mounted in the outboard holes. On some smaller pallets I have to use the inner holes in the bucket. I also have 2 sets of holes in the forks themselves to shorten or lengthen them when mounting.