Forks Bolt on pallet forks / bale spear question

[Foxpoint]

I have a Kubota L3130 with the 753 loader. What I want to do is move 4ft wide by 6ft d round bales around my property, stacking in a barn, etc.

I also see a need for pallet forks for all the neat things you use them for. I have a quick attach bucket, however, attachments for these can get a little pricy.

I was thinking about either clamp on pallet forks like the Paynes or a clamp on bale spear. Or, if finances allow, skid steer type quick attach pallet forks.

My question is, has anyone used pallet forks like one would use a bale spear to move round bales around? If you do, what kind of set up would you recommend?

Thanks!

 

[ArkCivEngr]

I have some pallet forks that clamp onto the front of the loader bucket on my LA463 loader. There is a chain that comes out of the back end of each fork and wraps over the top of the bucket. It is then tightened down with a boom to a receiving gap in the front of the fork.

I've moved round bales around with mine, but it takes some pretty exact movements to get the forks in the right spot without digging into a trailer bed or bending a tailgate--both of which I have done. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif My forks aren't pointed enough to use for a spear. I got my forks because I will be doing a lot of logging this winter. They cost about $400; quite a bit cheaper than the $1100 or so that skid-steer frame forks would have cost. Being an economy-type loader (and tractor), there wasn't even a Kubota-made quick-change bucket available for that loader.

The forks are very sturdy and should last as long as I need them, but booming them down is almost always a pain because attaching to one link is too tight (impossible to latch down), but the next link down is so loose it won't even stay on! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif If I had it to do over, I'd probably have either sprung for the quick-tatch bucket and skid-steer frame forks, or gotten another tractor/loader combo which had it available.

If you're going to be doing a lot of round bale moving, I would STRONGLY suggest the quick-tatch bucket and spear/forks. A thousand bucks up front is well worth the time, sweat, cursing, and skinned knuckles you're sure to enjoy otherwise. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Donnyj]

Check around on prices for the QA pallet forks. I bought a nice heavy duty set for my Kioti DK45S in May of this year for $600.00 dollars. I don't know how much they have gone up since then if any. I find alot of uses for them. Great for unloading logs off of trailers. I use the forks for holding the logs up off the ground about waist high to cut into firewood lengths. No more bending over. Am I getting lazier or smarter? /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[gabby]

I use pallet spears. One of the most useful tools I have. At least 10 times more useful than a single spear. Make sure they're spaced close enough together to fit a standard pallet, about 30 inches center/center.
gabby

 

[jinman]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( have some pallet forks that clamp onto the front of the loader bucket on my LA463 loader. There is a chain that comes out of the back end of each fork and wraps over the top of the bucket. It is then tightened down with a boom to a receiving gap in the front of the fork.
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It sounds like you have the same forks I have (see attachment). I like those forks except that when I bump something out on the end of the forks, they move and aren't parallel anymore. I have a quick attach 3PH adapter for my loader, so I can put a bale spear on my FEL or the 3PH. I really like that best for handling round bales.

 

[cowboydoc]

Roundbales get awfully heavy especially with a compact tractor. I would highly recommend getting the quick attach setup vs. the clamp ons. Also alot of the clamp/bolts ons you see the bucket get bent pretty easily. Once your bucket is bent it's next to impossible to get it right again.

Also the spears usually have to smaller spears on the sides and below to stabilize it. We have these type of spears and never have a problem with them.

 

[jrdellaratta]

How are these on lifting pallets of flagstone? I may have to move about 4 pallets, only once (hopefully), but don't want to pop for a pallet fork attachment for my FEL; rather just the spears to clamp on to the bucket.

 

[cowboydoc]

I regularly lift more than the loader was originally designed for, reset the relief valve, and I have not bent the forks one bit on the quick attach forks. Every bucket I've ever seen with clamp on forks is bent though. I had the bright idea a few years ago I was going to save money and modify a spear for my skidsteer and bolt it onto the bucket of my skidsteer to get bales inside the barn easier. First bale I lift I bowed the bucket. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif I heated and pounded on it for a day trying to get it level again. It's better but still isn't right. Real pain now trying to level roads, gravel, scooping manure, and such. New bucket for the skidsteer is $1234. The quick attach spear was $400. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Any idea what the weight of the pallets are? I just moved some flagstone flats and some limestone edging, both were on pallets. I had a heck of a time moving lifting them and I was using the 3pt with pallet forks. My tractors are smaller than a 990 and I don't know what the 430 loader is rated for, but I suspect that a B2910's 3pt hitch would probably lift about what a 430 loader would lift? If the pallets are stacked 32" to 36" high I'm going to gess you won't get them up in the air.

 

[ArkCivEngr]

Yep, that's it. Better than nothing, but I'd still rather have a QA bucket and forks/frame.

 

[jrdellaratta]

Thanks for the insight. The stone on these pallets is stacked at least 2', and maybe as much as 3' high. Nor are they wrapped---this stone was removed from a walkway/set of steps that I had replaced with a longer, sloped walkway. The ols stone is stacked on the pallets that brought the new stone in. I didn't want to toss the old stone, thinking another use might arise for the old stone. But now I want to move the pallets, from where they are stored now.

But this is sage advice: the last thing I need is a bent bucket. So I will look into a quick-attach set of forks to move the stone.

 

[rambler]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( </font><font color="blueclass=small">( have some pallet forks that clamp onto the front of the loader bucket on my LA463 loader. There is a chain that comes out of the back end of each fork and wraps over the top of the bucket. It is then tightened down with a boom to a receiving gap in the front of the fork.
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It sounds like you have the same forks I have (see attachment). I like those forks except that when I bump something out on the end of the forks, they move and aren't parallel anymore. I have a quick attach 3PH adapter for my loader, so I can put a bale spear on my FEL or the 3PH. I really like that best for handling round bales. )</font>


I bought those same forks from the maker, at an ag show. Got the smaller of his 2 sizes, was $225 with the chain clamps - what are they called? Duh.

Anyhow, throw those chain binders - thats it! - away, & get the screw type. They can be more infinitly adjusted.

I like these as the top of the bucket is supporting some of the weight. As others say, bale spears or pallet forks bolted onto the bottom of the bucket tend to bend the bucket.

You can't use one of these pallet forks for a bale spear - not sharp enough. I tried. Won't work.

If one is serious about lifting round bales with a loader, get a dedicated front fork. That will keep the bale a bit closer to you, instead of out farther in front of the bucket. Gets really hard on the tractor the farther out that big bale is.

Don't like to pick up round bales with forks under the bale - can, but that is an accident waiting to happen, as the bale can roll back on you way too easy if you lift up & don't tilt....

I much prefer a 3pt bale carrier, much easier on the tractor.

--->Paul

 

[Mavrik02]

I have a set of Paynes light duty forks (up to 800 lbs). I have been moving around 8 boxes of cultured stone (concrete) at a time on a pallet. I estimate that they weigh about 560 lbs (in total). If the CK30 can lift it the clamp on forks can tough it out. They have been a great asset so far and I haven't had any problem with the bucket.