bucket forks

[billycalexander]

I have a friend who simply drilled 4 5/8" holes in his bucket and then bolts his forks to his bucket when he needs them. They are made out of a staight piece of 1 1/2" by 4" C channel. What are the drawbacks to this arrangement?

 

[Anonymous Poster]

C channel isn't all that strong - if you hook a pretty hefty load way out on the ends.

The bucket itself might not be all that strong, and can warp if you drill the holes fairly close together & put some real weight on the forks.

They are not adjustable for width - unless you drill a lot of holes. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

But, it sure works fine if you know what you want and don't need industrial durability & strength.

--->Paul

 

[Justaplain]

Here are the tines I have had on 3 different tractors over the past 18 years. Ford1210 Cub7234 and Dk 35. They are attached by a 3/8 bolt loose so as I slide under a log or what ever they find their own way. 4x1-1/4x 3/16 channel out of the junk yard. I have hung a big v-8 engine out on the end of one and loaded it in a van.[very slowly] They are about 14" from the sides. bcs

 

[billycalexander]

how much do you think that engine weighed? Would the C channel pick up a pallet of stone that weighed 1000 lbs? If your Hook that hooks on the bucket were a little longer/wider wouldn't it distribute the load onto the bucket a little better?

 

[Justaplain]

Not sure of the weight of the engine. If I built another set I would go with 4x1 1/2 x 1/4. The original cutting edge on this tractor was 3x3/8, I added 8x1/2 to it and added 1/4 side pieces. Where the strain comes on this set up is the cutting edge. The buckets on all the tractors I looked at in this range were not built to rugged. I'm not sure my tractor can pick a thousand pounds. I haven't had it long enough to test it. bcs