Clamp on fork question

[Steve_S]

I thought I saw on TBN somewhere that you can buy clamp on forks for the LA211 loader. I am interested in getting them because I don't have the need for the whole fork kit to replace the loader. I would only be using the forks for cleaning up brush and small down trees. Could someone please let me know if there is such a thing?

 

[Bird]

<font color=blue>Could someone please let me know if there is such a thing?</font color=blue>

There sure is such a thing, and now I don't remember where to find it, but Harv posted a picture of his; looked very good. He may have to re-post that picture.

Bird

 

[Harv]

Steve -

I posted comments and answered questions (to the best of my newbie ability) about bucket forks in this post. This style of fork should work on just about any kind of bucket as long as there's no toothbar or similar add-on in the way.

Oh, and as Bird suggested, I've attached the photo.

 

[Bird]

I knew you'd come through for him, Harv./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif I really like those forks. If I hadn't come up with something different that didn't cost me any money, I think that's the ones I'd want to buy./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Bird

 

[Anonymous Poster]

http://www.ssbtractor.com/page23.html has some clamp on pallet forks with a picture. I have a set of these and the problem I've had with them, is that the loader bucket blocks your view so you can't see the forks like you can with the ones that replace the bucket. You need somone to direct you or you have to get off the tractor to see where they are in relation to whatever you are picking up.

 

[Steve_S]

Bird, what did you do? I am curious, did you make your own? I really like Harv's setup, but, I really don't need something that heavy duty, My BX2200 ain't pickin' up 1000 lbs anyway. As I said, I would really like to have something that is more geared for brush and small trees. I've got tons of that crap to move for compost.

 

[Bird]

Bob, it can be a problem seeing the front end of the forks over the bucket. Sometimes I have to stand up to see exactly where they are (and that's with 4' forks).

sdsjr3, my brother got me a set of used forks from a regular forklift and we did a little welding. I don't know whether, in this picture, you can see the plates on the ends of the bucket that we welded on so the pipe that the forks are attached to can slide into the holes in those plates. And of course I haven't painted mine so they aren't nearly as pretty as Harv's.

Bird

 

[Steve_S]

Great input guys!!! I just called my local dealer and my salesman told me that he thinks he can get me clamp on forks. He is calling me back, but I have been designing this in my head. The way I figure I could just get L shaped steel and use C clamps on the lip of my bucket for holding the forks on the top of the bucket, and then smaller clamps on the bottom lip of the bucket to stableize the forks. It would work for brush, but not lifting heavy items don't ya think?

 

[Bird]

sdsjr3, that will probably work, but I'd just never trust it to hold. The back of my forks rest against the front edge of the bucket and are not attached there, so if the bucket is dumped far enough forward, the forks can swing out; never been a problem, but they're very securely attached at the top (unless one of my welds breaks/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif - and we hope that never happens).

Bird

 

[bsauter]

I've got a set that I bought from my Kubota dealer. They look like Harv's except they are secured with binder chain. I would prefer Harv's forks over mine if I had a choice. I needed some the day I bought mine and didn't have time to look around. The binder is kindof hard to get the right tension so it takes a little longer to attach. Harv's looks real easy to attach. I will post a picture of them when I get back from Arizona.

Brad, Kubota L3010HST, loader, R4 tires
Pictures at http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=179207&a=9183978

 

[Anonymous Poster]

For my bigger tractor I have real forks, they come on and off in literally seconds with no lifting or fooling on my part except flipping a couple of levers that a 6 year old (literally) could do. Putting them on you don't even get off the tractor. And no, pics are not of my tractor but you get the picture (bad pun)./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

For my BX I'm going to go with a loader-rake since I'm not going to be carrying 6-8 logs at the same time or huge stuff. It can be re-pinned out of the way or removed quickly as well. I'm waiting for some work on my other tractor to be done to make the rake for it, otherwise the BX would be "with-rake" right now!

If you were doing any serious fork work you'd want a dedicated attachement as the bucket blocks the view necessary to make it easy. I am happier being able to go back and forth 10 times a day with no fuss. Sometimes I have the wife or kids be my "eyes". The forks for my big tractor have been used to haul logs, stumps etc., I'm modifiying a grapple attachment to work with the forks as well as the bucket so I can more easily get big piles of brush. The biggest disadvantage to the hanging forks is depending on what you want to do you have to either chain them around the back of the bucket, or make some brackets w/pins to keep them against the bucket edge as they will hang like a limp noodle. Most of the time I don't bother doing this, but if you wanted to for instance very carefully pick something up you'd want more precise control. Eventually I'll make a custom cargo strap with some snap on hooks. Haven't got frustrated enough yet to take the time to do it!

I may be wrong but the clamp on's look like work to attach and for big objects I don't know if hanging something on the tip of the forks (as can happen) wouldn't be hard on the bucket bottom. But as they say...whatever floats your boat!

I am very happy with the on-off speed as many times I wouldn't bother to put the fork attachment on my Ford as the loader bucket had to come off. For a day of fork work they are great, but I found myself balancing things on the bucket and driving .000002 mph a lot when I was too lazy to take the bucket off. These solve that problem.

I posted a link to a couple of pictures below. A number of companies make things like these, the forks I got from Woods I think, the loader rake is from Washington state, I think I gave Harv the address some time ago (have to dig it out if you need it).

Lift on! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

http://www.oldcarparts.mygarage.com/images/loader_rake.jpg

http://www.oldcarparts.mygarage.com/images/Forks.jpg

 

[Steve_S]

Del, did you find the rake at your local Kubota dealer? That is really cool, and exactly what I have been looking for. Could you provide me with maybe a link to a manufacturer, and possibly a price as well? I'll bet on my property I would use that rake more than the bucket!

 

[TraderMark]

sdsjr3
I made a rake to fit in my bucket. Got the idea from the same pic of that loader rake that del posted in another post. I think I have about 150 bux in my rake and that includes the steel, new box blade scarifiers and pins. It works GREAT!

 

[Harv]

Steve -

Check out this thread for discussion and details about the bucket rake. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif