Loader Bucket Forks

[EddieWalker]

I've gone back and read all the posts on pallet forks without finding excactly what I'm looking for.

I want to build or buy forks from a forklift with the steel rod along the top that will go into my hooks on my loader bucket. I've seen them on construction sites and found them for sale online for $1,500. Way more than I'm going to spend.

Seems to me I can get a set of forks off an old forklift for very little, but I'm lost on how to fasten them to the steel rod.

I'm thinking about just welding on a bracket onto the top part of the forks and drilling a hole through it for the rod to slide through would be the simple solution. My concern is how strong will it be?

I plan to mostly be unloading pallets of bricks, blocks and lumber. I'll also use them for moving trees that I've taken out.

These would go onto my Ford 555E, so weight isn't an issue.

Thanks,
Eddie

 

[tc35dforme]

Unloading pallets of bricks is no small task. I'd be very careful on what you do. $ 1500 doesn't sound bad when you consider the weight of the stock and the potential for serious damage to persons or property if a fork fails.

 

[markct]

some older forklifts use the rod setup, i have a set of forks outback that are setup that way, but with shipping to texas i doubt it would be worth it for you, but keep an eye out and im sure you will find a set, they are out there. unless you are a real good welder and fabricator i would look into a set of factory made forks, or atleast use the complete carraige from a forklift and just make mountings for you loader onto that. thats how i made my 3pt forks that i attached a picture of, they are very strong and i have lifted cars with them as well as good sized sheds

 

[Taylortractornut]

I build a few of them every year for folks backhoes. On a full sized machine I use regular lift forks but I buy 1 inch rectanglur bar stock that will fit flush with the back of the fork and over lap on the fron by at least a 1/2 inch to have some more meat to weld to. In the tops I bore out some heavy bushings to fit 2 inch round bar. I have a template that I use to mark the radius I cut them and put them on each side of the forks. I take my tracer torch and have a pattern to burn out the round hooks that theround bar goes into. THats the shortest and easiest thing to do lol. Then i use a low hydrogen rod to weld it all together. Ill try to find a picture to scan of mine for my old Ford hoe.
The only thing a fullsize backhoe has troubles with the forks is picking up super heavy things like bricks bacause the bucket ads leverage against the cylinders as it extends the forks out past the pivots farther. THey are hard to se some times but once you get used to them you can manuver them as easily as pin on pallet forks.

 

[slowzuki]

A friend has this type of setup on a back hoe. Unfortunatly the pin was a tight fit and the bucket bent slightly in use. Now the forks are permanently attached!

Ken

 

[kennyd]

Try these people at Arrow Fork Lift they have allot of specialty forks. I just made some for my 4110 with a set of used forks. I used the rod setup like you want. There are pics in the link below...

Hope this helps...

 

[EddieWalker]

Thanks, the one on Arrow Material Handleing are exactly what I want. I'll call them on Friday to see what they cost.

Eddie

 

[JamesB]

Eddie, if you go to page 7 dated 5/25/03 you will see the forks that I built from forklift forks. They were to short for the height that I needed so I welded a piece of channel to the top of the fork. On top of that I used a heavy wall square tubing that the rod would go thru. This makes it easy to attach and detach from the drivers seat. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[EddieWalker]

James,

Yeah, thats what I want. You did a nice job!

I'm running around in circles right now and really need to buy some forks to I can get some brackets to mount them.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Eddie, contact Randy at Garland Steel in Garland Texas. He has probably fifty or so forks of different sizes and configurations in his scrap section.

I've made a couple sets like you're describing for Housley Communications. Randy has everything you need there, forks, cold rolled (very important, expensive, but whatever you do don't go with hot rolled) round rod, etc. It's all by the pound.

There is something to very aware of though before you get with Randy. Measure from the top of your bucket to the leading edge. I have found the best forks to use are ones that hang down about six inches from the front edge of the bucket. This allows the operator to see the forks. That can be important. Think of pulling out a container out of an Escalade XT.

Another thing to consider is how many supports you're going to have on the top of the bucket for your rod. If you're picking up heavy weight then make sure you have enough supports. Cold rolled ain't cheap, it does bend.

Be careful at Garland Steel. They have so much good stuff, you'll think you've landed in pack rat heaven. I'd guess your total expense there to be under four hundred dollars, heavy forks, rod, plate, etc.