Offroad forklift, kinda

[TMGT]

Ok, so it's not really built as much as it is modified, but I needed a forklift that could work in the mud to help build my shop, so I decided to finally make a 3pt version.

I had a 3stage mast that was taken off an old Yale electric forklift that we had scrapped at work, it had been sitting around for a couple years and I finally got the motivation/need to get it functional.

I started by getting a piece of 4in sch 80 pipe to use as my lower mount. The original pivot where I wanted to weld my mount to was approx 4.315in, (4in pipe is 4.5in OD) so I had to machine the pipe in 2 places to get it to fit.

I don't have large live center, so I cut out 2 disc and center drilled them to cap the pipe.

The fit turned out really good, I wanted to use the original clamps from the pivot, but they disappeared when the forklift was dismantled.

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[TMGT]

Next came the lower pin mounts, I cut out the 4 tabs for the clevis mounts and welded them on.

I determined that having the pins 8in from the bottom of the frame would allow me to set the frame on the ground for mounting/removal, getting the correct height was as simple as rotating the pipe until the pin holes were where I wanted them.

Once the lower pin locations was determined, I could make the mount for the top link. This was cut out of 1/2in also with 5/16in reinforcements.

Luckily I was able to attach it to the original cross bar for the tilt cylinders.

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[jfsawatzky]

I’m interested in doing something similar. Will you be able to hydraulically tilt the forks? If so, how?

 

[TMGT]

After everything was welded up I mounted it on the tractor so I could figure out the hyd lines. View attachment 5301374

I have to order some other fittings, but in the mean time I was able to hook up the hydraulics by cobbling together something using parts I had in stock, was even able to get the side shift working!

For the lift I ended up making a line that goes from the unused coupler on the remote to the tank return so it would work with the single acting cylinder.

It has a pretty decent lift height, with the 3pt lifted I can get over 16ft which will get me to the eave on the shop.View attachment 5301403View attachment 5301404



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[TMGT]

I’m interested in doing something similar. Will you be able to hydraulically tilt the forks? If so, how?

Yes, I have a hydraulic top link for the tilt.

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[TMGT]

Apparently some of the pictures didn't attach on the previous post.

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[ptsg]

Great work! That will be super handy.

 

[TMGT]

Great work! That will be super handy.

Thanks, it won't lift nearly as much as my real forklift, but it can definitely go more places and has much higher lift (the Nissan is only a 2 stage mast)!

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