pallet forks - 42" or 48", floating or fixed

[putt_putt_green]

This is for a 3x20 series tractor on a 300CX loader.

Would you get the 42" or the 48" frontier forks and why?
Would you get floating or fixed frontier forks and why?

Currently I'm thinking fixed and 42". I' thinking the fixed forks would be better for getting under things like logs. As far as 42" or 48", I'm not sure other than the 42 inch forks are cheaper and would be slightly more manueverable.

 

[plastikosmd]

well, went the other way..just got a 3320. got the floating 48". having owned a forklift before, there is no substution for length. i still want to add 2 ft extensions on these. not for heavy lifting...but things like garden tractors, etc it is great..back them on..move away. also can never plan the oddball loads, so want to be able to move the forks. i rarely lift pallets, but things like my chipper, tractors, junk etc..need to move them in/out. also when gettin something out of my pickup..sometimes i cant get quite to the end with the shorter forks..it is nice to have the longer ones, go in..lift and move back..then drop and reset. i do have to say they are not the easiest to move..the forks are heavy and as they slide they bind a bit so you are usually kicking the top or the bottom to get the lagging side to catch up. maybe i should use some grease on the runners. anyway..my dealer price difference between the 42 and 48 was about 80 bucks or so..i also plan to weld on some rod to allow me to use the forks/mount in my imatch like someone did on this site, in slick fashion...
good luck

 

[ragkar]

plastikosmd - here's some suggestions on your sticking forks
Buff off the rust on the horizontal sliding bar with coarse emery cloth
Liberally lube this bar with good quality grease
when adjusting the forks, lift the forks to belly height with the tractor, then with one hand on the top and the other lifting the tip of the fork, push the fork with your belly

 

[Runner]

I got the 42 inch fixed tine forks for exactly the reasons you mentioned. I can see the advantages to floating tine forks, but for my purposes, the fixed does the job.

 

[plastikosmd]

ya i think solution is grease...hate to get it all over that nice green paint!

 

[bigtiller]

well, went the other way..just got a 3320. got the floating 48". having owned a forklift before, there is no substution for length. i still want to add 2 ft extensions on these. not for heavy lifting...but things like garden tractors, etc it is great..back them on..move away. also can never plan the oddball loads, so want to be able to move the forks. i rarely lift pallets, but things like my chipper, tractors, junk etc..need to move them in/out. also when gettin something out of my pickup..sometimes i cant get quite to the end with the shorter forks..it is nice to have the longer ones, go in..lift and move back..then drop and reset. i do have to say they are not the easiest to move..the forks are heavy and as they slide they bind a bit so you are usually kicking the top or the bottom to get the lagging side to catch up. maybe i should use some grease on the runners. anyway..my dealer price difference between the 42 and 48 was about 80 bucks or so..i also plan to weld on some rod to allow me to use the forks/mount in my imatch like someone did on this site, in slick fashion...
good luck

I used to operate a 6000 pound fork lift with 72 inch long forks. The easiest way to adjust them is to raise the forks a few feet off of the ground then tilt them as far forward as they will go and then lower them until they just touch the ground with the tips. This will take the weight off and they will slide very easy.

 

[radman1]

I have both fixed and floating. I use the fixed about 90% of the time. The floating ones get used other 10% is because the fixed are not available. With the fixed, it can be used to dig under something or used with a trailer ball to move a trailer. Fixed just seems much more handy and common. The fixed can apply downforce if needed.

The 42" vs the 48" is a little more difficult. In general, I like the longer forks better. However, if you move pallets frequently, the longer tips sometimes stick out too far and can lift or ram another pallet positioned just behind.

 

[dirt ditch]

I bought 48 inch fixed Horst forks last December along with my tractor. I like them because the forks are sold when locked in. I wanted 42 inch forks but the JD dealer ordered me 48 inch. I thought they would be too long, but after using them a lot (more than my loader bucket) I would not want anything shorter. As far as maneuverability if you can get a tractor with 42 inch forks into a place to work then you can do it with 48 inch forks. At work we have swinging forks for the loaders. You can not dump with them because the forks always want to stay level. I can dump limbs with my fixed forks but cant with the swinging forks at work.

 

[plastikosmd]

maybe i dont understand your floating forks, or the definition, but mine hook underneath and on top, i can pick up the front end of my tractor without an issue, no issue with dumping. they engage with a channel on top and reverse on bottom, no issues with downpressure

on edit i re-read your design, i assumed by floating..they are moveable, and fixed=fixed...i guess by floating..that means they hook on a round bar, as to stay level? i dont own those..just the JD ones that you can move to different positions, but firmly lock into place

 

[tuolumne]

I have a 3520 and got the 42" fixed forks. With the limited loader capacity of the 300cx, the 48" forks do not create a real advantage in my mind. The longer tines are heavier, which means less lifting capacity left for the goods. Also, anything with a center of gravity further out will be harder to lift with this loader. I find that the fixed forks are nice for digging under things. It is only on occasion that I am grabbing a pallet on uneven ground and wonder if floating forks would help...more of a help would be a disable switch for the seat cutout so I can stand up and see where those buggers are! I would make the same decision again next time.

I'm sure you've seen them, but this is what they look like.