Forks Pallet Forks - 'over-engineer'?

[kenlip]

Tractor bought for use on hilly 'weekender' property, primarily to take care of the roads. Not lifting any hay bales.

Tractor is MX5100

Challenge loader
Lift capacity at pivot pin - Ground level 1490kg
Lift capacity at pivot pin - Maximum lift height 1242kg
Lift capacity at 800mm from pivot pin - Ground level 1350kg
Lift capacity at 800mm from pivot pin - 1.5m lift height 1306kg
Lift capacity at 800mm from pivot pin - Maximum lift height 900kg
Bucket rollback force at ground height 1000kg

Has 4:1 bucket

The dealer is strongly advocating these forks: http://www.cih.com.au/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=56:pallet-fork&Itemid=106

Floating
Weight (with no fork arms) 105kg
Width 1105mm-1250mm
Fork arm length 1075mm
Fork arm weight (single) 44kg
Fork arm maximum load (pair) 2500kg
Tine spacing Minimum Maximum
675mm 1225mm

I questioned the reasoning behind suggesting 2,500kg forks when the loader can't handle anywhere near that sort of load.

His answer is that the arms are significantly stronger and this helps to prevent bent arms.

I am an 'over-engineering' kinda guy, but my BS monitor shot way up into the red zone when I heard that explanation. However, I know very little about pallet forks and have zero experience with them, so I am deferring to my learned and experienced colleagues on this forum for your opinions.

 

[jeff9366]

Not quite sure why you are buying Pallet Forks to take care of roads but you must have a reason.

Fork arm length 1075mm

I often attach dedicated clamp-on Debris Forks to my bucket. Each of the five tines are 22" long, including the 3" base.

When picking up debris, you push debris against a tree to backstop the debris so the forks can slide under the pile. Forks that are too long leave the load out on the fork ends with load leverage working against you.

I have never wished for the tines to be longer than 19"/22" for moving debris. Pallet Forks are sold in this length.

Every kilo of Pallet Fork weight counts as part of your payload lift.


If you will be lifting palletized loads of material to the max capacity of your loader, 1075 mm length makes sense, but you would still want the load capacity of the forks about the load capacity of your FEL, bearing in mind that that FEL lift capacity will decrease about 10% after three or four years of loader use.

 

[rustyshakelford]

I use my forks for all kinds of stuff. Their rating to when used as advertised. If you use it to pick up trees or whatever else and don’t get the material all the way against the back frame then there is the potential for damage. I bent one of my forks I think picking up a log. Just sprung it a bit. Forks are one of those things I’d for sure over buy

Brett

 

[kenlip]

Thanks, Jeff

Not quite sure why you are buying Pallet Forks to take care of roads but you must have a reason.

The primary reason for getting the tractor was for the roads, but once one has a tractor a myriad of other uses come to mind, for some of which forks could have a role to play. Of the dozens of threads I have read that mention forks, the posters often say that the forks are attached more often than the bucket.

Every kilo of Pallet Fork weight counts as part of your payload lift.

Good point. I need to research the difference in weight between, say, 1500kg forks and 2500kg forks.

bearing in mind that that FEL lift capacity will decrease about 10% after three or four years of loader use.

Interesting. I wasn't aware of that. What causes the loss over time?


Ken

 

[kenlip]

I use my forks for all kinds of stuff. Their rating to when used as advertised. If you use it to pick up trees or whatever else and don稚 get the material all the way against the back frame then there is the potential for damage. I bent one of my forks I think picking up a log. Just sprung it a bit. Forks are one of those things I壇 for sure over buy

Brett

Thanks, Brett,

Seems like the rep might have a point.

What size forks did you manage to bend? What capacity loader?

I ask this, with the following in mind.... If the loader can lift, say, only 1,000kg, then surely the forks don't need to be rated much higher than that. For example, if the forks are rated at 1500kg but the loader can subject them to only 1000kg, then they should be protected from damage. Going to a higher spec fork doesn't add any more protection, because the loader is the limiting factor.

Of course, there is potential for damage to the forks from driving them into a solid object, e.g a tree or large rock. The tractor driving can generate a lot more force than the FEL (I would imagine). In that case the higher spec forks might have the advantage.

Does any of this make sense?

Ken



Ken

 

[Brad_Blazer]

Forks made for forklift trucks are the best ones and they will have a high rating. They are made of high yield steel and have a nice thin profile for getting under/through a low clearance. Invariably in use you will hook the end of one fork under something that will not move and operate your curl function to relief pressure just to confirm you can't move it. There are also some combinations of motion, especially while rolling, that can generate forces significantly greater than rated lift capacity. A simple example is when you are lowering a heavy load and let go of the lever. There is no relief with the valve shut and momentum will cause an overloaded condition. So if you have forks rated to your loader's rated lift capacity for the pair, you are able to damage a single fork in normal operation. It looks like the recommended forks are a little under-rated for your machine at only 1250kg each.

 

[jeff9366]

Interesting. I wasn't aware of that. What causes the loss over time?

Over time the hydraulic cylinders wear. Increasing cylinder tolerances decrease pressure.

Slop develops in the FEL pins. Some pins do not get enough grease. Some grease congeals. Frame parts distort slightly, increasing friction. AND A FEW PEOPLE, probably none here, NEGLECT TO GREASE THE FEL EVERY TEN OPERATING HOURS.

Consider a grapple, rather than Pallet Forks. ~~ Pay once, cry once.

 

[BLSXJ]

I recently bought pallet forks for my tractor, I have a lift capacity of 463Kg. I had the option of 550Kg forks or 1000Kg forks. Both weighed and cast almost the same within $50 and 30Kg of each other. I bought the 1000Kg forks because I know I will abuse them. I've already lifted loads with only one fork, I've "dug" out rocks, and I don't worry about hurting anything when I do.

 

[jeff9366]

The primary reason for getting the tractor was for the roads, but once one has a tractor a myriad of other uses come to mind, for some of which forks could have a role to play. Of the dozens of threads I have read that mention forks, the posters often say that the forks are attached more often than the bucket.

Pallet Forks can replace the bucket IF the FEL has OPTIONAL SSQA Quick Attach.

Without OPTIONAL SSQA bucket clamp on forks are necessary, so the bucket is always there.

SSQA is wonderful. I have SSQA on my third tractor. However, I speculate not more that 20% of 35-horsepower to 70-horsepower tractors are optioned with SSQA. None of the demo tractors at my local Kubota dealer have SSQA, which includes a demo MX.

The nomenclature Skid Steer Quick Attach is unfortunate from a marketing/sales perspective.

 

[Egon]

Forks made for forklift trucks are the best ones and they will have a high rating. They are made of high yield steel and have a nice thin profile for getting under/through a low clearance. Invariably in use you will hook the end of one fork under something that will not move and operate your curl function to relief pressure just to confirm you can't move it. There are also some combinations of motion, especially while rolling, that can generate forces significantly greater than rated lift capacity. A simple example is when you are lowering a heavy load and let go of the lever. There is no relief with the valve shut and momentum will cause an overloaded condition. So if you have forks rated to your loader's rated lift capacity for the pair, you are able to damage a single fork in normal operation. It looks like the recommended forks are a little under-rated for your machine at only 1250kg each.

For sure!

Shock loading can and will happen when moving.

 

[mcfarmall]

Another use for forks is light duty trenching...position the forks next to each other, point towards the ground and start digging a narrow trench. Works great depending on local soil conditions, presence of roots, etc..

 

[dieselcrawler]

Buddy of mine bent one fork about 30º, due to not paying attention. While tramming on a gravel road after loading logs, noticed a branch/large twig stuck in the loader/bucket frame area. Tried to wobble the bucket frame to dislodge it, un-curled too far without lifting loader, fork caught the gravel road and tractor came to an abrupt stop!

I have acquired a set of forks from a 5k lbs rated fork lift, and plan to make my own quick attach frame to match my John Deere loader bucket. My little tractor has limited lift capacity but my neighbor has a much larger JD with same style loader, we may have the opportunity to share equipment.

My opinion would be that the heavy rated forks will not be substantially heavier than the lighter rated ones, but be much more able to handle any abuse you may put them thru.

Good luck, forks are a very useful addition to a tractors ability.

 

[LD1]

Don't ever get something rated right at capacity. It will fail.

As others said, shock loading, uneven loading, etc

 

[bdog]

I agree there will come a time when you want to use only one fork to lift something. The capacity is for the pair. You could easily overload a single fork and bend it if you only buy them at your lift capacity. Bent forks are no fun. I had a bent one and it made it very difficult to pick things up as they were no longer level. They are difficult to straighten once bent.

 

[4570Man]

A bent fork is a big enemy of pickup tailgates.

 

[dieselcrawler]

Tailgates have many enemies in the wild... which also includes gooseneck trailer hitches!

 

[kenlip]

Thanks, guys. This has been most informative.

My understanding now is that it one should get forks rated at double the loader capacity (each tine should be able to handle the full loader capacity), maybe plus a percentage for 'over-engineering'. Just what that percentage should be is not clear.

Ken

 

[Turbys_1700]

I've never bent a fork on a FEL. My forks are rated to 4K pounds. My loader is rated to 3500# at the pins and 2200# at 800 mm from the pins. If the forks are made out of decent steel and rated above your FEL capacity I would think you are OK as long as you use common sense?

 

[Egon]

There should be industry standards for fork design. Perhaps as questions at a forklift dealer.

 

[LD1]

There should be industry standards for fork design. Perhaps as questions at a forklift dealer.

Not sure what you mean? There is a standard