Forks Pallet Forks

   / Pallet Forks #1  

greenthumb

Silver Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2001
Messages
241
Location
SE/Mid Michigan
Tractor
tc40, exmark lazer Z
I am still kicking the idea around and have looked a bit more online, most dealers around don't keep much in stock. The best prices are on ebay, everything attachments.com and a few other places. Most are sold as qa style which is also my other debate. I have a bucket and snow plow that that are pin on for my new holland 16la loader and it only takes 10-15 min to go between them and I don稚 switch them that much. I could see with pallet forks I would have them on more than my bucket and since we are in a el Ni? for sure the snow plow this winter wont be used much. If I converted to qa I would need to swap out my snow plow and my bucket with new mounts this would be very nice but probably wipe out my budget to get forks. The other thing with quick attach is I will lose lift capacity with a qa adaptor on the loader. If I bought a quick attach pallet fork set I have a family friend who owns a weld shop and does a great job with fabrication so I not worried about having them cobble up pin on ears for the forks. opps I am off my original question. Has anyone bought these light duty forks online. my loader is rated at 2000 pounds most of them weigh from 200-300 pounds so they are not heavy duty but they rated around 2000 lifting capacity. I am just worried if they will hold up for moving logs fire, wood, pallets and stuff around the barn and house any help would be great if you know anything or have ordered attachments like this online or over the phone kind of sight unseen.
 
   / Pallet Forks #2  
Sweepers - Skid Steer Attachments - Paladin Light Construction

I bought a set of Bradco Pallet forks a couple of years ago. I liked the fact that they are a bit lighter than standard Skid Steer forks, but they are still rated for 2500#. They were also cheaper, at $575.00 new from a local NH dealer. I have been very happy with them so far, and they have held up well, even when I loaned them to my uncle to abuse on his large JCB Tracked Skid Steer.

I figure that I could move up to a larger tractor in the future, and still be able to use these forks. Plus the money I saved allowed me to buy the Q/A plate to weld on my bucket.

Q/A is definitely worthwhile...
 
   / Pallet Forks #3  
I think NorthernTool sells some "bolt together" frame forks that would be a good starting point for you. With your loader capacity you don't really need (none of us with CUTs need) 4000lb capacity forks and the bolt together frame mounted forks are a significant upgrade from bucket mount IMO. The price is right too as I recall they cost about $300. It should not be hard for someone with welding and steel cutting equipment to make you up some pin mounts.
 
   / Pallet Forks #4  
I bought a set ob ebay for $425 delivered. The seller has another listed just like them at Item number: 290376093848
Those are listed at $474 with free shipping, but I called his phone # and he came down to $425 delivered.
The weight rating is 2300 pounds and I have been happy with them.
I did have to weld a 3/8" piece of bar stock under the quick attach lip because they would slip off when I put downward pressure on them to go under a log or stump. After I welded on the spacer, I have had no problems at all.
 
   / Pallet Forks #6  
I bought a set of the QA style Construction Attachments compact pallet forks from Everything Attachments for $625 delivered to a freight terminal in my area.

I recommend both the forks and Everything attachments. I called the Construction Attachments and chatted with them before making my purchase (was looking for local dealer). I found out that the suggest retail price was something like $585. My local authorized (Bobcat / Pape equip) dealer after nagging him for several weeks would not even give me a quote so I wanted to see who else in the area sold them. The next closest place was about 150 miles away. The cost in gas, the time and the fact that I did not have to pay sales tax was worth ordering it online. (Not to mention that I was getting tired of harassing the sales guy at Bobcat/Pape just for a quote... Man the economy can't be that bad if the dealer is not even willing to give you a price). I digress...

Benefits of the CA forks in my mind were:

Very light in weight only about 210 pounds.
1800# rated lifting capacity with a 3x saftey margin. (more than my loader)
High grade forged steel forks and high grade steel
Made in the USA
Workmanship, Welding, fit and finish all appear to be excellent

Everything Attachments

Very prompt and courteous.
Shipped quick as lightning
Great on-line videos of gear in action.... Hey I felt that I should throw Ted some bones now and again after watching like 20 of his videos.


Steve
 
   / Pallet Forks #8  
One morning I was walking past the repair area in our factory, sitting on a skid was a set of forksand bracket from a forklift with the words scrap written on them. I made a beeline for the office to be told that no one can take out any scrap that is any way associated with a lifting device. I contacted the shop that supplies the forklifts and he was going to be in that day. He took out the forks because he's allowed, I drove 20 miles out of my way to his shop to pull them out of his truck into mine and now I have a set of forks. I almost wish I'd bought a set 20 years ago when I see how much work they are saving me.
 
   / Pallet Forks #9  
I scored a Bobcat-brand set of forks on Craigslist for $400. My tractor has the appropriate quick-attach, so they work great! The forks have been fantastic during my tree-clearing project. Stumps, trunks, brush piles, are all easy to pick up and move. I'll also be storing my firewood on pallets.

These forks are very heavy, however, and their weight does subtract from the amount I can pick up. I have to keep my ballast on the back whenever I pick up anything large.
 
   / Pallet Forks #10  
Hard to beat the usefullness of pallet forks when clearing trees, etc. I've used mine more than the front bucket, so far.
 
   / Pallet Forks #11  
I was thinking of buying these for $129...they look to be of good quality and I know I saw pictures of someone on here using a set just like them. Anyone with experience?

Yankeewarehouse.net
 
   / Pallet Forks #12  
I have a set of the chain on forks that are rated at 2000#. Loader is rated at 1500#. They have worked great for brush removal. I have even picked up 30' long tree trunks & stacked on brush piles after an ice storm. They also work good for moving implements around with out hooking them up. My loader has a qc & I will get a regular fork set-up eventually, but these work good for now. I can keep them on my mower deck & when I go to our other farm 5 miles away I can use them if something over there needs to be moved around.
 
   / Pallet Forks #13  
I would worry about the bucket being deformed if lifting heavier objects.

Also, the "forks" are mounted forward of the bucket lip which means that the load carrying ability is lowered (further from the pins) and the effect on lifting the back of the tractor is increased.

I suppose for lighter tasks they "could " work but I would be very careful using them.
 
   / Pallet Forks #14  
That is what is nice about the chain mount style, they spread the force around the bucket instead of on the lip where the clamp-on styles go. I wrap the chains next to the qc mount where it is double plated. The forks or chain would give away before this bucket would deform. A set of "real" forks would be better, but the $80 forks have been a real back-saver for me until I can get a different set-up. As with any attachment used on a small tractor, care must be used!
 
   / Pallet Forks #15  
I made these from damaged Cat fork lift parts. The parts were not really damaged but they did not meet the standards of our repair shop so they were scrap. The double tabs with holes are for mounting my snow plow.
 

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   / Pallet Forks #16  
I love the forks that I bought for my little Kabota. They cost too much, but I sure never think about that when I'm using them! I have the Kubota QA on my loader, and the forks are light enough not to hamper my lifting capacity.
 

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   / Pallet Forks #17  
Price out the conversion, then get it done. Watch for your price on a fork set (including pieces and a QA plate for attachments -- you will have bought two already for your bucket and blade anyhow).

You will appreciate how easy it is after you do it. You will also likely find a couple of things that you will "swear to self, I will not use the forks to dig with". As a buddy noted, "but they are just so darn convenient for that". Then you will own a heavier set, and less likely to over stress them when "something just had to be done".

There are several outfits that have kits for loader side conversion.
 
   / Pallet Forks
  • Thread Starter
#18  
I think I have made my mind up. After some research that got finally got done after months of toying with it I am going to buy the tractor side qa face plate from new Holland. the best price I can find is $556 in Pennsylvania and then it would cost a 100 or so to ship to me. Locally within 50-100 miles the best price I can get it is 587(wow sticker shock). I can pick that up so seems to be the best deal. as far as qa goes i have looked at several other companies and have not found any prices that beat new Holland and the faceplate doesn稚 stick out a long ways in front of the loader. I would like to get the pallet forks know and am going to see if by getting the qa face plate and pallets at the same time would help price ouch. I am going to convert my bucket and snow plow probably next spring summer but at least I will have the adaptor in case prices go up which they always seem to. If I get the forks now great, if not I can wait a few months and either keep looking for used ones or just go ahead with new ones
 
   / Pallet Forks #19  
I have a Case DX45 which is similar to your TC40. You will not regret the quick attach. I got 4000 lb, 48" pallet forks and am a glad I did. I got them for moving logs, but the forks are great for digging out concrete, rocks and small stumps. Using the forks this way you can put more force on them than the 2000lb lifting capacity of the loader.
 
   / Pallet Forks #20  
Cattrack... Where did you get the chain forks for $80.00? Some mail order place or somewhere in the K.C. area?
 
 

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