Want pallet forks for ck35

[TN8Man]

I'm looking at buying pallet forks attachment for my ck35. So far I found the Titan 48" forks the best deal at $500 with free shipping and a 5% discount for first time buyer (first item ordered) at Titan attachments. This is their non HD product. I will probably still have to pay state tax since they are located in my state.

I also notice package deals they offered. One deal packages the 72" Root Grapple Bucket & 48" HD Pallet Forks for $2k. If I bought these separately it would be $1750 for the grapple and $650 for the HD forks ,total of $2.4K, a $400 savings.

So now I'm trying to decide if I could get good usage from the grapple and if the HD pallet forks are needed.

I currently have 5.5 acres, hilly terrain (steep in some areas), with a lots of trees and a thick wooded area. I'm currently in the process of removing lots of cedar trees and started pulling/dragging them to a staging area for a future burn pile. I figured the pallet forks could be used to move the trees to the burn pile as well as using the pallet forks for a variety of other tasks in the future. I have not thought much about a root grapple yet but it might also come in handy to remove smaller trees and dig up large roots I have left from pulling trees.

Has anyone used the 72" root grapple on the ck series tractor? How does it perform?

I'm new to tractors and having property this size so I'm learning as I go. Inputs and suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance
-Don

 

[Amvcane]

I am also contemplating a set of pallet forks for my CK35. I feel the light duty forks are best for this machine. They are rated for 2500 lbs and the loader for about 1200lbs. Probably won't over stress the forks. In addition, the light duty forks weigh less so they won't reduce your lift capacity as much as heavier forks.
Some folks here have had some problems with the Titan ssqa grapples falling off, not sure if the same for the pallet forks. There was a simple solution posted.
I had a set of heavy duty forks on the machine once. While driving around the property it felt like I had a half a bucket of gravel on the loader arms. They were way to heavy to be useful.

 

[Lockport]

I have a Mid State #4 72" Root Grapple and their #80 48" pallet forks good to 3800lbs. Mid State puts these items unused at Ritchie Bros Auctions all over the continent. I managed to get my grapple for $900CA (I've recently seen one go for $2100CA) and my forks for $600CA. You can get them directly from their website for $1799US and $699US, respectively. No problems with three Quick Hitch. The dual hydraulic cylinders on each of the two grapple clamps have one hose that is about 6"too short.

 

[N2DFire]

Ok - looking at the specs of the equipment you posted:
Grapple - Weight: 700 lbs
Forks - Weight: 420 lbs

And for the KL4010 - Lift Capacity to Full Height at Pivot Pins is 1,835 lbs. (832 kg)

With that Grapple you're losing almost a third of your lift capacity & the forks just under a quarter.
Also, if you plan on working in tight quarters, the 72" wide grapple will be a monster. Think about the area you have to work in & then remember that's going to stick out beyond the sides of your tractor (if I recall the KL4010 sill comes with the same 60" bucket as our KL130)


We have these 36" forks from Titan (we bought the version that included the hay spear also - if you have no need for a spear, this is a little cheaper)
- Skid Steer hookup
- 3000 lb capacity
- Total weight: 105 lb (frame only) I'm guessing from hefting them on during the initial assembly that the forks add less than 80 Lbs total

They come in at $426.55 Less your 5% first time buyer is $405.22

Grapple width (Wide vs Narrow) and Number of lids has been beat to death over and over again in the Attachments forum & you're welcome to read the debate and decide for yourself, however I would recommend:

50" Compact Tractor Wicked Root Grapple
274 Lbs - $1,492.00

Compact Tractor Single Lid Wicked Root Grapple
54" - 348 Lbs - $1,690.00
72" - 435 Lbs - $1,831.00
Also offer 60" & 66" models as well

Or if you prefer a clam shell design to an L Bottom design

55" Wicked Root Rake Grapple
209 Lbs - $1,595.00

Full disclosure - I have the 50" Compact model and love it. The 55" clam shell style is a new offering that came out long after I purchased my grapple. Given the chance to do over again today I'm on the fence as to which I'd get given my usage.

We bought the forks first thinking we could move "stuff" with them that we couldn't get with the bucket. I tried moving some downed limbs and such with them. The trouble is you have to get them balanced or they won't stay on the forks. If you're cutting the trees into logs then forks might do pretty well but untrimmed trees and brush I think you will become frustrated and work much harder than you have to trying to load & move that with forks alone.

One alternative solution is to get a grapple thumb that goes on the forks to clamp down on stuff.
Pallet Fork Add-A-Grapple - Precision Manufacturing

or simply add one to your loader bucket
http://www.precisionmfg.com/products/add-grapple/single-add-grapple/



In all honesty now that we have the grapple it stays on the loader 90% of the time. About the only time we put the forks on now is during the winter to move a few small round bales of hay for my Uncles.

My advice - go read thru the Grapple threads in the Attachments forum - ask questions - look at the pictures & what tasks folks are doing with them to get a better idea of what you can use them for in your situation.

Best of luck whatever you decide.

 

[jabelding]

I went with the 42" forks from titan same frame as the 36" but longer.
I went with the 55" root rake from EA and absolutely love it. it works great on brush and logs and also able to come down on top of things and grab it, very versatile. What is you plan for 3rd function (Steve n2dFire has a great write up on his and I also put a few pics in the thread as well of mine). http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/customization/358086-kioti-ck-35-3rd-function.html

 

[TN8Man]

Thanks everyone for all the great information! I will read through all the links provided but I did check out the EA Wicked Root Rake Grapple info and I'm very impressed with what I saw. That 55" model might be exactly what I need. I'm starting to think I might not even need forks for my near term projects.

 

[N2DFire]

I went with the 42" forks from titan same frame as the 36" but longer.
I went with the 55" root rake from EA and absolutely love it. it works great on brush and logs and also able to come down on top of things and grab it, very versatile. What is you plan for 3rd function (Steve n2dFire has a great write up on his and I also put a few pics in the thread as well of mine). http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/customization/358086-kioti-ck-35-3rd-function.html

Thanks for the referral. I clicked the link to read that thread last night and I noticed that Photobucket is now no longer allowing remote hosting (unless I want to pay $400 / year for an upgraded account) so NONE of my pictures are showing. I started last night Copying my original post text & annotating it with things I have done / would do different and I'm going to "publish" it as a PDF document but it may take me a day or three to get it all back together.

I'm starting to think I might not even need forks for my near term projects.

I was kind of trying to push you in that direction but I didn't want to outright say it.

Pallet forks are still a very handy attachment and I'm glad we have ours but if I had talked dad into a grapple first we probably wouldn't own a set.

And I am still very jealous over that 55" rake grapple. I think about switching about once every couple months. LOL Too many toys & not enough $$

 

[ritcheyvs]

I bought a set of the Titan clamp-on forks for occasional unloading of truck deliveries. They work fine except you can't see what you are doing because the bucket blocks the view. So you need a spotter to guide until the load is on the forks.

 

[TN8Man]

Thanks for all the inputs. I went ahead and ordered the 55" EA Wicked Root Rake Grapple. I will be using the W R Long 3rd function valve kit.

 

[ritcheyvs]

I think you will find that grapple will be very useful, more so than forks.