pallet forks usage.

[Tim L]

My wife (the bank of Anita ) has generously allotted funds to purchase quick connect skid steer type pallet forks for my tractor.I know of the basic uses for forks but was curious to hear some of the stories of unconventional uses for forks to help me justify the expense in my own mind. I know this is a creative group so Iookk forward to the replies.

[Ljohnsaw]

Well, unconventional and maybe a little abuse...

I have a Skytrak tele-lift with 5' forks.  I've used them to pierce the ground around tree I want to remove.  I can pop the roots and then push the tree over taking the stump out at the same time.

I also used them to float out boulders.  However, I bent one a little :( getting a 18,000# rock to the surface so now it is a challenge to fork a pallet in the normal way.

[red oaks lumber]

mine are on a skidsteer.. trenching, rock picking, stump digging.if your not careful you'll bend and twist stuff, then you'll have to beg the banker for new stuff :D

[Tim L]

I'm leanining towards a local dealers brand which is Land pride.Any thoughts on their products ?

[beenthere]

The Landpride PFL series?

[Tim L]

Correct . Any thought ?

[beenthere]

They "look" like they would be good to go. Would have to trust that they are good quality steel and would not bend easily.
Mine are the Deere brand, and I, like ljohnsaw, have put them through more than what they likely were designed for, but they have not bent. Great for digging large boulders and small trees, stumps and all.

On a tractor, I'd be most concerned that the forks are visible from the tractor platform when moving in to lift a pallet or a log. I can stand and see the tips at the ground level so barely visible I'd say. If I had a cab, doubt I could see the tips. What is the tractor you will use?

I find so many uses for forks, way beyond what I imagined when I bought them. Use the forks attached more than the bucket. Also, adapted the forks for a quick hitch on the 3 ph, and move my winter's supply of firewood on pallets with them. (works best with an hydraulic top arm tho).

[Tim L]

I will run them on a 5010 Maindra with a cab.

[Cedarman]

Whatever you get, make sure you have protection in case you lift a load high and it wants to come back over the forks.   Have good cab protection, or clamps or big bars that are curved forward at the top to keep logs from rolling back onto you.

[red oaks lumber]

very good point cedarman! iv'e put a many of things into and on top of the cab :(

[Peter Drouin]

After you get them you won't want to live with out them. :D :D you will find so much you can do with them. They can be bent, mach the gvw of the forks to the loader.On my John Deere the loader is Bending the face plate the forks are on not the forks, picking up big logs. :D :D :D :D


 
You can see the face plate. I think it's because the plate is not solid.But it's good one way because I can see through it to see the fork tips.

[kevin19343]

I bought pallet forks for our Deere 6810 a few years back. I rarely take them off. I use them mostly to move logs around. They're also good for loading equipment and other heavy stuff onto a truck for transport.

[Tim L]

I'm hoping to get a lot of use to justify the cost. How many of you found uses that you never thought of before you had them ?

[beenthere]

Tim in your OP

My wife (the bank of Anita ) has generously allotted funds to purchase quick connect skid steer type pallet forks for my tractor.

No need for added justifications at this point, you already have the funds. All those added uses can be brought up as time goes on and you find all the extras out on your own. Just be sure to pass them on to the bank of Anita.  ;D

Now relax, and enjoy the forks.. ;)

They are much more useful than a spoon.

[Tim L]

True but ideas from others are a bonus.

[thecfarm]

I made a box that fits into my bucket,no forks. Close to the house I put it on and drive into the woods with it. I saw the wood up and throw it into the box. Than I dump it and head for the woods again. I can see how it would work good to pile brush on and bring it to the brush pile.

[Tim L]

Any pictures of the box ?

[whitepine2]

   Torch a round hole near the end of one or both forks that will fit
your biggest trailer ball this will allow you to push any trailer into a
tight spot. Also this will allow you to attach a clevis for picking stuff up with a chain just don't overload they will bend and or break.

                                                             Whitepine2 

[sandhills]

Get them and don't look back!  You'll never regret it I promise!  Another nice use for them is a work station, we have built them around here anywhere from 10 to 16' wide and about 3' deep, with railings they make a really nice platform to work from at heights.  You'll use them more than you think and definitely worth the expense. 

[Tim L]

That's the stuff I'm Looking for !

[Peter Drouin]

You can get dangerous and make a platform and the wife can lift you up to cut off limbs of a tree, paint the house. Just make sure it has a bottom so it won't flip off when you walk to the end of the platform :D :D :D :D
You can make a big steel box [a lite one] where the forks will slide under so you can pick up lite things like leaves, brush, saw dust. The box can be 2 times the size of the tractor bucket. Don't forget to chain the box to the forks. :D :D All kinds of things you can do. :D :D

[blackfoot griz]

Go for it!

I bought a used set of forks and built an attachment for my JD 4600 FEL.  I have the forks on much more often than the bucket.

Another thing I did was to modify the fork lift attachment so that it can be used on the 3 point.

I stack all of my personal use firewood on pallets.  In the winter, I have to take the loader off to put the snow plow on... by being able to use the forklift on the 3 point I can still haul firewood.

If you choose to go this route, it I highly recommend getting a hydraulic top link (if you have a set of rear remotes).


As Beenthere mentioned, it can be a little challenging seeing the tips of the forks when they are at ground level.  It's a piece of cake on the 3 point!

[thecfarm]

Tim,no pictures of the box. I made a metal frame and used two thick plastic dumpsters from work. Yes,it has a chain to keep it hooked to the bucket when I dump it. Works real good for leaves. It's about 6 feet long and wide and about 2 feet deep. I lose about 6 feet of height when I dump it,because it's 6 feet long. The front is angled some,but should of been more of an angle so the wood would dump out better. But that was the angle of the dumpsters too.

[Bill Gaiche]

Yes go for it. I made my own and use them to move logs onto the mill. Carry milled lumber to be stacked. Haul slabs to the pile. Push up tree limbs into a pile for burning.Move about anything you want around the place. They are really handy and after you get them you will wonder why didn't I do this earlier. It will save your back so you can hug the wife for years to come and I hope this makes her happy. bg

[Tim L]

Went to my dealer after work. They not only had Land pride forks, Mahindra now has a line of implements. I decided on the Mahindra brand 48 inch 4000 pound rated unit. Anybody have these ? Thoughts ? I pick them up Saturday.