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Clamp on fork lift tines.

G

greenbeanman in Kansas

Well-known Member
Do any of you have a set of the clamp on fork lift tines for your front end loader bucket?

If so, how do you like them?

I have a compact tractor and it seems they would work great for moving things on pallets around to facilitate mowing.

Did you make your own or purchase them?

Also, why don't the makers of rear bale forks narrow them up just a smidgeon so that they will fit into a pallet. They only lack a very small amount of fitting, not enough change would be needed to make a difference of getting under a bale (I don't think).
Thanks
 
I have used them many times in the past and even made a primitive set for my old tractor out of lift arms from auto hoist. The only issue with any of these is getting a tight/stable fit, without distorting the bucket floor under a load, and they can wander (or hinge if you will) left/right, the odd set I made for my tractor I welded some chain on them and use chain binders to cinch em up tight. Granted they work, and are better than not having them, but to be honest, the quick tach set I bought for the small tractor at the other place is an indispensable tool, cannot live with out them. Easy on/off, fork width much easier to set etc. really the way to go.

There is a bunch of people making these for a few hundred, you could fabricate a similar set just the same. They take more time to put on, remove, but any kind of forks when you need em, is better than none.

I worked on a water main job, miles in the woods and operated a CAT 977L with clamp on forks to distribute ductile iron pipe, worked quite well, bundles of pipe were kinda heavy too.
 
You need a strong bucket for them (so it doesn't bend) and you lose a lot of lifting capacity because they stick out so far and it's harder on the tractor front end. It's a fairly simple job to make some that go on in place of the bucket. They could be made with tubing or boxed in channel iron instead of solid steel like fork tines. Just taper the ends of them. For a compact tractor, I think 3" channel would work good with 1/4" flat bar to box it in.
 
I have a set for my tractor and while they work OK it is really hard to see what your are doing because the bucket is between you and the forks. Mine are OK for my occasional use but if I were going to be doing much fork work I would get me a set of quick attach ones that are made for the loader.
 
I made a set of 3-point bale forks that were narrow enough to get into a standard pallet. On large round bales it is too narrow to get under the edges of the bale. If the bale is by itself it tends to slide when you try to get under it. Then if you are able to get under it it's hard to pull away because the forks are too much under the center of the bale.
 
I got a set of forks made up for our Massey 35 after looking at clamp on forks. The tractor has somewhat limited lift capability anyway and I thought that it would be worse with the load further out. I have to lift logs on and off of wagons for our sawmill and I also use the forks to move lumber. I found a guy on Craigslist who made a nice set for $250 or $300 as I recall. They pin right on where the bucket comes off, with four pins, so it takes a few minutes to change but it is not that bad. It makes my life a lot easier.
Zach
 
Thanks for the many replies. I had considered the added weight to the loader from the tines which does limit the pallet lifting for a compact tractor.

After reading the replies and not wanting to bend FEL bucket I think that I would probably be better off just making or getting a set of 3 pt. pallet tines for the rear. Limited height lifting in case I wanted to load a trailer, but probably workable for that to depending upon which of my trailers I'd be using.

Again, thanks.
 
(quoted from post at 10:49:25 06/24/11) Thanks for the many replies. I had considered the added weight to the loader from the tines which does limit the pallet lifting for a compact tractor.

After reading the replies and not wanting to bend FEL bucket I think that I would probably be better off just making or getting a set of 3 pt. pallet tines for the rear. Limited height lifting in case I wanted to load a trailer, but probably workable for that to depending upon which of my trailers I'd be using.

Again, thanks.
Click to expand...

You can avoid some of those issues if you remove the bucket from the loader, and then build an adaptor of sorts that will let you install the pallet forks in place of the bucket. The newer, modern loaders allow you to remove the bucket and install the bale forks. Don't know why something like that couldn't be done with an older loader.
 
It no doubt could be done for my loader as well (from 1996) but the cost wouldn't be justified for how little I would be making the switch.

I guess I should at least remove the bucket to at least learn how the pins come and and how difficult the task would be. Never had it off.

Loader itself is a quick attach unit and frequently comes off. Two bolts and four hydraulic couplings----love it.
 
They are better than trying to handle stuff with the bucket only, or by main strength and ignorance. Others have mentioned the reduced lifting power and possibility fo bending the bucket, but I am surprised that no one has mentioned that YOU CAN'T SEE THE DARNED FORKS!!!! The bucket blocks your line of sight, and you wind up standing up and trying to look over it, or tilting it down until you can see the forks underneath it, but now they are angled so far from flat that they will never go under whatever you are trying to pick up. Handling logs and such you can just put the forks down and ram ahead until they catch, but pallets don't work so well that way. I always try to have somebody spot for me when handling pallets.
 
Junk yard,see if they will let you remove carrier & tines from the mast. (Towmotor) Then you can weld up quick hitch for FEL.
Led
 
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