Forks for Tractor Front Loader

[Geezer]

A friend of mine has a small 28 horse tractor with a front loader. He would like some forks so he can move small palletts and other stuff.

I thought I would ask and see if anyone has any ideas/recommendations wrt design and type of metal? I seen a home brew set with 1 1/4 solid bar stock with welded brackets that slip on the loader. I also seen flat stock that affix to the loader with bolts, reenforced on the bottom for strength. Recommendations appreciated. Thanks

[Geezer]

channel...slop ends ,box bottoms,size of channel will be dictated by size of tractor and loads...lot of fork extentions made from channels

Thanks Reggie. Loads about 1/4 ton or a little larger. I think I may have a source for scrap channel 5 or 6 inches wide with maybe an inch or two flange. Flat plat on the bottom should do it.
What about connecting to bucket? I was thinking about making brackets, welding them to the bucket and fab round rod to the forks for attaching. That way they would adjust easy. I guess we could drill and bolt to the bucket, but then they are only in one position. Make sense?

[griff01]

A friend of mine has a small 28 horse tractor with a front loader. He would like some forks so he can move small palletts and other stuff.

I thought I would ask and see if anyone has any ideas/recommendations wrt design and type of metal? I seen a home brew set with 1 1/4 solid bar stock with welded brackets that slip on the loader. I also seen flat stock that affix to the loader with bolts, reenforced on the bottom for strength. Recommendations appreciated. Thanks

Northern Tool has them in their catalog. You could copy or modify from their pictures.

Griff

[gda]

I made forks for my machine out of 2" square stock wth a 3/16" wall. It is what I had on hand for material and made them 2 tubes wide. I've moved 1500# pallets of stone with them. The clamp uses a stainless steel bolt and nut so it never rusts up. It was all scrap I had on hand. For your machine channel will be best - Solid bar would be adding lots of weight against the total lift capacity of the tractor for little gain.

One more thing - when you weld them up you are going to be going for lots of penetration - which will cause warpage. For my forks I welded both up in the same manner and they warped the same - so they are even. (some people are probably scoffing at this - but hey - they are scrap metal forks - not a surgical instrument)

[Geezer]

end of fork towards bucket come up on a 90,top have sleeve of pipe width of channel on top,sides of bucket outside have pockets horizontal to recieve insert that has pipe with 90 hss on each end, pipe long enough to span bucket width.have this set up at height that bottom heal of fork will rest against bucket bottom[cutting edge].pockets can be hss that can be sleeved into another hss that is on pipe ends much like reciever,put a vertical pin between two,pipe on top of fork will sleeve other pipe alowing adjustment and the physics of heal on bucket bottom will keep forks level ,might want to gusset where channels come up on 90...could also drill sleeved pipes for pins to keep forks at desired width

Thanks Reggie. I think I got it. Appears are suggesting to fab pockets on each inside wall of the bucket to hold one single length of pipe that will rest in the pockets and span the horizontal width of the bucket. Correct? This same horizontal span will fit into the sleeves welded to the top of the forks. Understand the gusset. Am I on target with your recommendation? If not, if you have a pic that would help a bunch. Thanks

[Geezer]

Northern Tool has them in their catalog. You could copy or modify from their pictures.

Griff

I check it out Griff, thanks

[Geezer]

I made forks for my machine out of 2" square stock wth a 3/16" wall. It is what I had on hand for material and made them 2 tubes wide. I've moved 1500# pallets of stone with them. The clamp uses a stainless steel bolt and nut so it never rusts up. It was all scrap I had on hand. For your machine channel will be best - Solid bar would be adding lots of weight against the total lift capacity of the tractor for little gain.

One more thing - when you weld them up you are going to be going for lots of penetration - which will cause warpage. For my forks I welded both up in the same manner and they warped the same - so they are even. (some people are probably scoffing at this - but hey - they are scrap metal forks - not a surgical instrument)

GDA, thanks for the pics, those are stout forks!!!! Probably more than we need, but they could be modified to a smaller scale. Stainless steel threaded rod???? Wish I had that stuff laying loose. I'll chew on these suggestions and see where it leads. Thanks for the reply.

[sailor]

I built some extended forks for a local cable t.v. company. They said the max load whould be moving 2000lb cable spools.Well I found out there moving 6000lb pound cable spools,I asked nicely please don't do this something bad is going to happen. They still continuing the practice as I cringe.

[Geezer]

You got it...but I was thinking pockets[recievers] ion outside of bucket walls[sides] to reduce damage to them, depending on what your bucket's use is for.

Don't mean to sound like a nag, but I missed something in the translation.
How can the horizontal pipe slip through the fork sleeves if the receivers are on the outside walls???? Unless the receivers are mounted vertical on the bucket and the horizontal pipe is formed on each end to a 90 to slip into the receivers. If that is the case, then the forks are always mounted on the horizontal pipe and placed on the bucket as one unit. That may be too cumbersome for my aging friend.

I like the flexibility to easily adjust the width of the forks, ofcourse gda purposal is adjustable. I guess the penny has not dropped yet. I just need to get the right mental picture.

[Geezer]

I built some extended forks for a local cable t.v. company. They said the max load whould be moving 2000lb cable spools.Well I found out there moving 6000lb pound cable spools,I asked nicely please don't do this something bad is going to happen. They still continuing the practice as I cringe.

I should not have that problem, his tractor is probably limited to 1/4 ton lift.