Using forklift to move dirt?

carl reitnauer · Mar 25, 2015

I need to move several hundred yards of loose sand in a building. has anyone ever rigged a bucket on forklift forks to transport dirt a hundred
yards? Onetime thing, forklift is 4wd,don't want to end a skidsteer. other ideas?????????

Chicks · Mar 25, 2015

3pts dirt scoop ? Thinking of the dumping side of it with forks?

Frank 41 · Mar 25, 2015

Forklifts are NOT made to push or pull things for an extended period time. They are made to lift. Get a hoe or scraper.

Chicks · Mar 25, 2015

we have a jcb with forks and a big bucket we load penpack with and plow snow with. Yes it is not a dozen put it has been working for some years now.

jethrow4 · Mar 25, 2015

Ditto on the 3pt dirt scoop. I have on that works in either direction. Dumps with a pull on the rope, resets itself after dumping. You don't even have to leave your seat. Picked one up for $125, probably sell it for the same when I'm done with it.

JMS/.MN · Mar 25, 2015

Local junque yard had a snow bucket on the forklift. Don"t remember how it was set up to dump, though.

Rich_WI · Mar 25, 2015

(quoted from post at 19:58:46 03/25/15) I need to move several hundred yards of loose sand in a building. has anyone ever rigged a bucket on forklift forks to transport dirt a hundred
yards? Onetime thing, forklift is 4wd,don't want to end a skidsteer. other ideas?????????

Buckets on forks are very common. Might even be able to rent them.

http://salemachines.com/public/attachments.cfm

http://www.starindustries.com/selfDumpBucket.htm

Chris Jones · Mar 25, 2015

They make buckets that slip on forks. I think they are mostly for telehandlers. I'd think dumping would be the biggest problem if you just use mast tilt it might not be enough angle to dump well. Then again perhaps a trip bucket could be devised--or perhaps is already being made. I saw one that dumps hydraulically--link below--it's too far forward with the weight for my taste. Perhaps the bucket could hook on the mast in place of the forks. As for the ability of a forklift to handle pushing into a pile etc I figure that depends on the forklift (battery warehouse, rough terrain diesel, etc.) they come in all shapes and sizes.
Forklift bucket

Geo-TH,In · Mar 25, 2015

Think outside the box. I made 4 ft long forks to attach to the front bucket of my Terramite. I have a 6 ft landscape rake which I use on my Jubilee. Only problem, is there is no down force on Ford's 3 pt. So I made a simple attachment to connect my rake to the front forks. Works great pushing sticks in a pile from a tree I had cut down. No reason you couldn't attach a grader blade to your forks, pull or push the sand. I used my rake to level the yard and full in holes created by the tree hitting the ground. Instead of attaching a top link, I use a small chain to pick the rake up. Forks apply down force. I can see what's going on too. Works far better than a 3 pt.

MARK ROBKE · Mar 25, 2015

It seems that I saw a forklift at a lumber yard that had a bucket that the forks went into,kinda hung on the tips of the forks and the bucket was below the forks.The bucket had a rope trip;they used it to load sand or mulch.As soon as they loaded you,they could drop the bucket and go back to moving lumber with the forks.IIRCC, it looked factory made.Mark

ih_bug · Mar 25, 2015

like this? apparently they have different sizes . I do know they are built heavy

http://www.andershornstein.se/machines/machines-for-potato/potato-handling-machines/3758-wifo-hydraulic-bulk-loading-bucket-for-forklift/651/

DoubleR · Mar 26, 2015

If its a one time deal you might want to consider renting something to so the job.

glennster · Mar 26, 2015

if you have a couple hundred yards of sand,rent a large skidsteer. it will cost you a couple 2-300 hundred dollars and you will get it done in a day or day and a half. the fork lift is gosh awful heavy on the counterweight, and if you are soft ground it will be a pain in the tush. couple years ago i had 600 tons of rip rap delivered for my ditches. took quite a few weekend to get it moved with a backhoe and skidder.

Geo-TH,In · Mar 26, 2015

You can rent a Terramite for the weekend for around $250.

Using forklift to move dirt?

carl reitnauer

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Chicks

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Frank 41

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Chicks

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jethrow4

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JMS/.MN

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Rich_WI

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Chris Jones

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MARK ROBKE

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ih_bug

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