- Thread starter Rkh
- Start date
Russ from MN
Well-known Member
- Location
- Bemidji MN
If your bucket is any kind of a quick-attach it would be better to make or buy forks that are separate, it keeps the load closer to the tractor so you can lift more. But, there are many designs of forks that fit on a bucket that work OK, I sure folks will post some ideas.
Titan has some cheap clamp-on forks that work fine. They are rated about 4,000#/pair and are like 1.5"h tube rather than thin forged forks, but were like $200ish delivered which is hard to beat.
The biggest issue is the lack of visibility with the bucket in the way which sometimes necessitates an assistant to guide or sometimes standing up can see enough. Used on a large backhoe where the loader capacity far exceeds the forks and load CG isn't an issue they are used constantly around here moving super sacks of feed, palettes of stuff, etc. Certainly worth the modest cost.
The biggest issue is the lack of visibility with the bucket in the way which sometimes necessitates an assistant to guide or sometimes standing up can see enough. Used on a large backhoe where the loader capacity far exceeds the forks and load CG isn't an issue they are used constantly around here moving super sacks of feed, palettes of stuff, etc. Certainly worth the modest cost.
redforlife
Well-known Member
As Russ said, quick-tach is becoming pretty popular.
If money is not really an object, and the manufacturer of the loader is not in business anymore or don't make a quick-tach set up for the loader, it might be of your best interest to make a homemade deal that will except quick-tach attachments and put it on in place of the bucket. You can ussually accomplish this by buying what you need, and then altering it to fit your loader. Saves you from building something completely from scratch.
If you go this route, then you can use any quick-tach attachments, and buy the forks. Boughton forks are going to be better than homemade forks.
People that make thier own spears and forks and what have, ussually try to use the toughest material they can find, and then run into trouble down the road when thier welds break. Find out it's not easy to weld something that is that hard, and getting welds to stick to it.
If money is not really an object, and the manufacturer of the loader is not in business anymore or don't make a quick-tach set up for the loader, it might be of your best interest to make a homemade deal that will except quick-tach attachments and put it on in place of the bucket. You can ussually accomplish this by buying what you need, and then altering it to fit your loader. Saves you from building something completely from scratch.
If you go this route, then you can use any quick-tach attachments, and buy the forks. Boughton forks are going to be better than homemade forks.
People that make thier own spears and forks and what have, ussually try to use the toughest material they can find, and then run into trouble down the road when thier welds break. Find out it's not easy to weld something that is that hard, and getting welds to stick to it.
timcasbolt
Well-known Member
I just recently picked up a set of forks from vevor for under $100 delivered. Haven't taken them out of the box yet, but the price was right.
Blackhole49
Well-known Member
- Location
- White Lake MI
If you can afford to go this route, it would be my preferred solution.
If not, I bought these for my skid steer and they do work.
Untitled URL Link
If not, I bought these for my skid steer and they do work.
Untitled URL Link
Pete in Holland MI
Member
Just remember that the farther you go out from the tips of your loader arms, the lifting capacity drops accordingly, and the faster the curl action will respond. Also, the bottom panel of your bucket needs to be strong enough for clamp on forks to bear upon.
As Russ is saying.. especially on smaller/medium tractors and/or bigger loads.... moving the load out further greatly reducing the amout of weight you can pick up...
With the later balers making big and tighter bales!!!!!! removing the bucket and going to direct attached hay forks is now pretty much mandatory for a lot of folks. Picking large round bales freshly bailed is making the overload valves squeal... But wait a couple of weeks and you can pick them up fine. Now a lot of the smaller/older hay forks are destroyed with the newer heavier bales. SO putting the forks on the bucket is not always a viable solution over a direct mount set of forks. If your using a 110 hp or bigger, not usually a problem...
With the later balers making big and tighter bales!!!!!! removing the bucket and going to direct attached hay forks is now pretty much mandatory for a lot of folks. Picking large round bales freshly bailed is making the overload valves squeal... But wait a couple of weeks and you can pick them up fine. Now a lot of the smaller/older hay forks are destroyed with the newer heavier bales. SO putting the forks on the bucket is not always a viable solution over a direct mount set of forks. If your using a 110 hp or bigger, not usually a problem...
grandpa Love
Well-known Member
We bought a set of clamp on forks from Amazon. Can't lift as much we can when using the quick attach forks in place of bucket. But they do come in handy. Especially for yard clean up. Small stuff in bucket, larger on forks. 9 out of 10 stars.... I recommend them!
I have a set of the clamp-on forks. I agree with the other replies about their limitations so it depends just what you have in mind which way would be best. I am assuming your MF 65 loader does not have the skidsteer quick attach which is so popular on the smaller new tractor/loaders today . So your options would be a set of clamp-on forks or a pin -on fork arrangment. I will agree with the others who have the clamp on forks, if you use them wisely they are a handy tool and can be bought quite reasonably.
Dune Country
Well-known Member
If you do go with clamp on's be sure to run a chain and binder from the pockets on the back of the forks to the top of your bucket.
Either weld a hook to the top of bucket or cut a hole. Otherwise you may tear the lip off of your bucket!
Either weld a hook to the top of bucket or cut a hole. Otherwise you may tear the lip off of your bucket!
I have a small Kubota, 25 hp or so.
I have two sets of forks. A set of the long clamp-on ones.
As everyone said, they do limit how much you can lift, but they do have the place.
The other set I made from a piece of 1 x 3 iron. Made them pretty much like the
manufactured ones, as far as mounting goes. But they only stick out about a foot
in front of the bucket. Great for handling posts, poles, small stacks of lumber, etc.
They have their limitations, but so does the tractor.
They are not near as clumsy as the long ones.
I have two sets of forks. A set of the long clamp-on ones.
As everyone said, they do limit how much you can lift, but they do have the place.
The other set I made from a piece of 1 x 3 iron. Made them pretty much like the
manufactured ones, as far as mounting goes. But they only stick out about a foot
in front of the bucket. Great for handling posts, poles, small stacks of lumber, etc.
They have their limitations, but so does the tractor.
They are not near as clumsy as the long ones.
Geo-TH,In
Well-known Member
Titian makes great forks.
I had no choice but to make forks for my terramites.
I made using 7 inch channel.
I would recommend titan forks with a brush guard if your front bucket has a quick disconnect.
My kubota and forks is my elevator to my loft 8 ft off the floor..
You can add hay spears to my titian is you need them.
I had no choice but to make forks for my terramites.
I made using 7 inch channel.
I would recommend titan forks with a brush guard if your front bucket has a quick disconnect.
My kubota and forks is my elevator to my loft 8 ft off the floor..
You can add hay spears to my titian is you need them.
I had a set of clamp on forks for a small Kubota loader tractor. They were handy but I eventually bent my bucket using them. When I traded the tractor in for another I brought a set of forks for the new one a liked them allot better. I sold the clamp on forks so I wouldn't be tempted to use them and bend my new bucket. I do use the forks allot and they are on the tractor probably 75 percent of the time. The clamp on forks are a cheaper way to go for just a little part time work if your careful but if your going to use them allot the dedicated forks and quick change on the loader is the way to go.
caterpillar guy
Well-known Member
We have a set of bale spears that I use as forks sometimes and they are chained over the top of the bucket with a chain from the back of the fork bracket under the bucket to the top of the angle holding the spear sockets. then I use a binder to tighten them up to the bottom of the bucket. With some caution I have lifted all the loader will lift with them putting the load right at the front of the loader bucket with a chain,. Like I moved a couple anhydrous tanks one end at a time to unload them with the chain over the spears.
BillinCentralMO
Well-known Member
Clamp ons are better than nothing. And they are less expensive.The compliments end there. Mine were always getting pulled sideways , hard to see , heavy to change , and the load too far away. I finally got a set of real forks. They are about 100 times better. I cant tell you how pleased I am with the new forks.
I took a 48 inch 4 inch heavy wall tube.
Cut holes out to weld the bushings in for bought bale forks. Centre of forks is 36 inches. 2 volts through the bucket and bolt it on. Cordless impact.
Weld two tubing to the back and have a pocket in the back where they go into. Then the weight is evenly distributed. I haul 1500 lbs bales like this for 10 years already. Having the long tube in front helps as you are not lifting on just the width of one fork.
Cut holes out to weld the bushings in for bought bale forks. Centre of forks is 36 inches. 2 volts through the bucket and bolt it on. Cordless impact.
Weld two tubing to the back and have a pocket in the back where they go into. Then the weight is evenly distributed. I haul 1500 lbs bales like this for 10 years already. Having the long tube in front helps as you are not lifting on just the width of one fork.
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