# Bolt on pallet forks??



## tabaka45 (Mar 19, 2018)

I am interested in getting some clamp on pallet forks for my Fork 445 backhoe. Titan has some 30' with a 1500 pound capacity and some 43 ' with a 4000 pound capacity. I like the longer length but I am concerned about bending the bucket. Anyone had any experience with these on a backhoe the size of the 445?


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## the key of knowledge (Jul 12, 2020)

Yes and the experience is bad. Many decades ago I learned that For me I should always buy equipment that is bigger, stronger or will lift more than I think I need. For me it is better to always have a quick change and get forks that mount directly to the machine. Now I have two skid steers, one with a bucket and the other with forks. None of the three tractors here have forks.


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## bmaverick (Feb 20, 2014)

Like KOK said, best to have them come off the tractor. I have a set that mounts to my boxblade. They are strong and all too. BUT, the downside is, they are way out there to be full effective. Think of a see-saw. The farther out they are the worse it is to lift. My box blade has them another 1.5FT further out vs. a 3PT mounted fork would be. Thus, the load capacity drops.


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## Hoodoo Valley (Nov 14, 2006)

I have a set that mount in place of my bucket.


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## tabaka45 (Mar 19, 2018)

Thanks for your replies. I don’t have the option of adding another machine and would only be using them for jobs around the farm. I doubt that I would be handling anything over 700-1,000 pounds, and not very often at that. The only reason I have a backhoe is that I got a very good deal on it and planned to do a little ditching with it and then sell it. But I have found so many uses for I have decided to keep it. Handy machines.


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## the key of knowledge (Jul 12, 2020)

Food for thought about using a bucket as a fork lift mounting. Many decades ago I received a call from one of my superintendents who advised that a subcontractor who was building a privacy wall along the property line of one of our projects was running out of block. In order to keep the project on schedule I took a flat bed truck and an equipment trailer from the yard and went to the block yard and picked up the block. Usually I would have just left the truck and trailer at the site and returned to the office using the super's pickup. Since he was busy I thought I would help him and so I took the Case landscape tractor and picked up the forks on the bucket. The area was narrow where the block had to be unloaded and so turned the wheel tight and began backing away from the trailer. The load being so far in front of the machine caused the tractor to begin to tip over to the side away from the direction of the turn. I dropped the load and tried to straighten the wheels, but the tractor was so far over it bounced and when it bounced it went backward. I took out an entire section of the wall putting the project by two days. Never used that fork method for such heavy loads again. Invested in forks for each skid steer (used to keep one on each site).


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## tabaka45 (Mar 19, 2018)

That's a good point and regardless of what forks I end up using I will keep that advice and your experience in mind. Fortunately, I don't expect to be lifting anything super heavy, but you never know.


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## the key of knowledge (Jul 12, 2020)

If you keep the backhoe boom and dipper centered behind the machine and you pick up the load and back straight back you should be able to pick up whatever weight the hoe is capable of lifting so long as you back up straight and set the load on the ground. Make sure your front tires are good as a popped tire could cause the machine to dip on one side and that can flip it. If you need to move the pallet from there it can be done by doing it the same way a skid steer does it. The name skid steer comes from just picking up a load high enough (a few inches) and skidding the load along. If the machine wants to tip it can only go to one side or the other a few inches. Be sure to keep children and others away when picking or moving heaven loads.


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## tabaka45 (Mar 19, 2018)

Good information. I think I am going to buy the 43 inch Titan forks with stabilizer bar and use a chain and chain tensioner to keep from possibly bending the edge of the loader. Now to decide on the 1500 pound or 4,000 pound forks. On the farm I can't imagine anything over 1,500 pounds, but I guess it wouldn't hurt to have the beefier forks.


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

I think that unless the bucket is already comprised, the load on the forks would get you light on the backend before you damaged your bucket, and I think your hydraulics would max out before the bucket bent.
If the price is right, I'd go for the more substantial forks. if they can lift 4000 lbs., then they should last by just poking around with 1500-2000 pound loads, being used properly.
Like most other folks that have chimed in, also have a separate set of forks, with the back board that keeps the load from tipping over backwards.
As a bit of a side comment, I'd clamp a couple of pieces of 2 x 4 to the bucket to simulate the forks you are thinking about, and climb on the tractor and see if you can actually see the tips. If you can't, you'll most likely get disappointed with your purchase in a hurry. If you can't see the ends, you'll be digging into the ground, poking holes in boxes and having a heck of a time trying to line up on the pallet pockets.


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## tabaka45 (Mar 19, 2018)

Good idea about the 2 x 4's. I'll try that.


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## Dmfoste1 (Apr 22, 2019)

Glad you were asking about the forks. I was also wondering if they were a gimmick or worth the money. Really like the idea of the 2x4s. Lately i've been using 2 heavy chains through a couple of square tubing to pick up pallets. Worked good until I got a not so repaired pallet loaded with bagged concrete. Let's just say the shovel got some overtime with that mess. 
I also saw the same company offered a manual weld on thumb for the backhoe. Thanks for all the replays in the forks. Good food for thought.


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## Joel Marsh (Oct 23, 2020)

I have the titan 4000lb forks but they are on a small terramite . Awesome product , place as close to the sides of the bucket and anything really heavy only lift a few inches off the ground to make sure it’s stable enough . They work great moving lots of branches


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## tabaka45 (Mar 19, 2018)

Well, I finally decided on the Titan 4,000 pound forks with stabilizer bar. I also ordered 2 ratchet chain binders from MyTee. I plan on using chains and the ratchet chain binders to help hold the forks in place and take some of the load off the lip of the loader. That should handle anything I run into on the farm. They should be here in about a week and I'll let you know how they set up


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## Raymond Henrie (Sep 18, 2019)

tabaka45 said:


> Good information. I think I am going to buy the 43 inch Titan forks with stabilizer bar and use a chain and chain tensioner to keep from possibly bending the edge of the loader. Now to decide on the 1500 pound or 4,000 pound forks. On the farm I can't imagine anything over 1,500 pounds, but I guess it wouldn't hurt to have the beefier forks.


 I have some clamp-on forks and they will not keep in position at all unless you use chains and binders around the bucket With the chains tight they are very sueful, but will still move a bit side to side.


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## Grandpa Love (Jun 6, 2020)

tabaka45 said:


> I am interested in getting some clamp on pallet forks for my Fork 445 backhoe. Titan has some 30' with a 1500 pound capacity and some 43 ' with a 4000 pound capacity. I like the longer length but I am concerned about bending the bucket. Anyone had any experience with these on a backhoe the size of the 445?


We bought the 4000 lb forks from Amazon. We use them to unload fencing material from semi trucks. Our preacher has the lighter ones. He is jealous of ours! We use ours on a Massey 204 work bull. No backhoe. Little light on front sometimes. But very pleased with them. Picture of the tractor.


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## Grandpa Love (Jun 6, 2020)

Uggg. No picture?


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## tabaka45 (Mar 19, 2018)

I received the Titan 4,000 pound, 60 inch (43" fork) forks yesterday and have the following observations. 1. For a backhoe, the 60 inch forks are essential if you want to be able to see the fork tips. When I stand up I can see about 6 inches. 2 Seem to be well made with good welds. 3. I bought the stabilizer bar and that keeps the forks properly spaced and straight. I feel like they are necessary to keep the forks in the position you set them. 4. I also bought chain ratchets to secure the forks with a chain. With those and a chain the forks will stay in place and not come of. In addition, the chains take a lot of the load off of the loader blade which is essential if lifting heaver loads to prevent possibly bending the loader lip. 5. Over all I am very pleased with this set up and believe that it will serve any purpose I have around a farm. Got the forks through Amazon and the chain ratchets from MyTee. Total cost of about $260.


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