I have 42" forks for my tractor, but I bought them during COVID when nobody had any inventory, I was just happy to get what I could and had to order them from Messicks and have them shipped across the country because my dealer couldn't/didn't seem to interested in getting the stuff I ordered with my tractor. It was excuse after excuse it seemed with him. So I said screw it and ordered them from Messicks....the forks are for a compact tractor though, so they're a bit heavier than what my sub-compact tractor really should have but they get the job done for the most part. I wish I could get 36" forks as the 42" forks are a bit overkill sometimes for what I move around most of the time its smaller stuff so the shorter forks would work fine, especially for the smaller tractor and smaller pallets I built for it. I've used my pallet forks to move tree branches and brush around too, yeah a grapple would be great, but not for the ridiculous cost of them plus shipping, pallet fork shipping was bad enough and that was with having them shipped to a freight terminal and then I had to drive 40 miles one way to get them and come back home LOL. I bought a log splitter this past summer and had it shipped to the house. Course it was shipped by a freight company, so it had to be unloaded from a semi trailer. The truck driver was sure happy to see me sitting there with the tractor when he pulled up. He backed in the driveway, opened the trailer door, I picked the crate up with the pallet forks and away he went...he wasn't even here for 5 minutes and he was unloaded and gone. Being able to receive large, bulky, and heavy items at home and be able to unload out of a semi truck is a game changer.
I got a set of ultralight Hardox pallet forks to maximize my JD1025R lift capacity (from Everything Attachments just before they went crazy - hope they get it back together). Definitely my most used attachment. Everything from offloading delivery trailers & trucks to retrieving deer off the back hill. Great for gathering logs to harvest for firewood as well. Even bringing my 200 lb portable generator over alongside the house last month during a power outage. Moves pallets, too!
Love my clamp on bucket forks! I'm probably not done inventing ways to use them, but over the summer I lifted and set 18' 6x6 heavy wet pressure treated posts for my barn build with them. I clamped my forks on close together and used a choker chain to hoist and carry the posts. The best part was that after I dropped them in the hole, I could get them vertical on both planes by adjusting the bucket, tapping the slightly loose forks, and adjusting the chain until everything was held perfectly in place, then placing the concrete around the posts. (Setting posts that size has never been a 1 man job until I got my bucket forks.) Of course, wet pressure-treated timbers will do whatever they want to do after that, bowing and twisting every which way until all your precision work was for nothing. 😆 I don't have the back to lift the big round bale rings when they're still partially full, and I need to put out fresh bales. But those forks on the bucket make it easy. Also, my plan for the future is to build firewood pallets and modify my covered porch railings so they easily lift up for temporary removal. I can use my forks to set my firewood pallets on the porch instead of jockeying a trailer into position to unload firewood one piece at a time, then stacking it. My forks are going to end that dreaded chore. I was a little worried about the forks over-stressing the lower pan of the bucket, possibly bending it or causing stress cracks at the outside lower corners of the bucket. For that reason, I use ratcheting load binders hooked onto the top of the bucket and down to the forks to share the load.
I thought I would use the bucket most when I bought my tractor. Nope. Pallet forks. I bought a good set made here in Knoxville TN. I have a couple of nice plastic pallets. It is amazing for moving bagged mulch, etc around our property. They really help installing and removing the 5th wheel hitch from my truck! No more strained back.
Amen, Bro. Mike.... Amen!! Pallet forks are the best things since pockets on shirts. Heck, on reasonably level ground, I use my pallet forks in place of hay spear. You can just do so many things.
That 2 in one system just frustrates me watching it! I rather have the two separate loader attachments than fiddle around with taking forks and tines off. The older I get the worse my back feels after something like that. What I am actually after now is adding electric or hydraulic to my handles on the quick coupler so I can get implements on and off the loader from the seat like the skid loaders have now days. I find if I have to get on and off the tractor more than a few times a day my back starts to bother from the climbing and twisting.
I tend to agree. I've got a fork/bale spear combo that I made myself. I already had a hay spear and I came up with a carriage and forks off a small forklift, so I welded the fork carriage onto the bale spear frame. Thought I was doing good by making a 2 in 1 attachment. Like Mike, I use my bale spear mostly in the winter and my forks mostly in the summer. It never fails though, I'll have my spear on to move hay and something will come up and I'll need my forks. It's not terrible changing (I have pins instead of bolts to hold the spikes on) but still aggravating compared to just swapping attachments with the quick-attach.
It seems like the receiver hitch would be a no-brainer to the pallet fork manufacturers, but, alas, not so. I wish I had thought that through a bit better when I bought mine.
I bought a set of "BUCKETEERS" before they went out of business (Their website died about 1.5 years ago)....best thing on my tractor. Pallet forks on steroids...too bad they're gone.
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Forks are indispensable, back-savers for sure! Mine are bucket forks, love em.
I have 42" forks for my tractor, but I bought them during COVID when nobody had any inventory, I was just happy to get what I could and had to order them from Messicks and have them shipped across the country because my dealer couldn't/didn't seem to interested in getting the stuff I ordered with my tractor. It was excuse after excuse it seemed with him. So I said screw it and ordered them from Messicks....the forks are for a compact tractor though, so they're a bit heavier than what my sub-compact tractor really should have but they get the job done for the most part. I wish I could get 36" forks as the 42" forks are a bit overkill sometimes for what I move around most of the time its smaller stuff so the shorter forks would work fine, especially for the smaller tractor and smaller pallets I built for it.
I've used my pallet forks to move tree branches and brush around too, yeah a grapple would be great, but not for the ridiculous cost of them plus shipping, pallet fork shipping was bad enough and that was with having them shipped to a freight terminal and then I had to drive 40 miles one way to get them and come back home LOL.
I bought a log splitter this past summer and had it shipped to the house. Course it was shipped by a freight company, so it had to be unloaded from a semi trailer. The truck driver was sure happy to see me sitting there with the tractor when he pulled up. He backed in the driveway, opened the trailer door, I picked the crate up with the pallet forks and away he went...he wasn't even here for 5 minutes and he was unloaded and gone. Being able to receive large, bulky, and heavy items at home and be able to unload out of a semi truck is a game changer.
Appreciate this one Tractor Mike-especially the real time! Thank you for sharing your wisdom.
🇺🇸🚜👏🏼
Pallet forks are the best thing I have bought for my tractor. I've found many uses for them.
I got a set of ultralight Hardox pallet forks to maximize my JD1025R lift capacity (from Everything Attachments just before they went crazy - hope they get it back together). Definitely my most used attachment. Everything from offloading delivery trailers & trucks to retrieving deer off the back hill. Great for gathering logs to harvest for firewood as well. Even bringing my 200 lb portable generator over alongside the house last month during a power outage. Moves pallets, too!
Love my clamp on bucket forks! I'm probably not done inventing ways to use them, but over the summer I lifted and set 18' 6x6 heavy wet pressure treated posts for my barn build with them. I clamped my forks on close together and used a choker chain to hoist and carry the posts. The best part was that after I dropped them in the hole, I could get them vertical on both planes by adjusting the bucket, tapping the slightly loose forks, and adjusting the chain until everything was held perfectly in place, then placing the concrete around the posts. (Setting posts that size has never been a 1 man job until I got my bucket forks.) Of course, wet pressure-treated timbers will do whatever they want to do after that, bowing and twisting every which way until all your precision work was for nothing. 😆
I don't have the back to lift the big round bale rings when they're still partially full, and I need to put out fresh bales. But those forks on the bucket make it easy. Also, my plan for the future is to build firewood pallets and modify my covered porch railings so they easily lift up for temporary removal. I can use my forks to set my firewood pallets on the porch instead of jockeying a trailer into position to unload firewood one piece at a time, then stacking it. My forks are going to end that dreaded chore.
I was a little worried about the forks over-stressing the lower pan of the bucket, possibly bending it or causing stress cracks at the outside lower corners of the bucket. For that reason, I use ratcheting load binders hooked onto the top of the bucket and down to the forks to share the load.
I thought I would use the bucket most when I bought my tractor. Nope. Pallet forks. I bought a good set made here in Knoxville TN. I have a couple of nice plastic pallets. It is amazing for moving bagged mulch, etc around our property. They really help installing and removing the 5th wheel hitch from my truck! No more strained back.
Nice set up.
We use ours all the time and even the neighbors borrow them often.
Love my Wesendorf pallet forks!!
PS - don’t forget to add weight at the rear if you are lifting heavy things up front.
Yes, we have a set
I'm sure you have a reason for using bolts and nuts to secure your spikes. I probably would have used clevis pins with spring clips.
I dont have ssqa so I use the cheap clamp on forks.
I would like to see what you can show us with the 3 point pallet forks.
Thanks!
Correct Mike ty 🏆🏆🤠🚜
Amen, Bro. Mike.... Amen!! Pallet forks are the best things since pockets on shirts. Heck, on reasonably level ground, I use my pallet forks in place of hay spear. You can just do so many things.
If I had only one attachment it would be pallet forks
That 2 in one system just frustrates me watching it! I rather have the two separate loader attachments than fiddle around with taking forks and tines off. The older I get the worse my back feels after something like that. What I am actually after now is adding electric or hydraulic to my handles on the quick coupler so I can get implements on and off the loader from the seat like the skid loaders have now days. I find if I have to get on and off the tractor more than a few times a day my back starts to bother from the climbing and twisting.
I tend to agree. I've got a fork/bale spear combo that I made myself. I already had a hay spear and I came up with a carriage and forks off a small forklift, so I welded the fork carriage onto the bale spear frame. Thought I was doing good by making a 2 in 1 attachment. Like Mike, I use my bale spear mostly in the winter and my forks mostly in the summer. It never fails though, I'll have my spear on to move hay and something will come up and I'll need my forks. It's not terrible changing (I have pins instead of bolts to hold the spikes on) but still aggravating compared to just swapping attachments with the quick-attach.
Definitely don't get the clamp on the bucket style forks.
Yep, good way to bend your bucket cutting edge. The bucket cutting edge isn't designed for that kind of load and leverage those clamp on forks have.
It seems like the receiver hitch would be a no-brainer to the pallet fork manufacturers, but, alas, not so. I wish I had thought that through a bit better when I bought mine.
Most people just use a torch and cut a hole in one of the forks. Lol
Don’t make the mistake of buying bucket clamp on pallet forks!
You used a 1/2" bolt for the big spike and 3/8" bolts for the small spikes, not 3/4 and 9/16.
I bought a set of "BUCKETEERS" before they went out of business (Their website died about 1.5 years ago)....best thing on my tractor. Pallet forks on steroids...too bad they're gone.