made my forks

n175h · May 6, 2010

$92 worth of iron and a full day cutting, shaping, and welding. I can hook on or off from the tractor seat. I may attach chains at the bottom if I need to stab something and dump it over without the forks pivoting out. I made them about a foot below the bucket so I can see their position from the seat. Even with that the tractor hood is obstructing the view and I have to lean left or right to see them. I will probably have to get a bigger rod. I think the one I have is too small. Each fork is heavyyyy. It took me and my son together to carry each one separately. I can position each fork on either side of the J hook as needed, and since I took these pictures I welded more gussets on the sides of the forks for more strength.

David

Dean · May 7, 2010

Nice job

Dean

Scott Hightower · May 8, 2010

Great idea!!!!

Instead of using the solid rod perhaps a larger tube would be good. Say 2" dia. x 1/4" wall??? This would be allot stronger with the same weight. It may even be strong enough that you could use a slip fit on the plate so you could adjust the fork width.

Again Cool Idea!!!!!!

Scott
Fab Manager
http://www.welders360.com/

CM1995 · May 8, 2010

I bought a set of these forks for my 953C track loader.

A few hints from running this setup:

1. I would add 2 more bucket hooks
2. You will need a larger diameter bar, the set I have is 2" cold rolled and they still bend easily (obviously I am running them on a TL and picking up heavy items but I think you will need something more substantial)
3. I would beef up the size of the bucket hooks if you intend to pick up anything heavy.

My $.02

n175h · May 10, 2010

CM1995 said:
I bought a set of these forks for my 953C track loader.

A few hints from running this setup:

1. I would add 2 more bucket hooks
2. You will need a larger diameter bar, the set I have is 2" cold rolled and they still bend easily (obviously I am running them on a TL and picking up heavy items but I think you will need something more substantial)
3. I would beef up the size of the bucket hooks if you intend to pick up anything heavy.

My $.02

Wow, thanks for the info. Adding 2 more hooks would be a pretty easy job. Maybe and hour tops.

Thanks,
David

n175h · May 12, 2010

n175h said:
Wow, thanks for the info. Adding 2 more hooks would be a pretty easy job. Maybe and hour tops.

Thanks,
David

Got it done. It actually took two hours.

David

diggerdave1958 · May 12, 2010

I have a set of Forks for my Case 580SE like CM1995 i have had them for about 15 years and they have been used on 3 TLB's over the years i have the Hooks made at a local Fab shop out of 3/4" plate, i will take a pic in the next day or so and post it so you can see the rod and end mounts

CM1995 · May 12, 2010

I had to search the forums but I found some pics from a few years ago of my 953C carrying RCP with the bucket over forks. The bucket hooks in the picture have since been changed to a "beefier" set. They work well in a pinch.

https://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=2748&highlight=953C+CM1995&page=3

SouthOnBeach · May 12, 2010

4 hooks and a 2" rod should be able to lift anything you want. or would want to attempt to lift...

shopteacher 1 · May 12, 2010

I have found a set of forks in a tractor junk yard for $150 but they are bent. They use a solid 1 1/2" hot rolled steel. What material did you use for the forks? I like the way they extend below the bucket for visibility. What type of tlb do you have them mounted on?

diggerdave1958 · May 13, 2010

After reading this post i went out to the pole barn today and fixed my fork mounts the center one was bent and would not hookup to the forks so i spent about 1 hours cutting off the old one welding on a new one. I always have a couple spares hooks around. The hardest part of putting a new hook on is lining up with the other 2 they have to be inline to work right. the hooks are 3/4" plate.

cat320 · May 13, 2010

what kind of capacity do these units have? I was thinking of one for my 580

diggerdave1958 · May 13, 2010

cat320, i have carried about 3000+-lbs and it still had lift. i just have 3 fork hooks on my 580SE if i where to carry more i would add another hook.

collardcarpntry · May 14, 2010

great ideas guys. i have been kicking the idea around for some time now.

diggerdave1958 · May 14, 2010

collardcarpntry, I have those forks for my Case 580SE they make a pretty good forklift i use them maybe 1 or 2 times a month but worth every penny i have put into them. Like i have said, i keep a couple spare hooks around the shop just in case, I have them fab at a local shop for about $15 ec. they get bent alot LOL

n175h · May 14, 2010

diggerdave1958 said:
collardcarpntry, I have those forks for my Case 580SE they make a pretty good forklift i use them maybe 1 or 2 times a month but worth every penny i have put into them. Like i have said, i keep a couple spare hooks around the shop just in case, I have them fab at a local shop for about $15 ec. they get bent alot LOL

Wow! 3/4" hooks and you bend them alot. I used 1/2" plate. I bet I don't have near enough steel on my bucket to lift a substantial load:Banghead
I made this to unload some 600lb equipment I expect in a few weeks. It will work for that, but I need to be cautious if I get too ambitious and lift something really heavy.

David

diggerdave1958 · May 14, 2010

n175h, What i should have said, is they get bent when i use the loader bucket to load concrete slabs, use the loader bucket to push and if you notice on my machine they stick out about 3 - 4" in front of my bucket. I would not worry to much about 600lbs with your setup it should be fine.

collardcarpntry · May 15, 2010

they seem like something i wont use a lot, but when i do need them they will be priceless. i talked to a buddy with a plasma cutter and he said he will get started on my hooks. cant wait.

handtpipeline · May 15, 2010

Here's a couple of pics of the forks I made. I bought a set of used forks (supposed to be off a 7,000 pound capacity forklift), then added to the top of them, to make them tall enough for bucket forks. I then welded slide collars on them, and use a piece of 1 1/2" heat treated bar. One of the forks has been bent once, where the bend is at the bottom (out of someones stupidity, trying to pry a cattleguard out of the ground), we heated it with a rosebud, straightened it, and havn't had any other problems with it. The hooks I make now are out of 1 1/2" plate. I tried 3/4" plate for the first set of hooks, and they got mangled rather quickly. I've since used 1 1/2" hooks on a 580 SK, 580 SL, and currently on a 580 M & 580 SM. I've lifted things with them, that I had to stretch the boom out behind the machine for counterweight, so they're pretty stout. I need to scrounge another set of forks, and make another set, so I'll have a set for both machines. I built them on February 18, 2001 ( I know this, because I was working on them when I was called and told that Dale Earnhardt had been killed

).

diggerdave1958 · May 16, 2010

handtpipeline, could you put up a closeup pic of your hooks on the bucket, I would almost bet you could'nt bend them if you tried, have you had to replace any of them yet ??
Thanks

made my forks

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