Front loader bucket to forks

[alswagg 128]

Has anyone or does anyone sell a kit to swap the front bucket out for a set of forks?  On my little backhoe/loader the bucket has 4 removable pins, which makes it easy to remove.  I have many uses for simply a set of forks.  I have been contemplating building a fork carige for the front.  Uses would be moving brush, picking up and unloading pallets, setting trusses, ect.  Al

[smoreau 658]

No there is nothing made for that. If your going to make a set, make them as light as possible. Your loader will only pick up a few 100 lbs.

[alswagg 128]

I know it is not a fork lift, but I have picked up and unloaded a small block Chevy out of the trailer and carried into the shop.  Little more than a couple hundred pounds.  I think I could fabricate a set and bracket for around a hundred pounds.  Little more than the bucket, but much stronger. 

[smoreau 658]

I am just going by what Kelly did a year or so ago, After he was all done his capacity was very limited to what it can lift. You don't need to use forks from a fork truck, C channel will work just fine as it weight is a lot less and still has a desent lifting capacity. Just saying the lighter you make the bracket, the more lifting capacity you will have. This is all within reason though, too light of duty would be bad also. My buddy made a set of forks for his skid steer that fit on the bucket, I wish i had a pic to show you. They work great and are made of c channel and are 5' long. They take about 2 min to install and are fully adjustable.

Edited December 25, 2014 by smoreau

[AMC RULES 36,945]

https://www.google.com/search?q=bucket+forks&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=643&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=NFSbVIeaDYmmNuS4g7AM&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAw

[smoreau 658]

its like the first pic in Craigs link

[alswagg 128]

The bucket forks are an option, however the use of these moves the fulcrom point much further forward than neccessary.  Thus this will also lower your lifting abilities. 

here is a version for a John Deere that I was thinking of duplicating for the Ark Loader.

 

here is a back view of the rack.  The Ark Bucket has 4 easy to remove pins for exchange.

 

Oh, this set up if 36" width

[boovuc 1,090]

I don't think most folks know just how heavy a forklift fork is. I can tell you that both forks and a rack from one of the Clarks and or Nisson Lift trucks at work would tax the lift capacity by itself on my Ark Loader. I believe each fork is about 150 to 170 lbs alone.

[Kennedy 90]

I am not sure how the bucket attaches to the lift arms as I have never seen one in person or up close. If you are going to make your own a good place to start might be a 3 point carry-all fork attachment. It is not width adjustable however.

Mark

[jeremi3210 688]

here's a link to some pics I posted of my friends forks.

[alswagg 128]

I saw a you tube video of a Cub with an Ark Loader with a quick attach for both a bucket and fork kit.  I tried to copy and paste, but the link did not follow.

 

[AMC RULES 36,945]

 

[alswagg 128]

thanks for posting the link.  the first video with the cub is what I am interested in  Al

[AMC RULES 36,945]

I know...just thought the second one was interesting too. 

[Dieselcowboy 210]

Here is one I built last winter for my ark loader. Little heavy but not much more than the bucket. This uses c channel for the forks, you will not bend them. I almost tipped my 520 with 350 on the rear and they are straight as new.

[Digger 66 3,476]

All you really need is the clamp-on kind .( like Craig posted ) .

I haul freight for a living & plenty of my customers use these for much heavier freight than you're referring to .