Light Weight Pallet Forks for Compact Tractor - Kubota B3030 - LA403

[maybelateron]

On 04/10/2023 at 14:16, Peasgood said:

I think you are going to be in for a shock at just how dangerous it is to be lifting heavy loads at height with a loader. I will be honest and say it terrifies me and my tractor is a fair bit bigger than that.

Rear mounted forks or even a rear mounted fork lift are very much safer.

Couldn't agree more. I have had a Kubota STV40 for many years now. I have the 1.25m wide bucket on the loader, with a really heavy weight on the back. A bucketful of logs is one thing, but a bucket of stone and it gets a bit twitchy. I am considering pallet forks for the rear 3 pt mounting for general purpose. Years ago I bought a simple "jib" crane for the 3pt, and combined with a hydraulic top link is very good if you a wanting to move long sections of timber. One one job we had to clear 90 large conifers, so we brought in a chap with 12 inch pto chipper and sileage type trailers. The Kubota with the crane was happy dragging whole large conifers to the chipper.

[Malus]

Bit late to the party but might be of use if you haven't sorted anything yet. I made up a lightweight set of pallet forks for my compact tractor. Like you I wanted to keep weight to a minimum to maximise the load of would lift. I used 80x40x3mm box which has done ok. The forks comfortably lift half a ton. I bent one tine when it wedged under a big root when I was picking up a log, couldn't the fork/root from the cab. With a bit of care something light like these should last a while. I can pick up both forks and frame on my own so can't be that heavy. One thing is I made the tines long for picking up bulky but light things, I'll have to make a short set when I get time - the long can be a pain at times.

 

As mentioned above, get a big weight on the 3pl and maybe set your wheels as wide as they'll go. Could also balast the wheels by filling tyres with water.

 

I ended up making a mount for the digger that uses the forks off the tractor. Pretty handy.

[Liam Outdoors 89]

Well I just went - F**k it see what happens.

 

I ending up purchasing a rear ballast box then filled it with sharp sand, approx weight 300kg.

 

Our next door neighbour has an Agri Engineer who rents a yard, and he ordered me a Euro 8 Bracket then adpated it to the B3030 loaders arms for me. Ordered the Pallet bracket and forks not sure of weight but they are not light. It's lifting this to the height of a transit with not too much fuss.

 

With those logs in the picture (Wet Ash) ,Euro 8 bracket, Pallet bracket and tines is probably approx 600kg.

 

I dont think it can do any thing more than though, it felt fairly stable at the van bed height. But would be warey of doing any thing more than that.

 

I'm very new to this so please be kind!