
One of the most useful and versatile skid steer attachments has to be the skid steer bucket. It has proven to be a great tool, especially in the landscaping industry. The use of bucket forks with the skid steer loader can make your machine more versatile with comparatively less investment. The cost of frames and traditional forks usually costs a higher investment.
Bucket forks can be mount on the skid steer loader in a very easy manner. It is preferable if you choose the high-grade steel bucket forks. If your bucket fork is processed with full heat treatment then it will also help in keeping your attachment in a considerably good condition for a longer duration of time. This process also helps in the reduction of the damage that is possibly to be caused by the stress and impact on the bucket fork.
If you intend to do the lifting work using the skid steer attachments like a pallet fork and rough terrain forklift, then you will have to change the attachments of your loader first. However, skid steer loaders that have buckets mounted can lift up things easily without actually needing to change the machine or attachment. This is only possible with the help of bucket forks.
Why Bucket Forks?
- Industrial forks, nonfabricated forks, or tubes are made up of welded heels.
- Bucket forks allow distributing the lifting load consistently across the complete mass of the bucket.
- It helps in the reduction of potential damage to the bucket floor and cutting edge.
- The mounting process of the bucket fork is hands-free. You just need not deal with various tools or any other pieces of equipment that are troublesome to handle.
- It is a completely convenient, compact, and inexpensive tool.
- If you want to use the same bucket fork for a wider loader, you can simply adjust the fork spacing.
Benefits of Bucket Forks
- Can be mount easily
- You get forks, shaft bar, and mounting hooks
- To absorb impact and stress, it is fully heat-treated
- High-grade steel is used for the production
- For additional machines, you can get extra mounting brackets
- Adjustable forks
Tips to Choose the Right Bucket Forks
To measure the bucket fork, you may start from the top outside edge to the cutting edge of the skid steer bucket. For a tractor that is smaller in size, you can add 4 inches in your measurement. Doing this will give you the minimum height and it must be noted that the height must not be shorter. To be precise, you can use 48” or 42” long sizes of the fork.
Machines such as backhoes need around 5” to be added to the measure so as to get the minimum height of the bucket forks. As we discussed earlier in this article, the buck forks should have a size a little longer than the minimum height, and also it must not be shorter than that. Later once these measures are done, you need to choose the shaft length and a hook profile.
Generally, when it comes to backhoes, the case-style hook is used. In other backhoes and clamshells, the hook that is used is J style. Usually, you will find 48” or 60” long blades in the kits.
Finally, on having your bucket forks attached, the total length increases, and hence the turning radius increases by 8 to 12 feet as compared to the radius of the machine having bucket alone.