tractor pic

[mike p]

most of youall rember my wifes tractor we haulled home from Robinson, Ill

[mike p]

well i bought a parts tractor it was an 800 LP with wide front end & blown tranz aftre sandblasting rear wheels & one new tire at $460. + all new tubes , tranz berrings & seals, brakes etc etc i got a new log drager

[mike p]

down at the salvage yard i scored this fork lift mast with forks & im mounting it on the 3 point hitch plumbing in to the auxlery hyd.

[joasis]

Looks like a work in progress....wonder how much counterweight you will have to contend with?

[mike p]

well im puting the factory front weights off of the tricycle tractor on we'll see

[Kirk Allen]

You wont have much problems with it Mike.  I cut for a guy in michicgan that hand forks on a much smaller tracter and he could move any log he wanted and even a 400 bf stack of lumber before it started to lift the front end. 

His was a simple 3 point fork, not a hydraulic mast like yours.  I think you will be quite pleased with it.   

[Murf]

From an engineering point of view Kirk nailed it, you won't have any problems.

The weight of the front part of the tractor, together with how far forward it is compared to your forks means you will have a huge mechanical advantage long before you add any extra weight at all to the front end.

[Frank Pender - AKA "Tail Gunner"]

Mike, how is your work in progress coming?  I often thought that such a unit would be great to have in the operation around here.  However, I purchased and 15,000 lb. capacity Gerlinger a few years ago and that seems to do the BIG jobs that need doing, for me.

[mike p]

it works wealy well i need to get a diverter valve cause i had to use the 3 point cly fluid source for the up lift so the 3 point cant move till i get a diverter valve plumed in
the problem i had was with the mast down low like forks just of ground the mast drags on stumps etc
to fix this i need to raise the 3 point about 6" while moving to get the bottem of mast to clear high spots in ground

other wise its great.  if you were to use it for 1/2 a day id say twisting around in seat would get old
im just so glad to be able to have a fork lift of sorts

[Kirk Allen]

Way to go Mike.  Now your going to wonder how on earth you got anything done without it.   

[mike p]

yes thats exacly right

[mike p]

new forks in action