Rough terrain forklift vs all terrain?

[JamesW84]

I have some experience with this also. I bought a Cat Towmotor pneumatic tired, propane 6k lift forklift. As mentioned, to lift 6k, it has to have a large counterweight and the machine weighs 10k-11k. The rollback driver said it was one of the heaviest, most concentrated loads he had hauled. I didn't use it much, but it easily got stuck in the yard. I'd have to jack it up (barely) or put a block under the forks and use the mast to raise it and then put lumber under the tires. Even then the lift broke the wood. They might be good for packed gravel, or hard surface, but that's it.

I now have a 580c Case backhoe and clamp-on bucket forks. I've had around 2000 lbs on the forks, but I supported the far end with chains. I still wouldn't want to use that in the shop unless it was straight in and straight out situation.

Those large tire forklifts like the Rangers look bad to the bone, but not sure I'd want it inside any more than a backhoe w/ forks.

I think I'd just look into putting a ball on the front of the truck and moving the trailers with that. Easy to see where you're going and pretty cheap.

For the inside work, either a cushion-tired electric forklift or a pallet jack. Maybe you could just lift the load w/ jacks and some ingenuity and put moving dollies under it?

 

[ratdoggy]

800lbs and moving trailers, sounds like an excuse to buy a decent skidsteer!

Yes it is. Pneumatic tires, a set of forks, a bucket and a home made hitch attachment for the forks and you're good to go.
And skidsteers are cooler than forklifts

 

[jkeyser14]

For 800 lbs max you could get a decent tractor and get a SSQA fork attachment. The tractor would be useful for a ton of other purposes as well.

For example, a $15k used Kubota LX2610 can lift 1100 pounds with the loader bucket or forks. It can also be used for moving dirt, mulch, plowing snow, grading your yard, setting up a garden, and millions of other uses.

 

[bigcreek]

I have two forklifts. One is a Hyster all terrain with 19.5" wide tires in front and smaller yet still big tires in the back. It has 6' forks and a mast height of 30 feet. It will go anywhere. I mean just about anywhere. It does weigh just shy of 14000 pounds with a 10' 3 stage mast so you gotta really watch where you trailer that thing since the mast is 10' lowered + another 30" trailer deck height for my trailer. But it goes through mud and snow no problem. Once just to see if it would do it I took it up an exceptionally steep hill. first gear low and slow. It didn't batt an eye. it was straight up and straight down, no side hilling!

My other lift is a 1980 AC rated for 6000# with dual pneumatics. It does pretty good but is a lot stiffer unit than my Hyster and so if the ground isn't level enough it will get stuck. It is great for taking in tighter places such as inside the shop. But it wont go anywhere in snow or soft mud. I wouldn't part with either of them, they both have their place but my favorite would have to be the hyster since I can take it anywhere w/o fear of getting stuck.

 

[Strouty]

I actually have an “inside” forklift and an “outside” forklift, too much of a PITA to try and use the outdoor forklift inside, unless it is a straight shot to set something on the floor.

 

[zeekh]

If you're not dead set on a forklift what about a compact tractor with forks? Seems like it might have other uses around the property.

 

[Hobby_Man22]

If you're not dead set on a forklift what about a compact tractor with forks? Seems like it might have other uses around the property.

Yeah I'm considering it.

 

[timewarp]

Anything but a small forklift will be hard to move around in your shop. I'd go for a pallet jack for inside the shop and a compact tractor, skidsteer or a backhoe for outside.

 

[sreeb]

Pallet jack for moving tools in the shop unless you want to layout your entire shop floor plan to allow maneuvering room.

 

[Hobby_Man22]

Anything but a small forklift will be hard to move around in your shop. I'd go for a pallet jack for inside the shop and a compact tractor, skidsteer or a backhoe for outside.

You have to keep everything on a pallet though.

 

[Strouty]

You can have bases that accept forks or a pallet jack. All my Lista cabinets can be moved easily with a pallet jack. Pallet jack is a very good option for shuffling things, just not very good for stacking.

 

[sreeb]

You have to keep everything on a pallet though.

Yes, but, unless you are short, it won't hurt to raise your woodworking tools by 5". I kind of prefer it.

 

[JamesW84]

another option for inside my be a pallet stacker. I've thought about getting one, but I also have a large all terrain 5x10 battery scissor lift. I think I'll make some forks for it to pick up stuff and it can turn very sharp...but I'll still try to take straight shots

 

[Bighead38]

800lbs and moving trailers, sounds like an excuse to buy a decent skidsteer!

That was my thought.

 

[Hobby_Man22]

Yes, but, unless you are short, it won't hurt to raise your woodworking tools by 5". I kind of prefer it.

I am short. Unless the pallet is solid which most aren't I don't feel safe keeping a machine on a pallet

 

[zeekh]

@Hobby_Man22 Did you buy a machine yet?

 

[simnil]

A small articulated wheel loader is about as versatile a tool as there is, (possibly with the exception of a telehandler). Snow clearing, pallet handling, pushing/loading dirt and gravel, pulling trailers etc, they do it all. My second choice would be a agricultural tractor, or mini, with a front loader.

Coming from Sweden where no one uses a forklift outside, except lumber mills, I'm always surprised when watching TV seeing people bouncing around using fork lifts for the oddest chores.

 

[83VillageRepair]

I spent years using a series skidsteers as forklifts. They do a great job unless you work alone. You always wind up crawling out over the load or under the load which is really difficult and unsafe especially if you are doing it all day. When I burned my last skidsteer Cat 256B3 up I replaced it with a JCB 520 Loadall Telehandler.

Much easier to get in and out of and can lift 4k to 16.5ft or thereabouts. I really looked hard and the Volvo and JCB one armed skidsteers and teleskids but they are so new that finding a deal on a used one is hard.

I would vote of a rough terrain forklift or telehandler.

View media item 100667

 

[rburke65]

Agree on the JD lifting 4,000 log...BS! I have a 40hp diesel Kubota and there is no way that JD is lifting 4K.

 

[Plastikosmd]

Beautiful 83!

As far as weight on log, maybe your kubota is just weak, (my last one was) Lol (j/k)

I can only go by size and web calculator. (I only picked it up as u see and shuffled to my sawmill.) She was heavy tho, thought beads were gonna pop on the front.

I still haven’t cut it up so I will just get a photo w tape measure (tomorrow if I remember)
Calculate yerself


Also grabbed another forklift from the scrapyard for indoors only, the Clark ranger is to big for indoors

 

[Plastikosmd]

Well, didn’t make it to sawmill to measure but my shop forklift was delivered
<a href="https://postimg.cc/xkCZPv6F" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.postimg.cc/yNXzsncB/9612-FCAF-D8-C7-433-E-8304-A0-EE6-B0-C48-E4.jpg" alt="9612-FCAF-D8-C7-433-E-8304-A0-EE6-B0-C48-E4"/></a>

I am new to propane, so I have to source one of these tanks as old one went back to PO.
I assume a rental+fill item.

 

[Strouty]

Around here local welding supply has them, you buy them then exchange, but you can refill them at tractor supply or wherever, usually cheaper. I asked them to find me a decent aluminum one and they did, cost a bit over $200 full, but now I have a nice aluminum tank. Other place is Craigslist or market place, but you need to watch the test dates, they may need recertification.

 

[ArtisanFarms]

For 800lb lift capacity, why are you considering a fork lift? Something like a mini-skidsteer will have the capacity you need, easily get into your shop and not get stuck on the lawn. You can fit them with forks, buckets or many implements.

https://www.vermeer.com/na/mini-ski..._campaign=miniskidsteer&utm_content=landscape

 

[Plastikosmd]

Thx strouty!

Will make some calls tomorrow

 

[cogzoid]

I was in a similar situation not too long ago, searching for a forklift to meet the exact needs you've described. In my quest, I looked for "used forklifts near me" and found a 2017 Toyota 8FGU25 locally at a fantastic price, allowing me to pay monthly, which made it a convenient and budget-friendly choice at around $518 per month. This forklift has proven to be a reliable workhorse for my woodworking tools and trailer-moving tasks.

Considering your requirements for moving woodworking tools and trailers, I highly recommend getting a forklift. It has made my work in the shop much more efficient and saved me time and effort. Given your property's mixed terrain of crushed concrete and grass, an all-terrain forklift with the right tires for grassy areas would be a versatile and practical choice.

 

[Hobby_Man22]

I was in a similar situation not too long ago, searching for a forklift to meet the exact needs you've described. In my quest, I looked for "used forklifts near me" and found a 2017 Toyota 8FGU25 locally at a fantastic price, allowing me to pay monthly, which made it a convenient and budget-friendly choice at around $518 per month. This forklift has proven to be a reliable workhorse for my woodworking tools and trailer-moving tasks.

Considering your requirements for moving woodworking tools and trailers, I highly recommend getting a forklift. It has made my work in the shop much more efficient and saved me time and effort. Given your property's mixed terrain of crushed concrete and grass, an all-terrain forklift with the right tires for grassy areas would be a versatile and practical choice.

The Toyota forklifts are about the best they make. They can run to 10khrs with little issues. I ended up buying a kubota tractor instead since it can do more than just lift things

 

[ATC]

The Toyota forklifts are about the best they make. They can run to 10khrs with little issues. I ended up buying a kubota tractor instead since it can do more than just lift things

We have Toyota's at work with over 32k hrs on them. Our boss is too cheap to get new ones...cuts into his bonus every year. We used to get new lifts every 3-ish years...but we've had these for over 10 now.
I still prefer to use the Toyota's over the older CATs, and the couple newer, larger piles of steaming **** that are Crowns...