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Strouty

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I was planning on picking up the new forklift this week so I checked craigslist to see if there were any better deals. Looks like I found one! I am headed to pick up a 4x4 Clark ranger. Still picks 6000 pounds but being a 4x4 I won't have to worry about getting stuck. I will post pictures tonight.
 
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Strouty

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Rich, I found that waiting is just another excuse for not starting, that is my free advice.

Here is the forklift that only a mother could love. I can tell you that it is going to take some getting used to as it steers and articulates and that really messes with you. It is 4x4 and I was the first one to get to it, the guy had four other people that offered to buy it between when I looked at it (10:30 AM today) and when I came back to pick it up (3:00 PM). I know if it turns out to not work as I want that I can sell it very quickly and make a few bucks. I figure worst case I will use it to move everything and see if I like it, if I do it stays, if not it goes.









 
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Strouty

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First order of business is the rear "deck" is not attached at all, so when you steer it bangs around and makes so much noise you think the machine is coming unglued. I may just remove it for now, all I need to do is have a place for the battery.
 

nine4gmc

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If you remove it, you'll just have another piece to store somewhere. Attach it how it should be and be done. :beer:
 
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Strouty

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It appears that someone took one of the front rims and put it on the rear, the offsets are way off and it makes the thing look even goofier than it all ready should. I am going to swap the two offending rims/tires and see what it looks like. I know it needs two tires, I will call around and see who will still work on the old split rims. I am willing to bet my Dad has some tires as they are the older 10.00 20 style.

Nines, I found how it bolts together and there are even still threads in the holes. I went to tractor supply to get the right bolts, so tomorrow I will bolt that down and swap around the tires. I need to add lights and the windows are almost all plexiglass that is really scuffed and faded, I would like to use glass, so I will do a bit of research and see what I can find out. The excavator needs the same treatment, only two windows are clear enough to see through on that.
 

Richard Cranium

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The right front tire looks to be an old military tire. There is still a lot of 10.00x20 tires here, lots of farmer using them on old equipment. In fact it is hart to not find them at most auctions. Most likely get then at an military surplus outfit.
 

bimmer1980

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forklift--That's kind of awesome! Personally, I think I would not worry about the tires or the windows and just get some work done with it...... unless the tires are an absolute necessity......

I paid $400 for my little clark forklift and I think it was one of my better purchases....not sure what I would do with out it.....
 
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Strouty

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Rich, that one tire is absolutely a military tire, pretty sure from like a deuce and a half. I am not so worried about finding the tires as I am finding someone to work on the split rims.

Bimmer, I hear you loud and clear. Windows will be down the road, tire swap is half done, so I will finish it, my OCD is forcing the issue. As soon as I bolt the back deck down and get the two rims swapped, it is going to work outside. I need to get used to driving it. I also found that the forks are class 3 and the forks I wanted to use on it are class 2, so no go on the longer forks. I think 72" ones would be perfect length, so I will keep my eyes peeled.
 

nine4gmc

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I thought split rims were easy? I've never had any but those military rims are made to be changed out in the field.


Sent from my iThingy using Tapatalk
 
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Strouty

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I may be saying it wrong, newer military rims are bead lock type with multi piece rims. The ones I am talking about have a split ring that locks the tire on and they are very dangerous to work on.
 

drivesitfar

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Strouty: If your fork lift has split rims can you replace with another style if bolt sizing is the same? I heard the split rims are dangerous too. Also would new military tires at an auction maybe come with rims?
 

1953mercury

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The split rims aren't that hard to do, but you do want a cage to inflate them. Most tire shops won't do them for insurance reasons, and no longer have the inflation cages. Mike
 
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Strouty

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I really did not pay attention, I am assuming they are tubeless tires. Most of the new military tires are much larger and the bolt pattern is not the same. They are a large 6 lug bolt pattern. The front ones have a totally custom offset and would not be an easy thing to swap, so I will most likely keep the split rims. I am sure I can find some decent tires, I only need two, there are two nice ones on the forklift all ready. I will post more pictures and info on what I find tomorrow. Have a good night guys.
 

Thumper68

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Great job getting all the scrap dropped off and getting everything home. 21,000 is a nice couple of loads.

I like the look of that FL should do good around your shop, I need to find one like it for mine.
 
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Strouty

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It is the coldest it has been so far, I don't like it one bit. I am going to grab some breakfast while the shop warms up. I need to see if I can find a WiFi thermostat so I can turn it up before I get here, I have a NEST at the house, but it does not go low enough. When I am not around I keep it at 45 and if I put things into sleep mode (last year was like that almost all winter) I keep it at 38 so things won't freeze.
 
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Strouty

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The forklift looks a lot less goofy with the tires swapped, but it doesn't really drive like a forklift, it is more like a backhoe with forks, except the steering is more awkward. The glass needs to be replaced, I can't see out of it hardly at all. I all ready had trouble trying to get a pallet and I can see that it will be worse when the sun is in your face.







 
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drivesitfar

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Strouty: the Fork lift looks awesome. nice that it's working, but that ***** that you can't see out the glass. if you don't want to remove it you might check out the craftsman block grinder thread in the vintage tools section because some of the members have methods of cleaning up small grinder glass thats scratched or dirty that might work on your window.

at worse case you get more exercise jumping in and out of the fork lift to see if your forks are lined up and the pallets are in the right place before placing them.

good luck
 

drivesitfar

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Strouty: it's nice that it seems to run and i'm sure you'll get it squared away as you can. do you have room in your shop to keep it out of the weather during the winter?

good luck
 

Craptain

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The plexi can be polished enough to get you by. I use Gel Gloss (Home Depot) on my headlights. It works well enough and for $6 a can it lasts almost forever. Glass is the answer for longer term if you keep it.
 
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Strouty

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Drives, not even a possibility. She may get a lean to off the cones or something, but no inside storage.

Craptain, I am probably going to buy a sheet of lexan and just make new ones for now. Glass guy cam over to look at it and said it would be over a grand to do it all in glass. He thinks the lean is the best bet as it won't crack like the existing plexi. I may try the gel gloss on the side windows, but the front needs to be clear. I just took out both pieces for now, but I will put it inside until I get the lexan.
 

dlcwent

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I like your folk lift. I think it adds a lot of class to your shop. And it certainly will be very useful. Can you let me borrow it?:pimpflash
 
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Strouty

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You have to pick it up.......

Now I found two tires and rims that fit it, all I need is two more of the same size. I think I am going to go with 9.00 20s because they will feel like I have a lower gear and it needs it.
 
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Strouty

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They are 500 pounds less, but I think it will be fine. I am not sure what size the machine came with originally, but I am doing some research.
 

North Run Grader

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500 lbs for all 4 combined, or 500 lbs each? The later would be 1 ton difference, just something to keep in mind. Either way, nice score on the forklift, does it have independent crab steer, or all combined on the steering wheel? Either can be fun getting used to, but with practice you'll wish more equipment came with it. If I remember I'll take some pics of our articulating motor grader tomorrow. I have to update the pictures with the new snow wing and dozer anyway.
 

rmalkow2

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I was going to suggest the polishing route as well to give some temporary improvement. If you have time to cut and install new lexan that will be a good fix. If in a hurry then a few minutes with some Mothers plastic polish and a power ball in your drill motor and I bet you can improve the visibility until time permits to replace.
 
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Strouty

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North, basically there is a steering axle in the rear that is attached to an articulated joint. The rear axle also pivots to keep the tires on the ground. So you have one steering wheel, that turns everything, I am not exactly sure how it does it and I hope to get some video of the action, but I have been alone and no good way to get the video. This weekend I will have some help, so I should be able to get some video and better pictures.

500 pounds per tire, so I think the rating is 4500 per tire versus 5000. I am going to play with the clutch and see if I can adjust it, it may help the hole situation. Looking at some older pictures of the factory tires, it seems like they were bigger, but I have no idea how you would maneuver the thing on rough terrain with bigger tires, unless the clutch is the issue.

RM, I decided to just pull the plexiglass out for now, it was really bad and I would rather put effort into new glass of lean than trying to polish what was there.

Rich, I think the six lug was also used in trucks like the older F600s.
 
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Strouty

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I checked a few more charts and it appears that the 9.00 20 tires are rated at 5150 or 5680 depending on the F or G load rating. The 10.00 20 tires are 6175 or 6610 based on G or H load ratings. I am going to measure the circumference of the tires that I have, my Dad has 11.00 20 studded traction tires that I can have and those have a better load rating, but they are taller.

I guess it also depends on the manufacturer, I have found the ratings all over the place. The circumference is the tricky part, I am not sure if I can have much deviation because of the 4x4, I know it would be an issue on pavement, but on gravel and mud it really should not be that big of a deal.
 
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Strouty

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Another cold start, today should be warmer overall. I have some help for Friday, but the effort will be to clean out one of the storage boxes completely, then it can go away permanently. I probably won't be over to the shop at all on turkey day, I figure there are a few things at the house that I should try and get done. Today I am borrowing my brothers truck, I will be taking a load to the scrap yard (at least one) and possibly taking a load to the dump too. I think it will over fill the dumpster, so I feel it will be worth the time so I don't have a full dumpster all weekend (I hope to toss more stuff on my rampage!).
 

drivesitfar

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Strouty: you are inspiring with all that you are doing lately. keep up the progress and keep pushing forward. not sure if you have a white board or a spiral notebook to put down all your To Do's, but sometimes it helps to not only see what you have to do. it's also great for seeing what you've done when you have items checked off.

i need to get back to that myself because hard to keep all that in my head.

Best of luck today and sounds like your weather is ok. it's supposed to be a week without rain here so hoping to clear out some space and get all my cabinets in place and start filling them up with all the stuff i've got sitting in boxes and buckets.

just curious if you are using non ethanol gas in your small engines? i started using it a couple years ago now and going to see if having it sitting in them through the winter(s) will help keep my carbs from gumming up. i heard that's the benefit so hoping it's true.
 
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Strouty

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I have not been, but I was thinking about making some. It seems straight forward to separate it. Do a search and see what I am talking about. I don't like the idea of paying huge money if I can make it myself.

I have a whiteboard in the office and it helps immensely.
 

matt_i

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Drives, not even a possibility. She may get a lean to off the cones or something, but no inside storage.

I would definitely advise keeping weather off it, ideally condensation too. Maybe tent up some dessicant packs where the cylinder's rod chrome is showing. The problem that I found and fixed in rebuilding two mast cylinders is that water collects behind the rod scraper (which usually gets old and cracked) and then gets behind the rod gland seal, causing a small amount of rust...just enough to let hydraulic fluid slip by. It can be wire brushed away when rebuilding, not easily, but can be done, but since that discovery I have been careful not to let my lifts sit out any more than necessary.
 
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