In the late '60s and early '70s Ford made an industrial forklift from a farm tractor. It was a Ford 5000 with the seat mounted backwards and the steering assembly moved to the back of the tractor, making it the front. They took a fairly large forklift mast and mounted it where the 3 point lift would mount. A friend of mine still has one of these. It will lift a 10,000 lb. 40 foot sea container. It does have weights on the front end weight bracket and also front wheel hub weights. It would not be hard to build an attachment similar to this for your new tractor. It should be able to lift around 5,000 lbs without too much effort.
This one is a Case, but it's the same idea:
http://twentywheels.com/imgs/a/b/a/...ks_fork_lift_bob_cat_loader_tractor_8_lgw.jpg
Yes, that's the "unicorn" I've been referring to. They call it a "rough terrain forklift." There are a few for sale locally and two or more of the following applies to all of them:
1. Price really high
2. In really rough shape, needs a lot of work
3. two-stage mast too tall to enter shop, and/or lift pallets inside shop without hitting ceiling
4. seller will not respond to calls/text/emails
After driving this tractor around my property with the forks attachment on the front end loader, doing some pallet moving/stacking exercises in the yard, and staring at the construction of the front end loader for a few hours total, I've reached the following conclusion(s):
1. I believe I can indeed modify this front end loader to get the forks in closer to the tractor, shortening the leverage distance and increasing the lifting capacity, however:
...a. that will decrease lifting height
...b. it will not be a simple modification and I don't yet have the CNC plasma table to make the parts I need
...c. the tractor is a lot longer when you're on top of it trying to move pallets, than when you're on the ground looking at it. It is very hard to be precise in stacking and moving the pallets from the front.
...d. It is very hard to see what you're doing when moving pallets from the front. Especially when the pallet is at ground level. The whole front of the tractor is in your line of sight; the hood, the grille guard, the front end loader, and the forklift attachment itself.
2. The forklift mast mounted to the 3-pt would most likely be a much better solution, because:
...a. It puts the whole machine into more of a forklift-type configuration, with the steering wheels far from the load and the pivot point closer to the load.
...b. It enables the use of a 3-stage mast which is almost a requirement for getting into the shop and lifting without punching holes in the ceiling.
...c. you can mount wheels under the mast to help take the load, rather than the tractor holding all the weight, enabling the "tractor-lift" to lift much more than the 2,700 lbs the 3-pt hitch is rated for.
...d. It (should) offer greatly improved line of sight to the pallet
...e. It will be able to lift much higher than the front-end loader
I'm looking around for forklift mast for sale locally. No hits yet on just a mast, but I have found several junk forklifts for sale under $2,000. I've decided to go in that direction in the near future, but not right now. No more rushing into things that cost money for a while. I will be patient and wait for just the right thing to pop up for just the right price, and then make my move. I'm hoping to find a 5,000lb or higher mast for $500 or less.
