Forklifts.....school me

[NOCK NOCK]

Looking to buy a used piece of equipment that has forks, and will lift 2000ish pounds, most likely a forklift with pneumatic tires, but considering skid steer and tractors. (will be used very randomly to lift logs off trailer/onto mill, on mostly hardpacked gravel, some dirt) Budget is 10K or less, hoping for $6-8k.

Is a forklift with pneumatic what I should be looking at?    Also, small quarters, so do not want a large machine.

PS, I know next to nothing about any of these. 

[Jpmiller]

I’d go skid steer, used a bobcat t190 for just that thing. They’re not cheap anymore but you’ll end up using it more than you think. You’ll end up with a snowplow,log grapples, flail mower….

[Smokeploe]

If you are looking for a used unit  check out:  bar none auctions. 

Smokeploe

[fowl smacker]

I'd go skidsteer as well.  A forklift WILL get stuck on gravel/dirt. 

[Jpmiller]

Back when I was running a forklift loading trucks in a warehouse we used to get a forklift stuck every time we had to load/unload in the parking lot

[hughjorgan]

JLG telehandler forklift would work really well but I think they are well out of your price range. That being said I’d go with a skid steer like previous posters have already said.

[jackelope]

Our parking lot queen hard at work stuck in a pothole. Fortunately I was not at the wheel. Had to get a truck to pull it out. These things get stuck if you blink at them the wrong way.



I don’t know much about forklifts but I’d be super leary of anything that is a traditional forklift on anything but hard paved surface. I assume skid steers are more expensive but probably way more useful for other stuff too and they definitely won’t get stuck. Maybe the air tire machines are better in gravel. Dunno. 

https://www.facebook.com/share/QzibRijpXNckpBjf/?mibextid=79PoIi

[jdb]

Our parking lot queen hard at work stuck in a pothole. Fortunately I was not at the wheel. Had to get a truck to pull it out. These things get stuck if you blink at them the wrong way.



I don’t know much about forklifts but I’d be super leary of anything that is a traditional forklift on anything but hard paved surface. I assume skid steers are more expensive but probably way more useful for other stuff too and they definitely won’t get stuck. Maybe the air tire machines are better in gravel. Dunno. 

https://www.facebook.com/share/QzibRijpXNckpBjf/?mibextid=79PoIi

and can be a mofo to get out

[jackelope]

Our parking lot queen hard at work stuck in a pothole. Fortunately I was not at the wheel. Had to get a truck to pull it out. These things get stuck if you blink at them the wrong way.



I don’t know much about forklifts but I’d be super leary of anything that is a traditional forklift on anything but hard paved surface. I assume skid steers are more expensive but probably way more useful for other stuff too and they definitely won’t get stuck. Maybe the air tire machines are better in gravel. Dunno. 

https://www.facebook.com/share/QzibRijpXNckpBjf/?mibextid=79PoIi

and can be a mofo to get out

We had to pull the stupid thing out of the mediocre sized pothole with a truck.

Unrelated side note. Ford required we purchase it if we want to be able to service EV’s. Had to buy one with 5k lift capacity.

[NOCK NOCK]

JLG telehandler forklift would work really well but I think they are well out of your price range. That being said I’d go with a skid steer like previous posters have already said.

From what I've seen, SS is basically out of my budget too. The ones I can afford are ancient and super high hours, not wanting someone else's money pit.  Telehandler way too big.

[NOCK NOCK]

Our parking lot queen hard at work stuck in a pothole. Fortunately I was not at the wheel. Had to get a truck to pull it out. These things get stuck if you blink at them the wrong way.



I don’t know much about forklifts but I’d be super leary of anything that is a traditional forklift on anything but hard paved surface. I assume skid steers are more expensive but probably way more useful for other stuff too and they definitely won’t get stuck. Maybe the air tire machines are better in gravel. Dunno. 

https://www.facebook.com/share/QzibRijpXNckpBjf/?mibextid=79PoIi

That looks like a hard tire model, I know those wont work. Asking about experiences with pneumatic tires?

Something like this?

[wadu1]

Our club rents one with pneumatic tires to unload clay targets four times a year. They work OK but have trouble with a load on an incline or big gravel chunks. A pallet of clay targets is about 4K pounds, we get a simi load of 24 pallets at a time.

[Jpmiller]

An older model skid steer is pretty basic. An open cab model and mostly mechanical. If you look at one I’d check for hydraulic leaks and raise the arms up and shut it off. They’ll all settle some, settle alot is a bad sign. I’d go tracks over wheels unless you’re using it alot on roads. A lot of them are super tight to work on so if you’ve got tiny hands it’s usually an easy fix.

[NOCK NOCK]

An older model skid steer is pretty basic. An open cab model and mostly mechanical. If you look at one I’d check for hydraulic leaks and raise the arms up and shut it off. They’ll all settle some, settle alot is a bad sign. I’d go tracks over wheels unless you’re using it alot on roads. A lot of them are super tight to work on so if you’ve got tiny hands it’s usually an easy fix.

What year/hours of use would be in my budget range of $8K

[HntnFsh]

The ones like you pictured are only slightly better. If iis really hard packed ground or gravel and you turn the wheel very slowly and minimally you may be able to get by. I've seeing the steer wheels drag causing the drive wheels to spin easier. Very gentle on the throttle helps too. There are tricks that help. But they aren't fool proof.