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.

[bearpaw]

Hard rubber tires are usually smaller dimeter and work great indoors on concrete or on asphalt outside, but if you get them on soft dirt or uneven ground they get stuck so easy. If you will be using in a dirt road environment I highly recommend pneumatic tires, get a lift with the largest tires you can find. I watched around and finally heard about one for $2800, its old but functions just fine. Watch online classifieds and ask around.

[derrickbouwman]

We have about 80 forklifts in our facility. Pnemautic tires will get you anywhere on packed gravel with a light foot. Should be easily able to get a good one for 8k. We use mostly komatsu but have several others as well.


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[CastleRocker]

There were a BUNCH of decent lifts at the last Richie Bros. auction in Centralia.  I wasn't able to go look at them, so I didn't bid on any.  If you are going to be using it primary on gravel, get one with duals.  They don't sink nearly as bad. 

[addicted1]

Just to be clear, they are solid pneumatic tires. A 3000# lift will work good for you, get a propane one pre 2005 and they are super simple to work on. Komatsu, Toyota, Nissan or Hyster. I am partial to Komatsu. They are built well, you can abuse the crap out of them. The thing to remember is propane forks lift are capable of running 24-7, with typically only minor repairs to hydraulics hoses for years on end. Most the time stuff fails from operate damage. The engines can be ran on a quart of oil for weeks and will run for 10k hours. Heck, I got a seized one free and it ran for a solid 3-4 months before it blew a rod (called it knocky). Don’t be worried about older ones, just look for signs of damage around the mast. Check GSA sales, local forklift companies will sell off their old fleet too. Those can be hit and miss depending on who rented them.

[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.

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

Depends on brand. Kubotas are cheap, I never liked them but I was always using them for work and putting them through a lot more than you would in your application. Bobcat makes my favorite but Cats are good too. Takeuchi is a good middle of the road imo. You would probably be looking at around a 20 year old machine or older in that range but I wouldn’t be scared off by age. They’re made to last if they’re maintained.

[Jpmiller]

Keep an eye on auctions, I’ve seen them at Ag auctions too not just construction.

[Dan-o]

@NOCK NOCK

Bidadoo auctions in Kent has forklifts at auction more weeks than not.
I've bought 7-8 pieces of equipment from them over the years, and always felt like I was treated fairly and nothing was misrepresented.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/204820445332?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&campid=5338265335&toolid=10001&customid=80389321-299a-4526-b8e1-84f76c95d7ed

[addicted1]

Yeah, you are gonna buy an industrial piece of equipment for home use. Don’t over do it, you will likely wear the tires out by degradation before they ever come close to wearing out. Honestly a skid steer might get you the most versatile use. I just know forklifts probably better than anyone should, so if you have any doubt or question on those just hit me up.

[huntingfool7]

In your price range, a skid steer is going to be a used up piece-0-s. 

I've owned and operated both hard tired and pneumatic tired forklifts for years on both paved and gravel surfaces.  Your ground is the issue.  Hard tires will get stuck in short order.  Pneumatics are not as capable as many seem to think.  Currently own a Hyster 80 with air tires that has spent some time on rural property with no pavement.  On gravel {without a load} it handles a slight grade poorly.  If you're very careful it will handle the flat ground assuming well prepared, tight compacted gravel surface.  If your gravel is loose and has any thickness you will get stuck...or worse.  If you insist on a forklift look for one with dual air tires up front. 

What you really need is a tractor with a front end loader rated for the weight you will be handling.  You will need more room for turning but the machine will handle the terrain.

[NOCK NOCK]

Thanks for all the help so far.

I was kinda thinking that about a SS.
Maybe im off, but I look at stuff by how well its appearance is, if it looks beat up, my guess is it wasn't taken care of, internally too.

Tractor has always been my first choice, I just dont have room to operate a larger one that will lift the weight I need.

[Rob]

8K is a tight budget.  I second the tractor approach as you won't have issues with traction, and you can operate 2 implements at once.  I would think something in the 40HP would give you close to 2K lifting power.  I have an LS MT235HE.  It is 35 HP and is Just shy of 1,700 at the pins.  Turns on a dime and works in tight places though.

A neighbor has a skid-steer with a blower on it that bailed me out a couple times before I got the tractor.  it had "summer tracks" on it and would get stuck on snow in a low spot.  never took more than a small nudge to get it going again, but those tracks would just spin if it stopped in the wrong spot.

But 8K is a budget # you are going to keep hitting up against...  2-3 times that will get you a nice machine.

I just unloaded a truck full of lumber onto the forks on a pallet last weekend.  I just dropped it in an out of the way place, and then when I am ready for it I will pick it up and move it to the job site.  Pretty handy!

[OutHouse]

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

 

I loved driving forklifts when I worked a lumber yard back in the late 2000s. But it was terrible when we had to side load certain trailers off the pavement. The darn things are so heavy and the narrow tires cuts right into the ground.

[Rob]

And to be clear, it is a much bigger dime that it turns on than a SS or Forklift would turn on I am sure!  Still operates in decent tight quarters.

Alos handy for hauling brush to the burn pile. and changing the oil on the ATV a snap.

[NOCK NOCK]

@Rob.

What does “at the pins” mean?

Also in my learning, folks keep talking about how much Hp a tractor has. I get Hp, but how does that equate to lifting capacity/hydraulics.?

[Rob]

Folks who are more schooled in Tractors will correct any errors in what I state below, but my understanding is:

"At the Pins" refers to the pivot point where the forks attach to the front end loader (FEL).  See red circle in the attached photo.  Since you essentially have a lever with the forks, the further the load is from the pivot point, the more effort it takes to lift, and the less weight you can lift.  I have seen forks that clamp inside the bucket and that is a low cost option for adding forks to a tractor, but it puts the load further away from the pivot creating a pretty decent lever.

My understanding on the relationship between HP and lifting capability is that more HP can run a bigger hydraulic system.  The bigger Hydraulic system the more flow you have.  The more flow you have (Gallons per minute), the more lift you get/the more power you can deliver to your implements.

My tractor has 13.7 GPM, but it is a hydrostatic drive transmission and some of that flow is used to power the transmission.  I get 8.2 to the implement.

[Rob]

stock photo of bucket forks to illustrate the point I was trying to make (there are many different kinds of attachment styles).  You can see how it pushes the load 2 feet further out.

[Knocker of rocks]

8K is a tight budget.  I second the tractor approach as you won't have issues with traction, and you can operate 2 implements at once.  I would think something in the 40HP would give you close to 2K lifting power.  I have an LS MT235HE.  It is 35 HP and is Just shy of 1,700 at the pins.  Turns on a dime and works in tight places though.

A neighbor has a skid-steer with a blower on it that bailed me out a couple times before I got the tractor.  it had "summer tracks" on it and would get stuck on snow in a low spot.  never took more than a small nudge to get it going again, but those tracks would just spin if it stopped in the wrong spot.

But 8K is a budget # you are going to keep hitting up against...  2-3 times that will get you a nice machine.

I just unloaded a truck full of lumber onto the forks on a pallet last weekend.  I just dropped it in an out of the way place, and then when I am ready for it I will pick it up and move it to the job site.  Pretty handy!

I have hundreds to probably thousands of hours running a RT forklift. And now I have clamp on forks for my tractor. Running forks on a tractor is a thousand times harder than with a forklift. Visibility is zero at ground level, and the turning point is opposite that of a forklift. But if that’s what you have, then you use it.

Different tools for different applications.

[Rob]

visibility is indeed an issue on a tractor. 

[Jpmiller]

You might talk to the local bobcat or (insert brand here) and let them know what you’re looking for. They know who has what around and who’s trading and if you get the right guy might be able to point you to (or away) from someone. It’s kind of luck of the draw anymore on who you actually get to talk to you but at least some of the guys are still decent and willing to help you out. They also might be willing to let you know if they take an older machine in on trade, but as I understand they’re getting weird about reselling old stuff anymore.

[NOCK NOCK]

Great info....THANKS   Im learning lots

[Rob]

If one of the primary purposes
 is moving logs onto your sawmill, it might be better to look at a grapple vs forks.

Take a look at some of the posts on this thread, it might give you ideas.  There is a wealth of knowledge on Tractorbynet.

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/threads/tractors-and-wood-show-your-pics.303328/

[Jpmiller]

If one of the primary purposes
 is moving logs onto your sawmill, it might be better to look at a grapple vs forks.

Take a look at some of the posts on this thread, it might give you ideas.  There is a wealth of knowledge on Tractorbynet.

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/threads/tractors-and-wood-show-your-pics.303328/

I’ve used grapples and forks loading a sawmill, grapples do make it easier to load but forks make unloading so much easier. Being able to stack cut lumber on sawhorses at waist height and then fork them to wherever instead of moving everything by hand over and over is a game changer. There’s staging systems for logs if you’re nervous about loading with forks but you’ll figure it out if you start. Moving logs around the woods needs grapples all day, climbing and cutting and staging. Depending on how you’re getting your logs will doctorate some. Eventually you’ll end up with both I’m sure

[bearpaw]

More Ideas
There's a lift similar to what I bought on machinery trader. I use my lift in the yard and on my gravel driveway to unload units of lumber, pallets of feed, 2000# bags of grain, snowmobiles, etc. The wider tires get around much better than narrow hard rubber tires. You just need to avoid soft ground or deep pot holes, they can get stuck easy in those situations. I've even taken mine back into the forest behind my house but was very careful where I went. I did get stuck once back in the forest and used a piece of 3/4 plywood to get it back on top of ground and going again. If the area you will be operating your lift has softer soil a pair of ground pads might be convenient. Another option if you have room is a larger lift like used in a rural log/lumber yard, when my dad and his brothers had a small lumber sawmill they had a big lift they ran every day, it even got around in muddy spring conditions fairly well.

Ground Matt: https://www.myteeproducts.com/ground-protection-mats-black-8ft-l-diamond-plated-smooth-plate-tread-design.html

Used Fork Lift similar to what I have:
https://www.machinerytrader.com/listing/for-sale/231888049/caterpillar-v50b-pneumatic-tire-forklifts

Used lift not quite as big as my dad had in the log yard:
https://www.machinerytrader.com/listing/for-sale/234421273/1969-clark-it60-rough-terrain-forklifts

Be sure you get a lift that has good clearance, most of the hard rubber tired lifts are too low to the ground.

[wadu1]

You may want to check out https://murphyauction.com/ they are having equipment auctions this weekend.

[bearpaw]

You may want to check out https://murphyauction.com/ they are having equipment auctions this weekend.

all sorts of interesting stuff listed there

[Happy Gilmore]

Moving a square load close to a piece of equipment on level ground is one thing. Moving a 2k rolo that's got a lot of weight off center is another. Wheeled rigs are horrible. 8-10k telehandler would be minimum. Tracked skid steer 2nd minimum.

Some nice articulated ag tractors are made for Moving big bales but, your price point isn't friendly.

Maybe an old lumber yard big fork lift might fit the budget?

My 165 Ford TW 25 won't move around logs for crap. It's a big 4x4

[Special T]

Generally you can purchase a used forklift cheaper than other pieces of equipment. You could buy a nice one for 5k up until I needed to replace one. I drove to sw Oregon to pick one up under $5k  I would buy a 5-6k lb forklift lift cap.toyota, komatsu Nissan, and some hysters. Late 90s early 2000 hyster have the GM 4.3liter v6 so parts are cheap and available. Not much computer controlled stuff on late 90s forklifts. I have propane and gas. Propane works great when it's not cold and for short periods of time or enclosed areas. Gas is superior for lots of outdoor use. Pneumatic forklifts can be made more off-road capable.

[Special T]

https://wenatchee.craigslist.org/hvo/d/chelan-falls-8000-lb-forklift-with-side/7756393110.html

I contemplated buying this one but found the same make model as one of mine that wrapped out on me. Go look at it.

[NOCK NOCK]

Thinking this is what I’m going to end up with. Has dual front tires so should not sink in/get stuck as easily. Low hours and 4000# lift.

[wapitislayer]

I would look for a used moffett ! I have moved and loaded 20’ logs on and off flat bed trailers with ease ! They are 3 wheel drive and turn on a dime while driving on and off road!

[Special T]

Forklifts with solid tires arnt worth much in dirt or gravel, you need air/foam filled or some kind of off-road tire setup.

[NOCK NOCK]

Hard pack gravel/dirt. Have seen similar but much larger 12k used in same conditions and worked fine.  I’m not doing major lifting moving, just off trailer/on mill/ off mill/on trailer, and only in nice weather months.

[Caseyd]

https://murphyauction.hibid.com/lot/232684251/2006-hyster-h50ft?ref=catalog

[Special T]

It more than likely a GM 4 cylinder motor making parts easy to aquire.