Pallet Forks For Diggers And Excavators - What Are The Benefits?
Excavator Pallet Fork Attachments make your machine a very adaptable and versatile piece of equipment for any site. You might ask why would I use Pallet Fork attachments instead of hiring or purchasing a telehandler? Well, there are a numerous big advantages that can help save you money and maximise your machine. In this post we're going to summarise them for you, so that you can decide whether Pallet Fork Attachments are suitable for you. Keep reading to find out more.
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What are the benefits of Pallet Forks? And why should I use Excavator Pallet Forks over a Telehandler?
The main advantage of using Excavator Pallet Forks on your machine is the increase in versatility and the reduction in downtime. Instead of being sat idol, your excavator can be used for the same tasks that you expect a Telehandler to be required for. They are best used on small or complex sites, to reach into tight spaces where a telehandler cannot. Your excavator has the ability to rotate 360° which is something that a telehandler cannot do. Not only this, but they also have a lot more manoeuvrability as they are able to track across uneven, or soft surfaces without difficulty.
Another huge advantage is cost saving. Instead of the cost of purchasing or hiring an extra vehicle and operator, you only have the one off cost of the attachment. This can potentially save you £1000’s! Not only this, but only using one machine means there is less fuel used, less maintenance required and more space on site with only one machine operating.
What features do Rhinox Pallet Forks have?
We have developed our Excavator Pallet Forks based off of vast amounts of industry research and customer feedback. There are multiple key features that make our Pallet Forks stand out from our competitors. It is common for Pallet Fork attachments to get a lot of heavy use, meaning that they can easily become damaged, bent or twisted. To battle this issue, we have built our Pallet Forks with a high quality and robust design. Adding additional support and crash bars in areas that can damage easily, eg. the centre of the forks bar and above the crash plate. The weight of these attachments are prominently at the rear which can cause them to rock backwards when detached from the excavator. This can make it much more difficult for operators to reattach the forks when ready to use again. To combat this common issue, we manufacture a stand within our design to stop them rocking backwards and making them much easier for the operator to use.
Fixed or floating forks - What are the advantages of floating forks?
Rhinox Pallet Forks are made with Floating Forks - these are a similar style to the forks that you would find on a telehandler. Floating forks mean that the forks are fixed to the frame in one place so that they can pivot around an axle. They move freely with gravity making them much easier to manoeuvre under loads. We have found that customers prefer this type, rather than Fixed Forks which are attached to the carriage at the top and bottom of the fork. When fixed forks are landed heavily on the ground, it can cause the frame to bend or twist as the shock waves are sent up through the forks to the frame. The toggle locator on the top of the forks on a fixed frame can get broken easily, therefore invalidating the safety certificate or falling a safety inspection.
Will they fit my excavator?
We have designed our Pallet Forks with multi-pin pick-up so that one attachment can be used on multiple sizes of machine. We have 4 different sets of Pallet Forks to suit 5 - 9 Ton, 12 - 25 Ton, S60 and S70 tilt rotators. See the pin sizes for each machine in the table below. Our Pallet Forks are manufacture with a storage rack in the frame so there is no risk of losing the pins that aren’t being used.
Pallet Fork Size |
Pins Sizes |
Shop Online |
| 5 - 9 Ton | 45mm, 50mm, 60mm | Click here to shop 5-9 ton |
| 12 - 15 Ton | 65mm & 80mm | Click here to shop 12-15 ton |
| 20 - 25 Ton | 65mm & 80mm | Click here to shop 20-25 ton |
| S60 (12-15 Ton Tilt Rotate) | Specific S60 Tilt Rotator | Click here to shop S60 |
| S70 (20-25 Ton Tilt Rotate) | Specific S70 Tilt Rotator | Click here to shop S70 |
What certification should pallet forks have?
When using Excavator Pallet Forks you must be aware of the maximum weight your attachment and machine is able to safely lift and always work within this parameter. All Rhinox Pallet Forks have a plaque on the frame that lists the attachment weight and the Working Load Limit. By law, all lifting equipment must have a valid LOLER certificate (Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations) to be allowed to be used commercially. We provide a Certificate of Conformity from the date your product is dispatched - the LOLER Certificate of your Pallet Fork Attachment is built into certificate. Meaning you have a 6 month LOLER Certificate from the date your order is dispatched from us. After these 6 months, you will have to have your Pallet Forks retested to be classified as safe to use again.
We would recommend a set of pallet forks to any excavator owner who wants to maximise their machine. The ability to lift pallets and other items safely around site is a great benefit and a cost saving. If you have any questions or would like to know more information, our sales team are happy to speak to you via 01430 259259 or sales@rhinox-group.com
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