Given that I've been accumulation bunches of obsolete machine tools, most of which rival the Titanic in size and weight, I've been sort of halfheartedly window shopping for a forklift- - - - -one that can navigate somewhat unstable environments like a gravel driveway or even hard-packed dirt. Well- - - - -the search is over. I've just become the proud (?) owner of a 4 cylinder, medium-sized Clark pneumatic tire lift, one that's probably got a load capacity of 3-4 tons, and a lift of around 8 feet. Hydraulic side shift of the forks of 6-8 inches or so, to boot!
Now the downside- - - - - -it's Propane fueled and hasn't been run in several years. The current owner could make it run on starting fluid, but he didn't know enough about LP gas carburetion to get it going. I'm planning to do a thorough rehab of hydraulic lines, polish up some surface rust on cylinder shafts, convert it to gasoline fuel, and generally try to shortstop a bunch of minor issues before they turn into major disasters. The good news is- - - - -I almost stole the thing! I responded to a Facebook Marketplace ad the day AFTER the owner had begun scavenging usable parts before heading to the scrap yard with it, so it's getting delivered to me on Sunday morning for less than the Marketplace asking price, including the stuff that was removed! (Which was ridiculously low to begin with!) The engine turns freely, and it comes with a freshly rebuilt starter and alternator. Sometimes the Bird Of Paradise actually does deliver a gift instead of a big load of fertilizer!) Jerry
Last edited by Peggy M; 03/28/20261:23 PM.
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
In my opinion, a forklift is a big tool, that will be useful in moving heavy parts and stuff around your shop. I don’t know why it wouldn’t be okay for you to show us some pics of your new toy in the tool shop forum.
I’m hoping John and Peggy will agree so we can see the beast.
John
~ J Lucas 2006 GMC Envoy 4.2 I6 2023 Ram 2500/Cumins 6.7 I6 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee (Wife’s) 2002 Silverado 2500 Gas 6.0 1941 Chevy 1/2-Ton 1942 Chevy 1.5-Ton SWB In the Gallery My Flicker Photos!
It's enroute- - - - -delivery sometime Sunday! Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
John -- Concur! Forklifts *are* tools. And just what is a tool, anyway? One of my favorite profs back in the day schooled us on the difference between a "definition" and a "daffynition" .... Anyway, According to my Webster's (which is generally considered to be a source of "definitions"), "A tool is an object or device used to carry out a particular function or task, especially one that helps perform work more efficiently or effectively."
I'm not the brightest bulb in the woodpile, but it sure seems to me that Jerry's latest acquisition would fit the definition above. Miss Margaret and I are still getting to know each other, having only been married 38 years, but I'll go out on a limb here and say that she'll agree.
Personally, I can't wait to zip over there and help him organize his industrial "body farm" ...
~ John
A kid raised on Hotwheels, Matchbox and Tonka cannot be reasonably expected to own only one vehicle as an adult.
1949 Chevrolet 3804 In the Legacy Gallery | In the Gallery Forum 1973 IH 1310 Dump 1963 Kaiser M38A1 2001 International/AmTran RE3000 "Skoolie" 2014 Ford E-350 4x4 (Quigley)
There you have it boys. Now Jerry needs to add some pictures.
~ Peggy M 1949 Chevrolet 3804 "Charlie" - The Stovebolt Flagship In the Gallery "We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give." -- Winston Churchill
OK- - - -here's a screen grab from the Facebook ad- - - -maybe I can attach it. If not, I'll do a photo shoot when it gets here tomorrow:
It won't win any beauty contests, but I've definitely started a few projects with less to work with! Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
Great score, Jerry. Sure it will come in handy more times than you can count. As for the beauty/ugly thing, think of the many thousands of acres of farmland that were plowed with some ugly axx mules. Beauty ain't everything when it comes to getting the job done
It looks like one of these Marvel/Schebler clone carburetors will handle the Propane/Gasoline fuel conversion duties, and I'll probably figure out a way to add electronic ignition from some type of GM 4 cylinder engine.
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
'57 GMC 102, Original 347 V8, HydraMatic, 3.08 rear gear, added A/C, disk front brakes, HEI, AFB carb, '98 Honda Black Currant paint. T-boned and totaled 10/12 '52 GMC 152 Stake Bed, Original 228, SM420, added A/C, HEI, disk front brakes, '67 Chev 3.55 rear gear. Gets used as a real truck.
Hmmmmm- - - - -looks like a HEI distributor from a Chevette will work, with a little surgery to the drive end. There's also an electronic trigger conversion for a Mercruiser Marine 4 cylinder that might be adaptable to the distributor that's on the machine now.
Welllll- - - - - -it's got a Delco distributor, and it's already been converted to the same electronic trigger I posted. Got a new one on the way, just in case the one that's there already might not work! Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
I have 5 forklifts at my place. I am auctioning off my trucks and I will be getting rid of 3 of them. But I will keep two because forklifts spoil a person. I like either Diesel or propane. I am going to keep Yale 5,000 and my John Deere all terrain. At times I use the JD as a man lift at the house. It lifts 21 ft and my wife grew up on a farm and can operate it.
I have a 1988 toyota skidsteer (rare in US) it has forks, general purpose bucket, bigger bucket for lighter materials and I also have the correct original toyota branded bradco 9HD backhoe attachment. I have moved more things with that machine than I can count. It pulls motors, transmissions, pulls trucks off trailers, moves everything on pallets, lifts beds off trucks, plows my driveway and unloads tons of pellets in winter. Once you have a hydraulically operated machine at your disposal its almost impossible to be without one.
I haven't researched the lift capacity, but it's considerable, capable of handling any of the machine tools in my shop with plenty of lift to spare. It's got a 2-section telescoping lift cylinder with around 10 feet of vertical lift, and almost a foot of side shift capability. I'm also getting the parts together to add another set of wheels to the front to make it more stable and have more traction on the "off-road" area around my shop. I'll be building a pair of spool-type hub extensions to allow running two tires on each side. Increasing the footprint and the track width should add a considerable amount of stability, IMHO.
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
