Forklift mast issues

[LDPosse]

I purchased a forklift mast from an old Yale forklift that had been converted to connect to a 3 point hitch. It can only lift 6-7 due to the limited capacity of my tractors hydraulic system - it only has a single hose connection.
I have been trying to figure out a solution that would allow me to use the full lifting capacity. I thought about adding a hydraulic reservoir to the forklift mast, and connecting that to the return hydraulic port of the tractor. Does anyone know if that would work? I am not well versed in tractor hydraulic systems enough to know. The tractor is a 1959 Deere 630 with a single remote. Thanks!

This post was edited by LDPosse on 07/07/2021 at 06:02 am.

 

[DRussell]

You say your tractor has a single remote. Do you mean it has only one line to operate a single acting cylinder or does it have both lines for a double acting
cylinder? Your tractor is capable of operating a double acting cylinder.

If your tractor only has a single line, the easiest fix is to change your tractor to be able to operate a double acting cylinder, i.e., so it has two lines
connecting to it.

Adding a reservoir to the mast is not a good idea in my opinion.

 

[cleddy]

I think what he is saying is the tractor only holds enough oil to lift 6 or 7 feet. Forklift mast are always one way
cylinders and gravity feed down. I have a Hyster Forklift Mast that goes 20 feet high with various telescope
cylinder and tank on forklift probably held 20-30 gallons. If I added a tank it would be something substantial like
a 20-30 gallon barrel on the front for ballast plus maybe add a separate pump & valves just for the Forklift.

I was saving my Mast for a project like this but may scrap it instead because of problems like you are having.
Depends on what you use and around the farm for moving heavy stuff short distance & Low it is fine. A load over 10-
12 feet on a farm tractor may just be dangerous considering tractors aren't that stable and home made stuff is not
garrenteed not to fail??Cleddy

 

[LDPosse]

(quoted from post at 12:59:59 07/07/21) I think what he is saying is the tractor only holds enough oil to lift 6 or 7 feet.

Yes this is exactly what I was trying to say. I just was not sure if putting a reservoir of oil connected to the second line would work, or if it had to be like a double acting cylinder where the cylinder would be forcing the fluid back into the tractors reservoir.

Depends on what you use and around the farm for moving heavy stuff short distance & Low it is fine. A load over 10-
12 feet on a farm tractor may just be dangerous considering tractors aren't that stable and home made stuff is not
garrenteed not to fail??Cleddy

While it does seem to be quite sturdily constructed, my plan is definitely to use it at lower heights and slow speeds. My main usage for it is transporting IBC totes of water to my pastures that do not have running water. I would like to have the full height capability, though, for stacking hay bales.
Thanks!

 

[MJMJ]

I'm not sure what full height is with that thing, but lifting a round bale much more than 5 or 6 feet with it is an accident waiting to happen. It will tip the tractor right over.

 

[DJ930]

I have a Yale mast that has wheels on the bottom of it I added
a 5 gallon external oil tank plumbed into the drain for the oil
system on the tractor but I do have a loader on the front of the
tractor so theres no worry about tipping back

 

[cleddy]

How high do you think it will go? As I mentioned my Hyster forklift when it worked would go 20 + feet high and I
have since purchased a old Clark Forklift that also goes 20+ feet high. We also have a Farmhand loader that goes at
least 15 Feet high on a old 1950 tractor. I want to put my Pallet platform on and get lifted up and trim tree
branches around my buildings but am Hesitant for safety reasons. For one thing trusting a un-experenced operater is
scary and putting a ladder up is also risky? The whole idea of something going wrong and the lift falling down is
scarry-May just rent a high lift for tree trimming??cleddy

 

[caterpillar guy]

The reservoir will need to be plumbed so it drains into the tractor oil supply then return back to the tank and drain into the tractor. This way you can shut off the over supply while doing other jobs if you want without having the tractor case over full excessively. As for using it for front weight that is a joke since the weight will be all in the cylinder when you will need it and up front when the forks are down. Put the oil where is convenient and put iron weight on the front.