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CTI Skid Steer Selection
Guidelines
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BACK |
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All CTI Skid Steer
Forks utilize Class II industrial forged fork tines and are built with a
3-to-1 safety factor in both the frame and tines. When you choose CTI skid
steer forks, you are choosing the strongest available skid steer forks.
Remember, skid steer loaders see more abuse than any other type of
construction equipment, so plan accordingly when choosing fork attachments.
Buy lighter forks only for small machines and light duty jobs, and always
buy larger forks and stouter frames for bigger machines and heavier jobs.
Larger forks and a stouter, heavier frame will give you better, longer wear
under almost any conditions. Yes, bigger forks cost more (they are more
expensive to make, after all), but there will be fewer repairs and less
downtime if the forks are well matched to the machine and the job. |
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Does your skid steer
have a universal coupler? |
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 | YES -
CTI has 5 models to suit your needs. |
| NO -
Contact your machine's manufacturer for coupler upgrade options. |
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Do you prefer rail- or rod-mounted forks? |
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Rail-mounted forks are the style
familiar to many people. Rail forks come with a latch on the top of the
tines and a top rail with notches for the tines to slide on. Rail forks are
great for very repetitious loads like pallets of bagged material or a
truckload of trees that are all exactly the same size. Although rail forks
do not offer as much flexibility as rod forks when it comes to adjusting the
tines according to the variations in differing loads, the rail forks work
very well in many applications and are less expensive than comparable
rod-mounted forks. |
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Rod-mounted forks have a smooth, solid steel rod
instead of a notched rail. If loads are variable in size, rod forks can be
adjusted to any point on the rod to accommodate the load. Rod forks are
easier to adjust (no lifting) and the tines themselves are taller than rail
tines, so they can always sit flat on the ground and allow for easier
rollback. Set-screws instead of latches in the rod holders fix the forks in
place when needed. NOTE:
CTI Rod Forks have bottom hooks on the tines so they will not
swing outward when the fork frame is tilted forward to unload.
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What is your fork application? |
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Evaluate your machine and types of work projects to choose
the appropriate forks. |
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SMALL MACHINES with LIGHTER LOADS |
For smaller machines and lighter loads (not
extreme applications), choose Model 330 Rail or Model 530 Rod forks. The
following work projects are examples of light loads:
| Light
landscaping - transporting pallets of sod, small trees and shrubs,
sprinkler system materials, and lightweight fencing. |
| General
Construction - unloading and moving pallets of construction materials |
| Site
cleanup - moving trash bins and scrap |
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MEDIUM MACHINES in HEAVIER APPLICATIONS |
For medium
sized machines in heavier applications (not extreme applications), choose
Model 545 Rod forks. The following loads are examples of heavier
applications:
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Landscaping - transporting of trees over rough terrain, small decorative
rocks. |
| Pipe
loads - palletized or un-palletized plastic and corrugated pipe. |
| Fencing - rolls of chain link and
pallets of lumber. |
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LARGE MACHINES and or EXTREME APPLICATIONS |
For large machines and/or extreme applications, choose Model
550 Rod or Model 560 Rod forks. The following types of loads demand a Series
550 or Series 560:
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large machines and/or extreme applications, choose Model 550 Rod or Model
560 Rod forks. The following types of loads demand a Series 550 or Series
560: |
| Heavy
Landscaping - transporting of large trees and decorative boulders |
| Rock and
masonry - palletized loads of rocks and masonry block or stone |
| Concrete
- large diameter concrete pipe and concrete barriers for highways and
retaining walls |
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