With a wide and deep platform and an equally wide and tall back, the implement has an enormous cargo capacity, similar to that of a full-size pickup truck and many times the capacity of a conventional bucket attachment.  This implement is 4 feet deep and high and up to 10 feet wide.  Furthermore, because it has minimal sides, it is perfectly designed (unlike a bucket) for carrying material that is longer than its width, such as tree limbs, logs, plywood, boards, sheet rock, pipes, etc.  Easy to assemble and cost effective, the Front-End Platform is the perfect solution for farms and small to medium construction companies.

Special features

• Capacity similar to a full-size pickup truck bed

• Up to 10 times tractor bucket capacity

• Tested to hold up to 2,000 pounds

• Can be built to preferred size – 10’, 8’ or 6’ wide

• Open sides allow for carrying of material longer than platform width

• Can be used for lifting, carrying, and unloading material of all sizes

• Able to function as an easily repositionable scaffold

• Relatively inexpensive to create, largely with common, off-the-shelf materials

• Easy to repair or replace worn out or damaged boards

• Can be marketed in multiple states of assembly: as a kit or fully assembled, making shipping more economical

The three major components in the Front-End Platform are the steel supports, treated lumber, and the fasteners.  The platform attaches to the hydraulic system of a front-end loader for a tractor or similar vehicle.  It has two flat surfaces, a deck and a back, that are fastened together at a 90 degree angle. 

In the current implementation, the deck is constructed of wooden or synthetic boards or sheets, supported below by two angle irons bolted to the boards or sheets.

The back consists of a similar combination of boards or sheets, irons, and bolts, with a grill replacing some of the boards in the upper part. Each deck support is fastened to a back support using two heavy steel braces bolted to the supports.  All of the angle irons and braces are powder coated, all of the wooden boards are pressure treated, and all of the fasteners and the grill are galvanized.   

Two steel quick attach brackets are fastened to the back, suitable for attaching the platform to the front-end loader hydraulics.  The platform can be lifted and tilted by the front-end loader system, just as the system would do with its conventional bucket attachment.  We have designed and fabricated brackets of type skid steer, John Deere, Euro or Global, and fork attachments.  The John Deere brackets are compatible with 200-, 300-, 400-, and 500-series John Deere loaders.  The fork attachment brackets are options for customers who already have a fork attachment.  They securely attach the Platform to both the vertical and horizontal bars of a fork attachment, and avoid the cost of a regular quick attach bracket or a customized bracket.  Custom non-quick-attach brackets are also an option.

The optional grill in the back section of the platform allows the driver of the tractor better visibility.  You may also wish to add accessories such as a tool box, long handle tool hanger, ramps, and a hook for earmuffs.

Varying Uses of the Front-End Platform