Bale Forks/Farming Simulator 17
A Bale Fork (or Bale Spike) is a type of Loading Tool in Farming Simulator 17. Bale Forks typically have two or more sharp tines (teeth) that are designed to be stabbed into a Bale and allow the fork to lift it up.
Bale Forks can normally pick up Bales of any shape (Square or Round). Additionally, some (but not all) Bale Forks are configured in a way that also allows them to lift Pallets, in much the same way as Pallet Forks do.
The base game offers three different models of Bale Forks. Each model is designed to be fitted on a different type of Loader. The main difference between models is the number and arrangement of their tines - with some arrangements making the lifting job easier.
List of Bale Forks
The following is a list of all Bale Forks found in the base game. Note that each Bale Fork is found in a different category at the Store, and can only be fitted to one specific type of Loader.
Common Features: $5 Maintenance Cost per Day
| Name | Price | Weight | Attachment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stoll Bale Spike | 600 | 95 | Front Loading Arm |
| JCB Bale Fork | 600 | 109 | Skid Steer Loader |
| Magsi Bale Fork | 1,100 | 168 | Telehandler |
Working with a Bale Fork
The use of a Bale Fork is very simple: Stab the spikes into a Bale, tilt the fork upwards, and lift. Unfortunately, in practice things are a little more complicated.
The spikes of a Bale Fork usually slide right into a Bale with little or no resistance, at almost any angle. On the other hand, the spikes have no way to hold on to the bale tightly, and the game's physics can pop the bale off one or more of the spikes almost at random - especially during sudden deceleration or sharp turns. It is important to tilt the fork as far up as possible after picking up the bale, so that gravity can help keep the bale on the fork. If your Bale Fork has three spikes, stabbing all three into the bale will make it more stable - usually.
Another problem is getting rid of the bale once you've placed it at the desired location. To do this, you will need to retract the Bale Fork at the same angle as you stabbed it in. If you don't care how the bale will be oriented after you drop it, you can simply angle the Bale Fork down towards the ground and let gravity pull it off the fork.
For all of the above reasons, precise stacking is very difficult with a Bale Fork. Precision, if any, will usually depend on the Loader carrying the Bale Fork. A Skid Steer Loader, for example, has far better maneuverability and control than a Tractor, and is therefore much better at picking up bales at the right angle, and putting them down carefully on top of one another.
If you have the cash to spare, consider buying a Bale Collector to stack your bales, instead of doing it one-by-one with a Bale Fork or any other similar tool. Getting bales out of a stack, however, is much simpler with a Bale Fork - all you need is to stab the bale at the top of the stack and pull it off without toppling the stack - which is fairly easy.
Of course, loading a Bale into a Straw Blower or other similar machine practically requires a Bale Fork or a similar tool. Honing your skill with a Bale Fork will make your life a lot easier, particularly if you intend to do a lot of Animal Husbandry, which typically involves a lot of work with bales.
Finally, note that in Farming Simulator 17, there is almost no need to use bales at all. Piles of material can be much easier to work with than bale stacks, require much simpler machinery, and fewer steps. This is up to personal preference, however, and a stack of bales typically takes far less space on the ground than a Pile of material of equal quantity.
Comparison with Other Tools
Bale Forks can be directly compared to Pallet Forks and Bale Handlers, as both those tools are also capable of lifting bales. Depending on your skill set, they may even be easier to use.
Pallet Forks can stab into bales in almost the same way as Bale Forks. A Pallet Fork's tines, however, do not slide into a bale as easily as a Bale Fork from most angles. It is typically best to align the Pallet Fork perpendicular to the bale, in a horizontal position, much as one would lift a Pallet. Bale Forks often also have longer tines, which can more easily keep the bale from flying off. Pallet Forks are only slightly more expensive than Bale Forks, but then they can also be used to lift Pallets - a very common task in Farming Simulator 17.
Bale Handlers do not stab into a bale at all - instead lifting it up with a tong-like grip. Bale Handlers are specifically-shaped to pick up Round Bales, but with some skill they can pick up Square Bales as well. Bale Handlers also open and close on command, making it much easier to let go of a bale once it's been placed at the destination. On the other hand, the grip of a Bale Handler - even on a Round Bale - can be somewhat unreliable.
Overall, Bale Forks are a good choice for a Loader that is going to be exclusively manipulating Bales, particularly when doing Animal Husbandry. However, always be on the lookout for better tools once you get the money.