Those break at the area of most stress, the bend. You can pre and post heat and weld with 7018 or maybe higher but you will never be able to duplicate the grain structure that was origionally there from forging. That fork was obviously overstressed. Those kind of customers will load test it by using it until it fails.
Release or not how are you going to feel when someone gets hurt?

They can sign anything they want, but in the U.S. you are still liable for your work produced.
Consult your own evil lawyer to be sure, but that's what my blood sucking attorney says (just kidding, he's a great guy, no really, he is) and he understands all that stuff : )

JTMcC.

junk the fork. you can buy a new one on the internet cheap. DONT weld it. it will break again

The local scrapyard here sells them for $75 a set. DO NOT REPAIR IT!!!!!!! NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!!!!!!!:-(

DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT REPAIRING IT!! :-(

You would still be held liable if something were to happen, just like was said a little farther down the post by JTMcC.

Don't chance it. It's a reasonably inexpensive part to replace. Your livelihood isn't!!!!

Case in point. In the mid '80's-'90's Owens Corning acquired a company that had produced asbestos building materials. By the time all the lawsuits were over, I believe they had declared bankruptcy, even though they NEVER even made the stuff. The fact they had purchased the company & owned it when the lawsuits were filed made them liable & collectible as well.

Do yourself a favor & DON'T TOUCH IT!!  S.W.

Liability issues are always a concern for you self-employed individuals. Far as the repair, it can be done. I've done it before; last time was on a 966 loader. Broke right in the heel. I preheated the fork to 300 degrees used 11018, wrapped it in insulation and let cool over night. I watched the loader operators abuse these forks for 3-years, before I left for greener pastures! I was working for wages, and directed to repair the fork!

Never repair anything on a Forklift.Especially the Forks.OSHA will make a MANDATORY visit to the site when someone is killed and you will alos be visited by a bunch of people you never wanted to talk to in the first place.Thats what the 200.00 repair will get you.It will definitely break again.

Here's a little food for thought.

This guy that wants this repair made, first of all, is trying to take the "cheap" way out by not replacing the fork altogether. He's banking on the fact that you will: Fix it cheap (Probably for less than $100) & take responsibility for the repair, whether you realize it or not.

It's not like this is a set of $5000 forks.

He would be the type of guy that will swagger into your shop & say..." I heard you're a real good weldor, I need this fixed."

When you patiently & reasonably attempt to explain how this is not an acceptable, or safe repair, he'll respond by saying.."I thought you were THE BEST around here! I guess you're not. What the hell kinda weldor are you?"

That's when you respond by saying: "The kind that does not take unnecessary risks by working for an ungrateful, ignorant moron such as yourself!" Then point to the NO TRESPASSING sign on the door & politely tell him to get the hell of your property.

Those kind of people are the kind that will expect something for nothing & accept nothing less than perfection. If he's too darn cheap to replace a set of junk forks with a $75 set from a salvage yard....He would be the kind of person who would come after you for everything you have if something were to happen, liability waiver or not.

You would only have to learn this lesson the hard way once...Someone like that could ruin your life. NO Fooling! S.W.

You are buying trouble if you do this repair. Liability cannot be assigned or assumed. If you make the repair, you are just a liable as the one who asked you to make it, and more as you have been counsel not to do it. Forks are cheap, turn this down. I do not let forks on my job that have ANY welding done to them.
BABRT's

Thanks! guys for putting my head back on my shoulders, this is one job I will be leaving alone. I would rather have a mad customer than a hurt customer, because no matter how well I repair the fork sooner or later he will over stress the fork again and it will break again.
                                          Thanks again!
                                                      Gawelder