Good video demonstration of grapple technique

[KentT]

Both IslandTractor and I have tried describing one of the effective grapple techniques, where you're trying to clear the ground... where you curl the grapple forward slightly, just before closing it...

I stumbled across two videos of grapples in action that demonstrate this fairly well, even if they are mounted on an ASV tracked skidsteer. On each of these pages, click link for the "Using a Tine Grapple" demonstration. The RC30 is the best to see how its done, but the RC50 shows a nice, big bite of brush...

RC-30 Demonstration Videos

RC-50 Demonstration Videos

By pushing forward with the grapple flat on the ground, you can let the "bucket float" work to keep it on the ground, then tilt it slightly before closing. If you come at it with the grapple tilted more, you'll have to manually control it (instead of using float) because ithe grapple will dig into the ground.

By tilting it forward slightly before closing the grapple, you trap the material up against the pile, getting a fuller "bite" of brush.

Sorry I couldn't post direct links.... Thought this might demonstrate what we've been trying to describe.

There's another technique, which the RC50 could've used by coming down on that larger brush pile from the top with the grapple open, then closing it once you've packed the grapple full using downpressure from the FEL lift arms...

 

[MrJimi]

awshucks, your links took me right to the site and I clicked on video links and they windows player did not work but realplayer did, nice videos, thanks

 

[IslandTractor]

Thanks for posting those links KentT.

The RC-30 video does show the roll technique though the guy doesn't maximize it by pushing together a big pile first then crushing it as he finishes. Still the basic idea is shown. The RC-50 video shows what happens when you don't bother to roll and push as this guy has all sorts of loose brush dangling and falling from his grapple (not the end of the world, just not as efficient and messier).

 

[Glowplug]

I started using that roll technique quite a while back when you guys started talking about it. It amazed me how much brush you could crush into the grapple. I've been doing it so much that the RC-50 video is actually a bit frustrating to watch. It just looks like he's not doing it right. I could just imagine how much cleaner and compacted it would be with much more brush if he'd have just used that technique. On the RC-30 video he rolls over then stops forward motion and stops the loader arm position, then closes the grapple. What I often do is move forward into a brush pile using float, then roll up over the top, then lower the grapple straight down crushing the brush while closing the grapple jaws. I don't stop the motion of the loader arms or the forward motion of the tractor while closing the grapple jaws. That often leads to a half ton of brush in one bite!

 

[IslandTractor]

I agree with Glowplug. That is how I do it too. Requires a bit of practice but once you get the technique down it just doesn't seem right to do it any other way. Crush that brush!

 

[KentT]

I started using that roll technique quite a while back when you guys started talking about it. It amazed me how much brush you could crush into the grapple.

Since I have a grapple bucket instead of a true grapple, I had to experiment a bit to find out how to get the most brush possible in it...

It'll still lift far more brush than the grapple bucket will hold.

Like I said, I'd have approached the brush pile totally differently than the RC50... I'd have come at it from the top, then only drive into it to pick up what I didn't get in the first bite...

 

[Glowplug]

I think a good name for the technique would be "Roll and Crush" technique. When I'm doing the crush part I'll usually lift the front wheels slightly. And you're talking about a nearly 9,000# tractor fully ballasted. You can crush a lot of brush that way!

 

[IslandTractor]

Roll and Crush it is. Or, for those text messaging: RNC!