Grapple Help me spend $3500 on grapples and 4n1s

[air19]

I've read most of the grapple and 4n1 threads and I'm trying to find the perfect combination of front end attachments. I've got the green light from the boss to spend up to $3500. Have some fun and help me spend the budget.

My needs fall into three areas: 1) Ski trail work - We have about 15 miles of ski trails that started out as skidder trails during loggin logging operations. We have used excavators once to move large boulders and stumps. What's left are more boulders, stumps, and bumpy trails that I would really like to smooth out. This is Vermont, we grow rocks. 2) Field work - We have about 50 acres of fields that we brush hog a couple times each year. They are still filled with rocks I want to remove and the edges have trees that have grown in that I am cutting back and then trying to deal with the stumps. 3) Logging work - I run a bandsaw mill and need to move lots of logs around the yard onto the mill. I have a Kubota M7040 with an LA 1153 loader (2300 lb lift capacity).

I've been looking at a range of front end attachments. 1) Dedicated grapple - not too heavy or too wide (thanks to IslandTractor's advice) - for my log loading work and brush piles - favorites are the Millonzi LD 48" with single arm (around $1000) or the Markham Extreme Mini Gator Rake 36" with single arm (around $1500).

2) Dedicated stump grapple - narrow and strong for stump work and rock popping - favorites are Wildcat stump grapple ($675) or Unlimited Fabrication stump grapple ($1050).

3) 4n1 bucket with toothbar - for big rock rolling/pushing, and a first pass at trail smoothing, some log loading - favorites Wildcat 4n1 60" ($1725) or WRLong HJ 60" (not sure of price yet).

Given the budget I can get two high quality front implements for sure and maybe that's all I need to get these different tasks done. It will be a tight to get three, and I don't want to sacrafice on quality given my heavy duty uses. I also will have a box blade in the rear to help with some of the trail grading, but trail grading is a stop and go operation here where I always have to deal with rocks and stumps.

I hope that's enough info to get your advise.

Thanks, Mike

 

[mtnhome17]

Sounds like you keep busy! I've had my grapple for 6 years and it has exceeded my expectations. I've uprooted brush, stumps, moved trees, slash and large rocks (though make sure your tractor out-weighs the rock! - life lesson) I've even used it to break up granite so I could move it for home construction. It's a BoDozer heavy duty grapple and I've never had an ounce of problem. I tried another grapple and bent the teeth and frame, but this one I dare you to break. It is more expensive than the attachments you are looking at, but it is worth it. I think one attachment could do all your looking for. I don't know what size of attachment you would need for your tractor, but you can google BoDozer or Borgford (I think that is his name) to see his web site. He was very friendly and easy to work with. Good luck on your search!

 

[Hammy]

Well, I have an AnBo grapple which is similar to the BoDozer...actually, the "Bo" in BoDozer in the "Bo" in AnBo. They use to be partners.

These things are absolutely built rock solid. They are designed to pop out stumps/roots, rocks, brush, fire lines, logs, etc...

They would eat up your whole budget but you wouldn't have to worry about babying it. It is "NOT" a light duty grapple.

They make a few different versions, which in turn have different weights.

I know I tried to go light duty and had nothing but problems. I bit the bullet and bought one and so far I've been very happy. I even use it to break up my hard as concrete clay soil, which my tines on my box blade and tooth bar on my bucket have a very hard time doing.

I know lots of people are happy with the Millonzi grapple though. Its a tough call but it sounds like you have some heavy duty work to do and your machine isn't a small one. I'm always disappointed when I try and stretch a dollar in stead of getting the best.

Good luck.
Craig

 

[air19]

Two interesting and similar responses. Both of you are proposing I spend the entire budget on one super "clam shell" type grapple, compared getting two or three special purpose grapples. WR Long makes a similar grapple, not sure if it is as strong as the two you are suggesting, but they are on the east coast and it would run closer to $2200.

Do you two really think a 60" clam shell grapple is as effective at popping 1000 lb rocks and 10" stumps as a very narrow 16" wide one?

Do these clam shell grapples really work like a dozer - can you sink the front tines in about 3 inches and drive through tough packed earth with an assortment of rocks and stumps?

- Mike

 

[flINTLOCK]

The ANBO people told me that backdragging was a strong suit of their unit before I bought mine. My TC40DA NH does not have the guts to drag as much as the grapple is capable of. I think forward dozing applications would be similar, but haven't tried them. I like the clamshell for lifting and moving individual logs for cleanup and chainsaw work. Many of the non clamshell models don't clamp down on smaller logs up to the internal dimensions of the closed grapple. Many of my trees are 12" or so. I've pulled out boulders up to my FEL capacity,(~1200#) no problem. If you are looking to move large piles of brush, non-clamshell will grab larger bites. All depends on your needs, I guess.

 

[Hammy]

air19,

I'm really not sure if the 60" clamshell would be as effective as a 16" version at popping 10" stumps. 10" stumps are getting up there in size. I would guess that a much narrower one would do a better job. I'm sure a backhoe would be best. However, this thing will pop out those large rocks unless they are fully buried and then it might just take some digging at it.

I guess my point is these ones are very heavy duty and wont fold under the pressure.

It's a tough decision you have and I wish you luck. Keep reading and researching. I wish there was one tool that did everything.

BoDozer does have a great website to look at with lots of information.

Craig

 

[mtnhome17]

Your right Air19, if you want quality, you are going to have to pay for it. With what you are wanting to do, you will only fight bending and breaking of lesser implements. BoDozer is designed to withstand most anything you put it through. Your going to be limited by your tractor more than the BoDozer grapple. I have raked packed dirt as far as the tines go down without any problems. Then on the hill of granite it goes a little slower to break that up. If the hill is one big rock then I've used a ripper on back of my tractor for the initial break, then continued with the grapple. The grapple can pick the rocks you want, but you may need extra weights on your wheels or a ballast box on back. On the larger rocks you may want to open the grapple all the way and use it as a dozer. It will let the small debris and dirt through while moving your bigger items. Yet because of it's clamshell design, it can also pick your smaller twigs and branches to pile and burn. I have moved large slash piles to burn along with 20" trees with ease . The grapple allows me to control the burn size and without the hassle of smothering it with excess dirt that the dozers and buckets bring in. Then while the grapple is fully open, tilt the grapple all the way forward to back rake and smooth out a path. BoDozer was designed for all this heavy work and more. When I bought my BoDozer grapple, they have never had one returned for breaking or bending. I think this is the all-around attachment you are looking for. You won't spend your day changing your equipment for special needs and you will get your job done!

 

[IslandTractor]

Well, I have almost the same set up you are talking about with a FEL with >2000lb lift capacity and a Millonzi 48LD. I also have just acquired a WRLong 60inch 4n1 used off eBay but haven't had the chance to change over the hydraulic connectors yet so haven't used it. I also have thought about one of those stump buckets.

My somewhat predictable response to the Anbo/Bodozer advocates is that the lighter duty grapple works just as well for brush and wood and leaves you with both more money in your pocket and lift capacity. No I haven't used mine for six years but after 18 months with the grapple mounted 100% of the time, I don't have any complaints. It is a wonderful tool. I think the argument parallels the question of whether you need a one ton pickup to haul hay if a quarter ton does the job without problems. I don't doubt that the Anbo/Bodozer are more heavily built but I haven't had any build related problems lifting rocks, logs, brush or digging out stumps so don't see the benefit of the bigger, heavier, more expensive grapple. Lighter weight grapples have not been on the market very long so many CUT owners buy the bigger heavier ones that were originally designed for big skid steers. They work on bigger CUTs to be sure but also cut lift capacity. To my knowledge no one has destroyed an LD48 yet so the benefit of the heavier build is not clear to me (do you need a one ton pickup to drive to the supermarket?). At least one person has complained that they messed up their Anbo so being heavy duty is no absolute guarranty against doing damage. I don't doubt that any grapple can be damaged with an asymmetric load or sideways loading as none of them are designed/engineered to deal with that.

If it were me I'd split the money the way you have outlined. A light duty grapple for brush, logs and moving rocks. Add the stump bucket as a purpose built tool for digging out stumps and use the savings to get a nice 4n1 that will certainly be useful with all the clean up and landscaping you will be doing.

 

[RedRocker]

If you manage to tear up a Millonzi grapple, then something went terribly wrong and I would imagine your tractor is gone too. You ain't gonna break it!

 

[MarkV]

It seems to me that as desirable as it would be to have all the above mentioned attachments the only way you can do it is by buying the lighter duty models on the market. If they were going on a 30 hp tractor or less that would seem fine but with a larger tractor and emphases being stumps and rock I would be worried. I also wonder how effective the 4in1 bucket will be for smoothing trails if it is a foot or better narrower than your rear tires. I assume you already have hydraulics run to the loader arms or have an additional budget to add them. The WR Long front hydraulics will cost about $550 without installation. As a point of reference I was quoted just under $3000 for a WR Long 68” 4in1 bucket for a loader with 2200 lbs. of lift. I don’t recall the model number but WR Long recommended one model up from the lightest duty one. They felt the lightest one would be in jeopardy with the amount of lift my loader has.

MarkV