Grapple Photos

[Oldchuck]

Just want to add my praise for the Markham Magic grapple. Got mine hooked up yesterday and worked it today. I think it will improve productivty considerably. Can't wait for spring. My principle uses for it are root grubbing, boulder hauling, brush removal and, of course, moving logs. Our land is all forest in stony, hilly Vermont and I expect to get a lot of milage out of this gadget. It makes a great sawing platform and I can place a round I couldn't lift by hand onto the splitter quite delicately.

[GreatWhitehunter]

That's not you on the tractor is it? It's agains TBN rule to be yawing in a grapple post.

Matt

[Oldchuck]

You are correct, Matt. It is my wife and she objected to serving as a prop for the photo. "I don't want any pictures of me on the tractor until I learn to drive it," she said. I talked her into it and then she went skiing.

[HCJ]

It really looks cold up there! Is that a 48" light duty? How are you bringing in the hydraulics to it?

[Oldchuck]

Originally Posted by HCJ

It really looks cold up there! Is that a 48" light duty? How are you bringing in the hydraulics to it?

You must be from the south, HCJ. Actually it was very comfortable yesterday, almost hit 40. Only one day of it. Now we go back in the freezer. Lot of snow this year.

Yes the Markham is a 48". I chose that size due to much good advice in this forum. It fits the machine quite well for my purposes. I forgot to take a picture of the new hydraulic valve set up yesterday. I'll probably post one later today with an explanation of what's what.

[EddieWalker]

Congrats on the grapple!! Looks like you are getting some good use out of it too. I never thought of picking up rounds for the wood spliter, but I'm sure it's allot easier on your back that way!!!!!!!!!!!!

Eddie

[Oldchuck]

Okay, the hydraulics: Pretty basic actually. I read many threads here on how to do it. I decided I wanted a separate valve located close to loader valves operating off the power beyond. I already had a power beyond loop to the rear from the loader PB port which powers the backhoe when it's on. No valve.

I set out to do the work myself. Bought a Prince valve and figured out how to mount it next to the loader valves but then I got very uncertain about hoses and fittings. I understood the theory pretty well by this time but I've never done any hydraulic work and didn't want to screw it up. The grapple came with 1/4" hose and big, maybe 1/2", flat face skidsteer quick connects. All my tractor hoses are 3/8". After a week or so of scratching my head I called a local hydraulic guy and asked him to do the rigging. It cost me but I think the education was worth it. I don't have a trailer so he came out to the land three or four times to get it all together. 1/4" to 3/8" ag type quick connects at the grapple, (Anybody want to buy a new flat face set of quick connects?) 5000 psi Parker hose, no leaks. The whole set up cost about as much as I would have paid the Kubota dealer to do it, less $150 transportation. I'm happy with it.

Eddie, I will use any trick I can think of to save the old back.

[kennyd]

Oldchuck, Your valve installation looks fine but I really think you need to put some 90's on those hoses before they get snagged on something!

[Milton Burro]

I was told I could not put a remote for a grapple on my '08 L3400. My first tractor, I know nothing. It has a joystick control for the loader. It seems from the pictures, you feed the grapple valve from the joystick valve. Maybe I just need to take it somewhere and have it installed. I hate to do that, because I am a pretty good wrench, I just need a schematic of the hydraulics.

[kennyd]

Originally Posted by Milton Burro

I was told I could not put a remote for a grapple on my '08 L3400. My first tractor, I know nothing. It has a joystick control for the loader. It seems from the pictures, you feed the grapple valve from the joystick valve. Maybe I just need to take it somewhere and have it installed. I hate to do that, because I am a pretty good wrench, I just need a schematic of the hydraulics.

Welcome to TBN

You most certainly can put a remote on your machine to control a grapple! If you want a "kit" rather than putting it all together yourself that take a look at the WR Long electric/hydraulic valve. They will sell you the kit with instructions and you can install it yourself!

Also do a search here for these terms for HOURS of reading on this subject:


W long
diverter
remote
3rd function
grapple