Grapple Grapple Buying Experience

[swilhelm]

I just recently bought a grapple and I owe a lot of thanks to everybody here that led me in the right direction. I am generally more of a reader instead of a poster but i thought in case someone is out there looking for a grapple i would share my experience as others have done which helped me .

I have a Kubota L3700 and have 10 acres of woods that needs major cleaning up so a grapple was the obvious choice. Without doing much reading on TBN i thought i had made my mind up on one of the WR Long grapples (the one with the dozer style teeth)- I think they were about $2000+ which was going to be hard to get past. Fortunately, i started reading all of the grapple threads on TBN and quickly learned that was not the right choice for me, also 66" was not the right width (the width of my bucket), and i certainly didnt need to spend that kind of money.

Long story short, i ended up buying the 48" econo grapple from Wildkat and the 3rd function kit from Everything Attachments. Connie at Wildkat was great to deal with and she knocked $250 off the price. So for $650 plus $125 to ship I got my grapple in less than 2 days. I installed the 3rd function kit in about an hour and finally had the grapple up and running early this afternoon. It is awesome- exactly what i needed and i saved a lot of money thanks to everybody here on TBN. If anybody is considering a Wildkat grapple keep in mind they sell them with the flat face skid steer couplers which if you dont want they take of $50-she didnt mention this the first time i spoke with her. You can get the pioneer couplers at TSC for around $20. I do need to weld a plate on the ssqt slot to cut down on the "grapple flap" (a term coined in another grapple thread).

Overall i came out with exactly what i needed and saved a lot of money thanks to TBN and all the other grapple threads.

 

[dawzie]

how about some pics

 

[HCJtractor]

I had the same experience learning about them here on TBN. I also bought the 48" and it is absolutely my most useful implement. We need some pictures. Also consider adding or building a good grill guard that will protect your grill, lights, and hood. When grappling and wading into piles af brush pretending you are a bulldozer, sticks have a way of finding pathways to your delicate front end. Fouind this out the hard way. I welded up a guard out of bar grating that shields the front.

Try using your grapple on the front and a box blade on the rear. It makes the perfect combination. I often "rake" my woods roads after chainsawing overhanging limbs with my Kombi polesaw. I fell the limbs and small trees and let them fall perpendicular to the road. I then put down my grapple and slowly drive forward with the teeth lightly touching the ground. It collects most of the debris and I push it until I have a good collected pile, then pick it up or push it off the road in a pile. THe box will collect the leftovers and smooth up things nicely. Often one pass leaves thing clear. When you deposit the front load, I lift the box leaving its pile in the road and then reverse and push that debris into the same pile where I left the grapple debris. I can really clean up roads fast this way.

 

[swilhelm]

HCJ-
Good call on the brush/grill guard, i have the stock grill guard that i was considering extending around the sides and welding a heavy piece of expanded metal to the inside...should be enough i would think. I will put your grapple/box blade technique to work soon. I have a couple old logging roads on my property that i want to get cleaned up so that i can get access to everything.

I will post some picks once the weather turns around- it has been raining here for the last 3 days.

 

[Gordon Gould]

swilhelm - Welcome to TBN and thanks for your report on the new grapple :thumbsup: Have fun.