now i went & did it..

[candyman]

don`t know how this happened saw it after i pulled big herman in the barn. wa out grapplinig today don`t recall grabbing anything to big, but must have.

so now that i bent the brackets, how do i straighten it back to where it was. ??

suggestions.

candyman

 

[gengine]

That's a tough one....maybe start swinging a big hammer. If that doesn't work, get a bigger hammer! Or maybe chain your grapple closed, then use the hydraulics to 'open' the grapple. The cylinder may just bend you bracket back in place, then pull out your welder and beef it up if you can. If not your cylinder may put some pressure on the bracket, then start swinging those big hammers.

 

[Willl]

Bent once, it'll bend again.

 

[First one]

Candyman
Is that a wildkat grapple ? and is that one made out of 1/2" or 3/8" ? Hope you can get it back in shape . Maybe call wildkat and see what they'd do. Good luck ,I know someone on here will be able to give you some good advice.

 

[nickel plate]

Have you been having other flexing problems? I see a couple of fairly fresh welded and unpainted pieces of angle iron between the two sets of jaws.

 

[shortthrow50]

That's a tough one....maybe start swinging a big hammer. If that doesn't work, get a bigger hammer! Or maybe chain your grapple closed, then use the hydraulics to 'open' the grapple. The cylinder may just bend you bracket back in place, then pull out your welder and beef it up if you can. If not your cylinder may put some pressure on the bracket, then start swinging those big hammers.

If the hydraulics are strong enough to bend that then that unit was engineered properly. Shouldn't be able to ruin the whole unit under the operating pressures

 

[Willl]

unit was engineered properly.

Don't ya mean wasn't ?

 

[Depmandog]

I would call the factory to see if they would repair or replace the grapple. They most likely will tell you it was your responsibility to reset the relief, or at least warned you of the possibility of damage. Wouldn't hurt to call them.

To fix, (if they refuse) it would be easier if they would send out a new bracket, the it shouldn't be too difficult of a repair. I would look at modifying by adding some steel gussets on both the front and back of the bracket.

I don't think you will get anywhere by banging on it with a hammer. Chaining and using the hydraulics to bend it back in place cold....could be dangerous as all get out. I wouldn't try it. (maybe if you had a helper to get the bracket cherry red - then maybe).

Good luck with the repair.

 

[Hollow]

A rosebud and a big hammer. Why is it made like that? There should be a gusset sloping down from just low enough to clear the cylinder to the front of the bracket to support the cylinder post. Poor engineering?

Unless I'm missing something, the steel here should not have been cut out.

If there is a way to tie that jaw down you might be able to heat it with a torch and use the cylinder to pull it forward. You wouldn't have to worry about the post bending out of alignment that way. You'll for sure have to brace the post after you get it back straight because it will never be as strong as it was.

Best of luck to ya...

 

[Gary Fowler]

You are never going to straighten that back to original shape no matter how much heat you put on it. It will likely never bend back in the same place. If you tried to chain it down and use the hydraulics, you would likely bend something else Best bet is to send photo to manufacturer and suggest that they make new brackets for this that are heavier steel. You would then have to cut the old ones off (both sides)and weld on then new heavier ones. The part where the cylinder attaches should be a solid piece that is nearly as wide as the space between the ears on the cylinder and then I dont think it would bend. It possibly needs larger gussets also as the on shown is bent. I would check the beam that these are welded to to see if it is bent or twisted. I may be that the best way is to ship it back for a retrofit. They should fix it for you at no charge. IF they wont, insist that they provide beefier gussets that you can weld on after removing the old ones. Maybe your new welder friend can weld them on if you get new ones made. I would go with double thickness that you have now and hope that the main beam doesnt bend next.