Grapple questions about choice of root grapple

[rbtjr]

Thanks, JoeBuyer. What brand grapple do you have? Do you like it? Anything you don't like about it? Thanks again.

[JoeBuyer]

I bought mine recently second hand from a friend. He got bought it at Palletforks.com or SkidsteerExpress.com, I am not sure. They are both made by Titan.

http://stores.palletforks.com/-strse...Grapple%20Rake
http://www.skidsteerexpress.com/cgi-...ey=ROOT3RG-R72

This company has some really cost effective models and the root rake is a good one in my opinion. They have other models that people are having troubles with, so do your research. The root rakes are T1 steel and the 72" and 84" ones have 1/2" thick teeth. Mine works well for brush. Picking up logs with it is possible, but a little hard due to the lack of protruding teeth on the bottom. But I have done it. If I were buying a standard grapple and not clearing brush primarily I would look at other sources, but I like my rake style and I like these prices.

[HCJtractor]

On root rake grapples where you are clearing brush my opinion is that you need the grapple at least as wide as the tractor tires. My 72" root rake grapple is mainly on a 72" wide machine and I could do at times with a 84". Again, this is for brush. If you are using a grapple with the large lower teeth, I would guess much more narrow.

I disagree. I have a 48" Markham on a 70 horse Kubota and it is a beast. Wider may be ok for simply scooping up loose debris, but for uprooting/digging and collecting debris, the narrower ones shine. I use mine a tremendous amount, and a wider one would not allow the focused pressure needed for uprooting, and it's plenty wide for collecting debris. And two "claws" is overkill. One is plenty. I never have a problem holding what I grab. One thumb works just fine. It's my most used implement.

[JoeBuyer]

I disagree. I have a 48" Markham on a 70 horse Kubota and it is a beast. Wider may be ok for simply scooping up loose debris, but for uprooting/digging and collecting debris, the narrower ones shine. I use mine a tremendous amount, and a wider one would not allow the focused pressure needed for uprooting, and it's plenty wide for collecting debris. And two "claws" is overkill. One is plenty. I never have a problem holding what I grab. One thumb works just fine. It's my most used implement.

Like anything else I guess, it depends what you use it for. The brush I have has soft small roots, but 10' of top growth.

[jcummins]

I disagree. I have a 48" Markham on a 70 horse Kubota and it is a beast. Wider may be ok for simply scooping up loose debris, but for uprooting/digging and collecting debris, the narrower ones shine. I use mine a tremendous amount, and a wider one would not allow the focused pressure needed for uprooting, and it's plenty wide for collecting debris. And two "claws" is overkill. One is plenty. I never have a problem holding what I grab. One thumb works just fine. It's my most used implement.

HCJ I agree, in fact you was partly responsible for me getting the 48"..

Two pics, first I uprooted this tree with the grapple, heading for burn pile. Second, the last of a big tree, also headed for the burn pile....it has the front tires half flat.

[murphy1244]

be carefull of weight. you must subtract from total lift.

[rbtjr]

That's pretty impressive work for any grapple.

[murphy1244]

be carefull of weight. you must subtract from total lift.

[HCJtractor]

Like anything else I guess, it depends what you use it for. The brush I have has soft small roots, but 10' of top growth.

That's true. I can see how a wider one would have advantages for "raking" so the main purpose surely would dictate which is better. Regardless, any grapple is better than no grapple! I was speaking on how I use mine, which is primarily for cleaning up chain saw debris when I trim roads and trails, and for clearing land of small trees and saplings by uprooting them. I attack some trees that are pretty big.

One caution is that grapple work does take it's toll on a tractor. I think it really wears the clutch if you are doing lots of pushing and the debris can find pathways to damage your front end and undercarriage. When you have a grapple, you can easily get into a bulldozer mentality, and damage can occur quickly. Done that too many times!!! So protect your front by making a solid inpenetrable grill guard before you use it.

[rbtjr]

You guys have influenced me in the direction of a 54" grapple for my 60" wide tractor. I haven't made up my mind for sure yet, but I see the advantages of both the 48"--i.e., more narrow--and the 60"+--wider. Our application will be sort of in the middle between rooting out stuff bigger than small roots and simply collecting debris on the surface. So, I am inclined toward a compromise. Since the W. L. Long open bottom grapple (OBG2) has a 54" model and also has a 44" jaw-opening, I am looking closely at it. I also found some good reports about the Long implements on TBN. I also am getting a Long 4N1 bucket for the FEL, so the hydraulics would match up if I got a Long grapple.

By the way, I just found TBN a few days ago, and it is clearly a good resource for tractor owners. Thanks again to everyone who responded to my post.