Need help with Grapple 101...

   / Need help with Grapple 101... #1  

MRSDOUGLAS

Bronze Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2012
Messages
56
Location
Blue Ridge, Texas
Tractor
Kubota L5740
What is the smallest tractor you can put a grapple on? I think I understand that it is an attachment you put on the front end of a tractor that already has a front end loader and that it needs an extra/third hydraulic hookup.

We have 46 acres that we just purchased and plan to visit on weekends until we get ready to build and move. There is a K-line trailer there for storage so I'm wanting to get a small tractor I can use to help do some of the clean up chores we have but I want it to fit into the K-line that has a 90" opening. We don't really want to buy the JD5085M that my beloved is coveting until we are on the property full time and have a barn built to store it in. I was looking at a kubota BX2360 with a FEL and small brush hog but then the other half said it would be nice to have a grapple. We don't want to move anything huge, just brush piles and maybe a 4" diameter tree we cut down off the dam.

Any thoughts or suggestions welcome.

Thanks,
dawn
 
   / Need help with Grapple 101... #2  
Dawn, I'm pretty certain that the JD5085m will just fit in your container. You will need to fold the ROPS down, but that is no big deal. Now if you were planning on getting a cab, then it will not fit. Other than that, I think that I would forget about the BX and step up to something in the 40-50HP range. At the bare minimum a tractor that uses 60" wide implements.

Good luck. ;)
 
   / Need help with Grapple 101...
  • Thread Starter
#3  
LOL, yeah, he wants full cab with HVAC. ;) I was hoping I could get something small to tide us over for a couple of years.
 
   / Need help with Grapple 101... #4  
I think that with your open land, that the BX is just going to be to small to get much of anything done. JMO, but I really would be looking in the 40-50HP range. Something that handles 6' wide implements with little to no problems. ;)
 
   / Need help with Grapple 101... #5  
I have a 4720 Deere (cab) and a 48" Wildkat which does a good job. One of my kids hs a 2520 Deere and he has been using my Wildkat with much success. He can't pick up the weight I do but he has been doing a lot of clean up with that combo. I think a 2520 is about 27 HP.
 
   / Need help with Grapple 101... #6  
Been there, done that. I have a BX and I can tell you that it is WAY too small to do any work on acreage. Do it right the first time... tractors are expensive. I'd just wait until you're ready to be there before investing, but then again, that's just my 2 cents. Good luck with your decision. Oh, by the way... a BX is way too small for a grapple and you'd be better suited with a larger tractor that has the skid steer quick attachment for easy on, easy off. :)
 
   / Need help with Grapple 101... #7  
I use a grapple on a Mahindra 2615. It is only 26 hp but is significantly larger than a bx series. More weight would make many tasks easier but I have accomplished a lot with the grapple. With that said IMHO the BX does not have the ground clearance or weight to accomplish much with a grapple.
 
   / Need help with Grapple 101... #8  
I would agree with those who say to stay away from the Kubota BX or sub compact class of tractors. Those are really designed for work around lawns in the suburbs or on estates and not for field work.

I was very happy with a Kioti CK20 which is only 21hp and would easily fit in a container. Mahindra makes equivalent models that are also excellent. I would personally look at those two brands if you want to do grapple work as their small tractors tend to have stronger loaders than the equivalent horsepower and size Kubotas and JDs. There may be exceptions so check out the spec sheets. The little Kioti can lift about 1070lbs to full height as measured at the pivot pins. Subtract the weight of a grapple for net lift capacity (this is why you should not even consider any grapple wider than 48" with a small tractor) and you can lift about 700lbs to full height. That is a really big load of brush. Assuming you don't actually need to lift heavy loads to full height and then you still have a very impressive lift capacity of close to 1000lbs for lifting logs, rocks, brush and transporting it with the loader held off the ground. I did a lot of clearing with my CK20 which could carry more brush than I could see around, could lift rocks that two men could not lift and could carry an entire tree (8-10" diameter). With 46 acres you will soon learn how much bigger tractor you need or if a 20-25hp tractor that fits in the container is good enough. Depends mostly on just what and how much work you are doing. If you are clearing 46 acres of brush and want it done in your lifetime you will need much bigger equipment eventually. However a CK20 or Mahindra 2615 or Max sized tractor is perfectly capable of doing pretty much all the work you would need to build a homestead other than dig a basement foundation.
 
   / Need help with Grapple 101...
  • Thread Starter
#9  
Thanks guys, I get that the BX is out. I'll look at some of the other tractors suggested. Preciate the input.
 
   / Need help with Grapple 101... #10  
Will you be farming your whole property or just planting a garden and doing " grounds maintenance " and other similar jobs? I have 80 acres of hardwood bush around our house, plus 300 yds of driveway to Plow in the winter. Four/ five bush cords of logs to cut, haul and split with a 3 pth splitter. I find that a 30 hp JD (with JD QA bucket, forks, etc) does a pretty good job.
Had my unit about ten yrs/4500 hrs but never bothered to build a grapple as it probably wouldn't be installed during the few times it would be needed....
 
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