New Wildcat 66" grapple for me today!

[Herkypilot]

I called WildKat a few days ago and told them I was interested in a 48" grapple, but I was concerned about what some on this site had posted about the 1/8" steel 4x4 top tube issue. She asked me to send pictures of what had been posted and I did. I only live about 40 miles from their store/factory so I made the trip today. I asked her about the issue when I was there and Connie said she asked about it and the manager said that has been taken care of. I looked over the 48" & 66" grapples on their lot before making the decision. The cost for the 48" was $750 + tax so they have gone up about $100 since the last time I looked. That includes removing the flat faced couplers. As the worker was bringing the 48" around on the Bobcat forks, I looked at it and decided it was too small (narrow) for my MX-5100. I told the guy I think I want a 66" single cylinder grapple instead. He didn't mind at all so we walked over and he first showed me a heavier duty 66" which weighted about 850 lbs. I told him I didn't want an extra 400 lbs over the 48" econo so we looked at the 66" single 3/8" (just like the 48"). It only weighted about 100 lbs more. Total was $965 including taxes (no Farm exemption yet!) out the door.

When I got it home, I whacked the top 4x4 tube a couple of times with a small sledge hammer to see if it would dent it in. It was pretty solid. I was thinking if it were 1/8 inch, it should have dented it in. I was going to take it back if it did dent. I cleaned it up a little - pulled the two pins to grease up the holes and pins since there was no zerks to use. The end of ram on the hydraulic cylinder had some play between the brackets so I installed 1" washers to take up some of the gap. Also, some had mentioned they've lost some of the spring clips so I decided to run some safety wire on the open ends to keep them seated.

I have one question though, I'm trying to get the Kubota compatible couplers to work. I found some at Tractor Supply, but the threads are 1/2" JIC (female) and the grapple has 1/2 pipe 14 NPT (Male) threads. TSC didn't have adapters for this. Where are you guys finding them?

HP

 

[Gordon Gould]

Is this what you are looking for ??

Surplus Center - JIC 8M TO 1/2" NPTF CONNECTOR

In the past i got my fittings from Discount Hydraulic Hose but I don't see the JIC fittings listed in their catalog anymore. You could call them.

Enjoy the grapple. They are very useful.

 

[Herkypilot]

Gordon - thanks. Should I be concerned about the flared end on the male side? The inside of the coupler doesn't look like it's made for flared end. I think it won't bottom out though as it is deeper than what that picture shows.

Btw, I was born in Burlington and grew up in Colchester until 1979.

HP

 

[Gordon Gould]

Well now I am a little confused and concerned my advise was not what you want.
To the best of my knowledge if the TSC coupler is really a JIC 37* female it should have a taper to match the male. On that type fitting that is where the seal is made. Maybe the TSC fitting is really an O-Ring Boss (SAE8) or even a pipe thread ?

 

[Herkypilot]

I was able to fit a JIC male to the connector so unless SAE uses the same thread, it must be JIC. Unfortunately, that one was male to male. There is a flared "shelf" in the coupler, but the picture at the site you posted, it seems that the male end would be too short to contact the flare inside the coupler. Here's a picture of another one I found on another site. You can readily see the difference.
http://www.hydraulicstore.com/index.php?loc=items_detail&data[itemcode]=1207750&data[catalog]=1

HP

 

[MtnViewRanch]

SAE & JIC use the same threads. They are just like fine thread that you would find on a bolt.

 

[Gordon Gould]

You are right the Surplus picture seems short but it is hard to believe it is not right. The one you show is extra long because it is ment to go thru a bulkead. So there would be a nut holding the fitting plus a female fitting on that long male side.
It could very well be the QD from TSC is made to take a bulkead fitting. It is common to have a bracket or bulkead just behind the QD to give a solid mounting rather than a hose end.

 

[Gordon Gould]

Also the Surplus picture could be of a 1" diameter part making it look alot stubbier. It is a representation of all the fittings of that type in all sizes.

 

[Herkypilot]

Thanks Gordon, that makes sense. I suppose I'll go with the bulkhead fittings just to be sure they seat properly.
Brian - I've heard of SAE, but JIC is new to me. Thanks.

HP

 

[Piston]

Congrats on the new grapple! Your gonna love having that! Good job on wire tying the clips so they don't fall out, that's a smart idea. I'm a little surprised there are no grease fittings on the pivot points? Did you check with them to see if they maybe "forgot" on that grapple?

Do the mounting locations and "brackets" for the hydraulic ram, as well as connection points for the grapple itself, seem pretty beefy? They look a little skinny in the pictures. Either way though that really is going to be one heck of a useful implement for a very small investment (relative to some others)