The WICKED Root & Debris GRAPPLE!!!!!!!

[Deerherd]

I still think you manufacturers underrate grapples. Blah, blah, blah

I agree with island Tractor. Haven't you seen what he's done with his 48" Wildcat?! (Just type "grapple" in the search to be amazed, there's pictures.) He's repeatedly warned us about you slippery salesmen, over selling on width and weight.

There's a rumor circulating right on this forum that Travis is paid commission by the POUND! But we ain't falling for it. We are sticking by our resident narrow grapple guru. You guys at EA act like you actually make and use what you sell. I'm not believing it until I see videos. Hire some guy named Peanut to drive the tractor and I want the freakin Owner starring in the videos. Until then, we as a group are taking advice from Island Tractor.

 

[IslandTractor]

I agree with island Tractor. Haven't you seen what he's done with his 48" Wildcat?! (Just type "grapple" in the search to be amazed, there's pictures. He's repeatedly warned us about you slippery salesmen, over selling on width and weight.

There's a rumor circulating right on this forum that Travis is paid commission by the POUND! But we ain't falling for it. We are sticking by our resident narrow grapple guru. You guys at EA act like you actually make and use what you sell. I'm not believing it until I see videos. Hire some guy named Peanut to drive the tractor and I want the freakin Owner starring in the videos. Until then, we as a group are sticking with Island Tractor.

Blowherd, have you mounted your grapple yet? Remarkable confidence you have for someone who has never operated one yet. Or are you just a little psychotic due to buyers remorse? You are such a quick learner, maybe by the end of the weekend you will be ready to design, manufacture and sell your own brand.

 

[TomSeller]

Just give us a call to discuss the details. For that tractor, you'll need a heavier grapple such as the Construction Attachments 1RG or the WR Long OBG1. Our Wicked Grapples are designed for compact tractors up to around 50hp. We have sold some for use on larger tractors and haven't had any issues, but I wouldn't recommend it for a 90hp.

Wildkat also makes a heavy duty grapple without having to pay the $3k penalty of these two. The heavy duty model nearly has the opening of the WR Long (46" to 47")

http://www.wildkatattachments.com/grapple.html

 

[Deerherd]

Blowherd, have you mounted your grapple yet? Remarkable confidence you have for someone who has never operated one yet. Or are you just a little psychotic due to buyers remorse? You are such a quick learner, maybe by the end of the weekend you will be ready to design, manufacture and sell your own brand.

Your Island village called, their idiot's missing. If you had actually read the thread instead of just posting photos from six years ago you might have seen that I had. You would have also read that unlike you, I've owned more than just one grapple. And this one is the best by far.

But like every grapple thread if you don't post more photos and write more copy than everyone else singing the praises of a small grapple you feel short changed. Maybe you could post a picture from this year so people could see what your grapple looks like now along with the repairs.

It's amazing how your grapple defies the laws of physics and common sense. Most people realize a 900 lb grapple in front of a 10,000 lb 88 hp machine might move a little more material than a 300 lb grapple on a CK 20. Not you.

More importantly, your constant advice of a narrow grapple and your "making phalanxes" of material to move it is insane. Why not just remove it in one pass? That's right, you can't.

And now you're on here questioning people who actually do make/use/sell a wide variety of products, do an excellent job helping people on this forum versus your single grapple purchase? They can just ignore you, I should but won't because you aren't helping anyone make an informed decision.

And lastly, enough with the using a rear remote to power the grapple. We all know that's where you were going when you asked about the M59 having at least one. Many on here own more than one attachment and need them for other things. Save your money and get a third function and you will realize how lame most of your recommendations really are.

 

[jmc]

You guys should feud via PM, if for no other reason than preserving this thread.

 

[TomSeller]

This is the way I see it when it comes to the fundamental difference between Rake and L bottom grapples. The rake grapple mimics the dozer rake blade in the picture attached. Since loaders can also lift, a lid is attached to grab the debris in front of the rake blade for use on an FEL. The L bottom grapple mimics a forklift and has advantages in lifting with that advantage coming from the lower forks (or teeth on a grapple) that can get under things to better lift. Since tractors are not on flat concrete like a forklift, a lid is added to hold the load on the lower teeth. Both have advantages with some crossover. I would not use an L bottom grapple in an extreme "dumped" position (lower teeth pointed down) to try to rake through dirt to grub out shallow roots and move brush like a dozer. That would position the lid forward subjecting it to damage and I think the lower tines would be exposed to bending. I would not use a rake grapple if I had lots and lots of debris to move.

I prefer both, no different than I would not toss my hand rake because I have a spade. I cannot really rake weeds very well with a spade and I cannot really move a pile of weeds with a rake very well.

Island Tractor is enormously knowledgeable on grapples and advises the compact tractor owners very well when they are buying a single grapple. Deerherd makes excellent points for the underrated rake grapples. Different needs for different uses. My rake grapple is on my FEL more than an L bottom, but both are right for the job I use them for.

 

[IslandTractor]

Maybe you could post a picture from this year so people could see what your grapple looks like now along with the repairs.

It's amazing how your grapple defies the laws of physics and common sense. Most people realize a 900 lb grapple in front of a 10,000 lb 88 hp machine might move a little more material than a 300 lb grapple on a CK 20. Not you.

More importantly, your constant advice of a narrow grapple and your "making phalanxes" of material to move it is insane. Why not just remove it in one pass? That's right, you can't.

And now you're on here questioning people who actually do make/use/sell a wide variety of products, do an excellent job helping people on this forum versus your single grapple purchase? They can just ignore you, I should but won't because you aren't helping anyone make an informed decision.

And lastly, enough with the using a rear remote to power the grapple. We all know that's where you were going when you asked about the M59 having at least one. Many on here own more than one attachment and need them for other things. Save your money and get a third function and you will realize how lame most of your recommendations really are.

1) photos of grapple attached. Not currently mounted. Condition reflects 3 years on CK20 and 5 years on DK40. No repairs yet other than straightening upper tine tips once. Also replaced one hose.

2) look at the video posted in the other thread of a clamshell picking up debris. I can pick up three times as much. Photos already posted show that. Issue is not width when carrying brush. Volume within the closed grapple is more the issue. Yours makes a triangle when closed. OBG types make a rectangular box. Do the geometric volume calculations. For any given grapple width, a box will hold twice as much. No argument that a clamshell rake is better at collecting small loose debris. That is why they are so popular for construction cleanup and why they are
better at picking up small sticks etc. OBG will hold more logs though and there is no advantage to a wide grapple when moving logs. Ever see how wide the grapples are on excavators used in tree work? Three feet.

3) Who ever compared a 20hpCUT to 88hp utility tractor? I didn't. My point is that manufacturers tend to be excessively conservative and recommend heavier grapples than mist people need. That hurts performance as well as the wallet. It's all about net lift capacity. Any given tractor FEL will lift more payload with a lighter implement. That is my point. Implements are best when adequately sized not overbuilt. Does an 88 HP tractor require an 800lb standard bucket? I doubt the standard bucket on a utility tractor weighs that much. Most people on TBN are working with under 50hp/6000lbs and under 3000lbs of lift. Why would they want to take out 800lbs of lift capacity with a large heavy grapple when they can safely do the work with a 300lb implement instead? Ask if anyone has broken a good light duty grapple grubbing brush, or lifting brush or logs. I don't believe you'll find such reports here in the past six or eight years. Is it possible to break a grapple? Sure. I could break yours in ten minutes doing stupid things. But used properly, light duty grapples have no trouble lifting up to the max capacity of any 50hp CUT on the market. We know of at least one TBN member who has a light duty on his M59 for the past five years or so without trouble. Ask CharlesAF3 to confirm.

4) I have a diverter valve on my DK. I used rear remotes on the CK. I have several years experience with both. If I did it again I'd go for the rear remote set up and make sure the tractor had two or three sets if remotes. The diverter works fine, mine is WRLong, but it is overrated IMO. Same issue as auto versus manual transmission. Both work. If you can conveniently shift a manual tranny you can use a rear remote to control a grapple. It's a nice option for someone who doesn't want to sink another $800-900 into a joystick mounted controller.

5) I don't tell people what to do. I try to explain the options and sometimes that will contradict what someone else has recommended. If you disagree then post your reasoned response. Bluster doesn't do much.

 

[TomSeller]

My rake grapple when closed is similar to this. ()

My L bottom when closed is similar to this [ ]

Much more space in the latter obviously.

 

[IslandTractor]

My rake grapple when closed is similar to this. ()

My L bottom when closed is similar to this [ ]

Much more space in the latter obviously.

Exactly

 

[94BULLITT]

I used mine Saturday to load some brush.