New grapple is loose. Need help.

[houser52]

I got my new grapple last week and just got the diverter mounted and plumbed a couple days ago.

Yesterday evening when looking over everything I noticed that the grapple is loose when the latching pins are locked down. They are not even contacting the grapple's bottom plate, with a gap all the way around the pins. There's also a gap underneath the loader's attach plate and the grapple's mounting plate but the size of that gap depends on which way the grappled is positioned, dumped/curled, lifting weight, down pressure, etc. The gap ranges from nothing to 5/16".

From what I can find on TBN this is fairly common with some grapples and shims can be added to fix the problem. I've already contacted the manufacturer and have both 3/16' and 1/4" shims on the way so I can fix the problem.

I guess what I'd like to know is where to weld on the shims? If I weld them on top of the the latch plates the grapple may not even go on. If I weld them in front of the latch pins so the pins will engage them, wouldn't that still let the grapple move up and down on the loader's quick attach plate and possibly come off?

Here's a pic. Hopefully it describes what I'm talking about.

Thanks

 

[SPYDERLK]

I got my new grapple last week and just got the diverter mounted and plumbed a couple days ago.

Yesterday evening when looking over everything I noticed that the grapple is loose when the latching pins are locked down. They are not even contacting the grapple's bottom plate, with a gap all the way around the pins. There's also a gap underneath the loader's attach plate and the grapple's mounting plate but the size of that gap depends on which way the grappled is positioned, dumped/curled, lifting weight, down pressure, etc. The gap ranges from nothing to 5/16".

From what I can find on TBN this is fairly common with some grapples and shims can be added to fix the problem. I've already contacted the manufacturer and have both 3/16' and 1/4" shims on the way so I can fix the problem.

I guess what I'd like to know is where to weld on the shims? If I weld them on top of the the latch plates the grapple may not even go on. If I weld them in front of the latch pins so the pins will engage them, wouldn't that still let the grapple move up and down on the loader's quick attach plate and possibly come off?

Here's a pic. Hopefully it describes what I'm talking about.

Thanks

Either Kubot or the grapple is dimensioned non standard. Hold the non standard party accountable! ... or wimp out and shim it at your expense and inconvenience.

 

[IslandTractor]

Either Kubot or the grapple is dimensioned non standard. Hold the non standard party accountable! ... or wimp out and shim it at your expense and inconvenience.

That's a bit extreme. The SSQA standards are not precise and a fair number of slight "incompatibilities" occur between tractors and attachment plates.

I would personally weld the shims on to the part of the mounting slot closest to the tractor rather than the part next to the mounting plate.

And, don't worry, Spiderlk isn't always this cranky. His wife must have just yelled at him.

 

[SPYDERLK]

That's a bit extreme. The SSQA standards are not precise and a fair number of slight "incompatibilities" occur between tractors and attachment plates.

I would personally weld the shims on to the part of the mounting slot closest to the tractor rather than the part next to the mounting plate.

And, don't worry, Spiderlk isn't always this cranky. His wife must have just yelled at him.

OK. Its unreasonable to get things that fit. Dont be unreasonable. Its your fault; you bought both sides of it. Regardless of your ability level to correct it, you are the only party that has to assume accountability. It is probably in the fine print somewhere. The mfgs will love you for finishing their job. And it will void any warranty the product carries.

 

[ch1ch2]

The answer has to be somewhere in between ..... somewhere.

 

[TomSeller]

That's a bit extreme. The SSQA standards are not precise and a fair number of slight "incompatibilities" occur between tractors and attachment plates.

I would personally weld the shims on to the part of the mounting slot closest to the tractor rather than the part next to the mounting plate.

And, don't worry, Spiderlk isn't always this cranky. His wife must have just yelled at him.

I would agree with this. I am not sure who the manufacture is but Titan has had more "play" in their fit than most. But they also compensate back some money to add shims locally.

At times I would rather have some slop than a tight, tight fit. if I am iced up or have a build up of caked on mud, I appreciate a little extra clearance. Sometimes my pins don't retract fully, again, mud, ice, etc. At least I can get the attachment off. Don't get me wrong, too much slop is bad, a little is okay.

 

[houser52]

OK. Its unreasonable to get things that fit. Dont be unreasonable. Its your fault; you bought both sides of it. Regardless of your ability level to correct it, you are the only party that has to assume accountability. It is probably in the fine print somewhere. The mfgs will love you for finishing their job. And it will void any warranty the product carries.

Why all the hostility?

I politely asked a simple question and requested some help. You have only managed to disrupt my thread and have done nothing to help. You don't know what brand of grapple I have, whether it's under warranty, or anything else about the equipment or me. Whether I want to fix it myself or be an azzhole to the manufacturer is my concern and not yours.

If you can't contribute anything positive go to another thread and pick on them.

To you guys who respectfully answered my question, thank you very much.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Why all the hostility?

I politely asked a simple question and requested some help. You have only managed to disrupt my thread and have done nothing to help. You don't know what brand of grapple I have, whether it's under warranty, or anything else about the equipment or me. Whether I want to fix it myself or be an azzhole to the manufacturer is my concern and not yours.

If you can't contribute anything positive go to another thread and pick on them.

To you guys who respectfully answered my question, thank you very much.

I didnt mean to pick on you. - but to "pick on" the situation.

The point is to get mfgs to improve rather than stay the same or get worse. Taking their responsibility as yours compromises the incentive to actually fix their process. That way everyone continues to have the hit or miss situation.
... It is not a matter of hostility - its a spoof on causing far reaching issues by a habit of taking on misplaced responsibility. For some it can be beyond their capability or otherwise a huge stretch to fix an item themselves or transport for retrofit. For others who miss, or accept the poor fit condition as "the way it is", and go to use it, damage can occur to the loader.

 

[houser52]

I didnt mean to pick on you. - but to "pick on" the situation.

The point is to get mfgs to improve rather than stay the same or get worse. Taking their responsibility as yours compromises the incentive to actually fix their process. That way everyone continues to have the hit or miss situation.
... It is not a matter of hostility - its a spoof on causing far reaching issues by a habit of taking on misplaced responsibility. For some it can be beyond their capability or otherwise a huge stretch to fix an item themselves or transport for retrofit. For others who miss, or accept the poor fit condition as "the way it is", and go to use it, damage can occur to the loader.

No harm done.

I did a lot of research on grapples and knew from the beginning that some of them in my price range was hit or miss on the quick attach fit. If it didn't fit I can always fix it with shims or for the difference in price of the more expensive one I can cut off the grapple's hitch plates, weld on a new SSQA mounting plate and still come out way ahead.

Like a lot of others on this forum I happened to get one that didn't fit and after doing a little more research this morning I saw where you fell into that category. Yes, I read where you had welded shims on your grapple too.

I had already contacted the manufacturer about the problem before I posted yesterday and they said they would make it right by sending 2 sets of shims of different thickness and $50 to have them welded on. I do my own welding so the $50 is for my troubles. I didn't mention the manufacturer's name because they are stepping up to make it right.

I agree that equipment or anything else should be "right " when the consumer receives it but that's the world we live in. That's one reason that I install and repair just about everything I have if it's within my capability.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Yes, you get a better fit if you take it on yourself to fit mating parts well - and have the ability to assess and put to rest the several variables that you run into tightening the fit. For items like forks a tight fit is not imperative because cyclic reversing motion that would cause wear is rare. On a bucket or grapple it is best there be no play; the pins being driven hard into the slots and drawing the taper surfaces hard together. Without this they will not put up with long term use and may get too far toward failure to correct easily before you note. On yours it looks as tho the slot needs to be about 1/4 shorter front/back, and the taper needs to be shimmed~ 1/8 to eliminate up/dwn motion. -- A custom welding grinding job to assure the pins are working at their hard driven point, with least gap to the slot. As such they bear force as close a possible to their support cylinder. Also the pins cant move back [up/down], as they can in the spring driven slop part of their motion, anytime you backdrag.

I am curious where you saw an issue I addressed with grapple fit. Could you do me a favor and link it? The grapple is on my LoaderBuddy which fits perfectly on my Bobcat Tilt-Tatch. The link up problem was from my loader QA to the female side of the TT. Maybe thats the ref you saw. ... At any rate it would be fun to revisit.
,,,Thanks!
larry