Grapple Which type of grapple is best suited for...

[IslandTractor]

Was it this one? http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/280031-fixing-bent-grapple.html

I missed that thread. Did you notice the last post by Shannon? He has a very heavy duty grapple and the same thing happened to his. Just proves the point. Upper lids are for clamping and clamping only and light vs heavy has nothing to do with it. If you pull with an upper lid you risk bending it especially if not centered. If that had been a single rather than double lid the chances are the operator would not have mistakenly clamped a big log with just one tip anyway.

 

[Midniteoyl]

Warranties on grapples are kind of a pipe dream. With very few exceptions grapple damage is due to misuse which the manufacturer will recognize immediately and void the warranty.

Which, as has already been said, is what putting a grapple not rated for the tractor's HP is considered - misuse.. Regardless of what is said here, if I put a grapple rated to 35hp on my 50hp tractor and it breaks, no one will honor the warranty. I dare a manufacturer to come on and say otherwise.

I'm not sure the analogy is exactly right but consider the difference between a Bush Hog standard, medium duty and heavy duty six foot mower. You could reasonable use any of them on a 45hp tractor in non commercial service. If you want to pay three times as much for the heavy duty version go ahead but don't think it will cut grass any better than a properly used standard duty version.

Again, if you buy a light duty bush hog and they find anything other than knee high grass in it, you are out of luck. Also, there are stickers that say what the HP limit is or you will void the warranty. OEM's are not dumb. They will limit their exposures to warranty claims. A goodly portion of that is putting limits on the size of tractor, and type of use.

 

[IslandTractor]

Which, as has already been said, is what putting a grapple not rated for the tractor's HP is considered - misuse.. Regardless of what is said here, if I put a grapple rated to 35hp on my 50hp tractor and it breaks, no one will honor the warranty. I dare a manufacturer to come on and say otherwise.

Again, if you buy a light duty bush hog and they find anything other than knee high grass in it, you are out of luck. Also, there are stickers that say what the HP limit is or you will void the warranty. OEM's are not dumb. They will limit their exposures to warranty claims. A goodly portion of that is putting limits on the size of tractor, and type of use.

You seem to have missed my point. ANY damage to a grapple is seen as misuse. Doesn't matter if it happened with a Tonka toy or a monster tractor. For practical purposes, other than fitment issues or failed cylinders, ALL manufacturers will claim, rightly, that the damage was caused by misuse.

You are as likely to win a claim for a twisted grapple as you are to get GM or Ford to pay for a dented fender.

 

[Midniteoyl]

Now that I agree with - OEM's do not stand by their products.. They will show you how tuff it is, but deny your claim if you do the exact same thing and it breaks. Just as in another thread, an OEM shows how tuff a grapple is, then says 'dont do this'.

 

[TomSeller]

. Upper lids are for clamping and clamping only and light vs heavy has nothing to do with it. If you pull with an upper lid you risk bending it especially if not centered. .

Pulling with an upper lid? Yikes !! Asking for problems.

 

[IslandTractor]

Pulling with an upper lid? Yipes !! Asking for problems.

Pushing with the upper lid open is just about as bad. That happens inadvertently when trying to push on a tree trunk with the grapple open and having your eye concentrating on the lower tines. If the grapple is slightly in dumped orientation, the top lid will contact the tree before the bottom.

Bottom line, the lid is for clamping on a load before you move it. Nothing else.

 

[Illini22]

I let a good friend of mine use my tractor/grapple this weekend to remove trees, limbs, bushes and fencing. He is not easily impressed as he grew up in a construction atmosphere useing backhoes, skid steers man lifts (he is an iron worker by trade) etc. he could not believe how much work got done with th ck35 and grapple ( 48" light duty, titan ind.). And didn't tear his lawn up like the skid steer he had. He is ordering a grapple, by the way. He Bought a zero turn deere when he bought the property but now wishes he would of bought a cut.

 

[Xfaxman]

Pushing with the upper lid open is just about as bad. That happens inadvertently when trying to push on a tree trunk with the grapple open and having your eye concentrating on the lower tines. If the grapple is slightly in dumped orientation, the top lid will contact the tree before the bottom.

Bottom line, the lid is for clamping on a load before you move it. Nothing else.

While this is true for most grapples, I have the exception to the rule. The top tines are as strong as the bottom tines and extend below, to be used as scarifiers.

Since this thread is "Which type of grapple is best suited for...... all around grapple work?", I will show this
unusual design.


It is 44" wide, the tines are 1" thick.

 

[IslandTractor]

While this is true for most grapples, I have the exception to the rule. The top tines are as strong as the bottom tines and extend below, to be used as scarifiers.

Since this thread is "Which type of grapple is best suited for...... all around grapple work?", I will show this
unusual design.

It is 44" wide, the tines are 1" thick.

I haven't seen one of those but believe you. Looks like it is mounted on a Toolcat which is about the same as a midsized CUT with regard to lift/breakout power as I recall (something between ?1500-2000lbs???).

Given the construction of that grapple I'd not worry about the upper lid.

Here is a photo of me abusing my light duty grapple. Unintentional. I thought I was picking up a small rock that was interfering with mowing. Only six inches was sticking out of the soil. When I stuck the bottom tines under it I clamped with the upper lid/tines and then lifted. It is granite and weighs something over a ton. Couldn't lift it higher than you see and the tractor rear was so light I could only move the rock about twenty feet. Bent the top lid tines (splayed them actually) but that was fixed with heat and bigger gussets.

 

[TomSeller]

While this is true for most grapples, I have the exception to the rule. The top tines are as strong as the bottom tines and extend below, to be used as scarifiers.

Since this thread is "Which type of grapple is best suited for...... all around grapple work?", I will show this

Nice looking grapple, who makes that bad boy?