JD grapple/bucket prices?!
- Thread starter JDTank
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JDTank
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Oct 5, 2010
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- 693
Well enough of all this bull**** let's get down to the facts. :confused2:
Where do you guys get your GOOD implements? I have not heard very favorable things about gator attachments, to say the least. I am not looking for and will not tolerate crappy fabrication, welds, and materials. In my honest opinion, I would say 75% of business owners today need to be taken out back and beaten with a rubber hose...for 4 or 5 hours. Why do I say this you might ask? Here is why I say that.
Yesterday, we had one of our horses pass away from colic. We phoned a neighbour...a NEIGHBOUR, who owns his own excavation business. He proceeded to try and make a fortune off of our pain. His rate, for US, his NEIGHBOURS, was $400 PER HOUR! This did NOT include, winching him out of the barn, lowering him into the hole, and all that. He now knows where to go, and I offered to help him get there....on a speedy schedule. Lunch today for me and the misses, $33, 2 turkey sandwiches with fries for pete sake. It's time for greed to stop, but hey, what do I know, I am just a blue collar worker.
Anyways, my point is, it does not COST, $3,000, to make a grapple. It is steel, and hydraulics. Material costs for a huge company like JD, probably $500, and I am being GENEROUS here. Labor cost, likely very low, but, again, to be nice, another $500. To design a grapple...well...its a grapple, not a device being used for open heart surgery.
Is there a company left that will produce high quality implements for a good, low, fair price? Not likely no, but hey....I had to ask.
Where do you guys get your GOOD implements? I have not heard very favorable things about gator attachments, to say the least. I am not looking for and will not tolerate crappy fabrication, welds, and materials. In my honest opinion, I would say 75% of business owners today need to be taken out back and beaten with a rubber hose...for 4 or 5 hours. Why do I say this you might ask? Here is why I say that.
Yesterday, we had one of our horses pass away from colic. We phoned a neighbour...a NEIGHBOUR, who owns his own excavation business. He proceeded to try and make a fortune off of our pain. His rate, for US, his NEIGHBOURS, was $400 PER HOUR! This did NOT include, winching him out of the barn, lowering him into the hole, and all that. He now knows where to go, and I offered to help him get there....on a speedy schedule. Lunch today for me and the misses, $33, 2 turkey sandwiches with fries for pete sake. It's time for greed to stop, but hey, what do I know, I am just a blue collar worker.
Anyways, my point is, it does not COST, $3,000, to make a grapple. It is steel, and hydraulics. Material costs for a huge company like JD, probably $500, and I am being GENEROUS here. Labor cost, likely very low, but, again, to be nice, another $500. To design a grapple...well...its a grapple, not a device being used for open heart surgery.
Is there a company left that will produce high quality implements for a good, low, fair price? Not likely no, but hey....I had to ask.
jgrreed
Platinum Member
Consider the BS cleared.....here ya' go. Now, before any of you fire back letting me know how harsh I'm being toward TBN's newest 'hot girl' - I can back up everything I'm saying below with dates, emails, and pictures. The issues run much deeper than just problems in the fabrication shop.
Is there a company left that will produce high quality implements for a good, low, fair price? Not likely no, but hey....I had to ask.
There isn't one that I know of, anymore. Markham did, but gator is a crapshoot. You may get lucky as some have on TBN, but you may get a grapple that doesn't mount up to your loader, has the wrong connectors, or lord only knows what else. You're right, grapples should be simple, but when you can't even get the measurements for a well defined JD attachment system with no moving parts correct, it's not safe to assume that something that requires some geometry and geotrig (like the arc of a grapple) will be done right.
If you're OK with a torch, grinder, and welder, the gator grapple is good value as a starting point, even if you have to spend 5 hours of your own changing things. Be sure and include in your budget hydraulic disconnects, as it appears that sending out implements with the correct QD's is a low priority for Gator's new management.
My gator grapple has not had an ounce of hydraulic fluid run through it's cylinder yet, nor has my snowblade, and I'm scared sh*tl*ss that something is not going to work. Especially in light of the 3' of snow drifting in the yard right now.
As they sit right now they both have skidsteer hydro disconnects on them, and I have a very nice set of the wrong cheap Italian pioneer QD's that croc provided to replace the wrong SS QD's they initially sent. I also have not one, but TWO gator FEL 3pt hitch attachments.
You may ask "Now Jeremy, why do you need two?? Do you have two tractors??"
My response would be "No, no I don't. I only have one tractor, with one front end loader. It's on the front, facing forward."
You might say "Then what's up?"
I'd say "Well Tank, neither of them fit on the JD quik-tach setup on the front of my loader due to sloppy fabrication, failure to follow the sketch and pictures that I provided, and poor quality control".
I definitely will not be trusting the welds on any of the pieces I've received from croc for any critical jobs where safety could be compromised.
I have had some good luck by finding frontier implements (good quality, high price) that the dealerships wanted to get rid of - aerator, box blade, etc. Look for a Horst Welding (HLA - very solid) dealer near you and see what they can do for you. Agrisupply has good prices on 3pt implements, and offers great shipping within the USA. Smart Farmer is OK for that too.
Tank, I'm sorry to hear about your horse, and your d!ckhe@d neighbor. Just remember that what goes around, comes around.
-Jer.
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kennyd
Advertiser
WOW...
jgrreed
Platinum Member
Angelus
New member
I cannot personally vouch for these guys, but I am considering buying a root grapple from everythingattachments.com. The 60" root grapple is $1800. Still pretty expensive.
I found them before I bought my tractor because I saw their instructional youtube videos. They have a very good video demoing their root grapple. They also have a video about installing a 3rd function valve if you buy a grapple.
I haven't bought anything from them yet. But I talked to Ted on the phone about the JD FEL attachment issues. I believe he said they could either modify each attachment to fit the JD setup or that they make an adapter that fits the 305 FEL and does not require each attachment to be changed.
Again, I don't know these guys and have not yet purchased anything from them yet. But in terms of providing helpful information and sounding like they have the experience, they are the best I have run across so far. Anyone have a different experience? They have their own thread on TBN.
I found them before I bought my tractor because I saw their instructional youtube videos. They have a very good video demoing their root grapple. They also have a video about installing a 3rd function valve if you buy a grapple.
I haven't bought anything from them yet. But I talked to Ted on the phone about the JD FEL attachment issues. I believe he said they could either modify each attachment to fit the JD setup or that they make an adapter that fits the 305 FEL and does not require each attachment to be changed.
Again, I don't know these guys and have not yet purchased anything from them yet. But in terms of providing helpful information and sounding like they have the experience, they are the best I have run across so far. Anyone have a different experience? They have their own thread on TBN.
jenkinsph
Super Star Member
I just received a pine straw rake last week, it was on time and as requested.:thumbsup: Dealt with Ted at Everything Attachments.
jgrreed
Platinum Member
I'd have them modified by adding the quik tach plates. Reason being is that adapter push the grapple (or whatever attachment) farther away from the pins, thus decreasing curl force.
You can get them from Deere - look on the part finder under your loader. There something like 50$ a set and need to be welded on.
-Jer.
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The Deere build your own thing says a Frontier 72" grapple bucket for the 300, 400 series is $3052. You need the 3rd scv kit to use it.
I would be aggravated to order something that doesn't fit the carrier.
There's nothing like knocking over a tree and picking it it with the grapple. Or picking up branches with it. Time and back saver. I even pick up fair sized rocks with it.
Also it is enjoyable to approach vehicles who show up in the drive with people who ask dumb questions. Intimidating.
I would be aggravated to order something that doesn't fit the carrier.
There's nothing like knocking over a tree and picking it it with the grapple. Or picking up branches with it. Time and back saver. I even pick up fair sized rocks with it.
Also it is enjoyable to approach vehicles who show up in the drive with people who ask dumb questions. Intimidating.
Attachments
OK for what ever reason it seems that a particular person here is upset. I have come to the conclusion we all need a bit of background and education here.
First of all. Markham Welding was bought out by Christie Loflin in May of 2009. As far as Allen and Melissa they continued to work here for the past year and lets just note here that Christie (Former owner of Wild Cat Attachments) employed Allen at her former company. Thus stepping in here because of business issues to help them out in 2009. When it was found that they were part of the problem she had no choice but to rectify and move forward. At that time (Sept 2010) she simply replaced the office staff and hired two new guys in the shop, leaving most of the staff that was here pre Allen and Melissa! SO I am not real clear here why certian people seem to think our quality has changed. Do we have some new office staff. Yes but some of our staff has worked in the industry many years. I however am new and really am a buyer here, stepping in where it is needed and learning as I go. SO yes I do have to ask questions to our owner and the guys in the shop, but hey I can admit it!
The problem with the recent 3-point hitch was a simple misplacement of the attahment hole, yes it is fixable. I have asked the party involved to contact us a few times and we have not had one phone call, just one email over two weeks ago with the complaint. I will say. This gentleman was very nice and seemed satisfied until I refused to ship a load of tires (???) for him from New York to Canada under our business name. I just really felt like it is not what we are here for and I could not find a cost that suited him so we decided to pass. Suddenly now we are not a reliable company?
Here is what I can and will do. Jeremey has been refunded the entire amout of his 3-point hitch. I guess you cannot make all the people happy all the time. Sorry boys!
As I continually state here. We are a good solid company and we plan to say a long time! We will go to any lenghts to make sure you get what you ordered in a timely fashion to ensure you can work and complete the job as needed. I am sure we will make a mistake as we all do but I also assure you we will get it fixed, to the best of our ability.
YES WE WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO COME PICK UP IN PERSON AND THERE ARE 5 GATOR GIRLS AS I AM BUT 1 OF THEM.
Sincerly Christie Loflin -owner, Julie and all the Gator Girls
Here is a picture of our owner!
First of all. Markham Welding was bought out by Christie Loflin in May of 2009. As far as Allen and Melissa they continued to work here for the past year and lets just note here that Christie (Former owner of Wild Cat Attachments) employed Allen at her former company. Thus stepping in here because of business issues to help them out in 2009. When it was found that they were part of the problem she had no choice but to rectify and move forward. At that time (Sept 2010) she simply replaced the office staff and hired two new guys in the shop, leaving most of the staff that was here pre Allen and Melissa! SO I am not real clear here why certian people seem to think our quality has changed. Do we have some new office staff. Yes but some of our staff has worked in the industry many years. I however am new and really am a buyer here, stepping in where it is needed and learning as I go. SO yes I do have to ask questions to our owner and the guys in the shop, but hey I can admit it!
The problem with the recent 3-point hitch was a simple misplacement of the attahment hole, yes it is fixable. I have asked the party involved to contact us a few times and we have not had one phone call, just one email over two weeks ago with the complaint. I will say. This gentleman was very nice and seemed satisfied until I refused to ship a load of tires (???) for him from New York to Canada under our business name. I just really felt like it is not what we are here for and I could not find a cost that suited him so we decided to pass. Suddenly now we are not a reliable company?
Here is what I can and will do. Jeremey has been refunded the entire amout of his 3-point hitch. I guess you cannot make all the people happy all the time. Sorry boys!
As I continually state here. We are a good solid company and we plan to say a long time! We will go to any lenghts to make sure you get what you ordered in a timely fashion to ensure you can work and complete the job as needed. I am sure we will make a mistake as we all do but I also assure you we will get it fixed, to the best of our ability.
YES WE WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO COME PICK UP IN PERSON AND THERE ARE 5 GATOR GIRLS AS I AM BUT 1 OF THEM.
Sincerly Christie Loflin -owner, Julie and all the Gator Girls
Here is a picture of our owner!
Attachments
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