MossflowerWoods
Super Member
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2011
- Messages
- 6,067
- Location
- Fredericksburg, VA
- Tractor
- Kioti DK50SE HST w/FEL, Gravely 60" ZTR Mower. Stihl MS290 (selling), CS261, & FS190 + Echo CS400 & 2010 F-350 6.4 PSD snowplow truck
Guys,
This was shocking and I MUST share.
I was clearing land behind the 300hp Mulcher today and I was experimenting with the most effective methods to move dead slash, wood chips, root balls & stumps, etc.
Well the other thing I was moving was 3 large downed hardwood trees I wanted for fire wood. I had moved them once out of the mulchers way, and he was going so fast I needed to move them again.
I trundled off across the field to the trees, moved one an when I went to grab the next my grapple just FELL OFF the Kioti SSQA brackets.
It appears that somehow (I believe it was a twisted cedar stump) had UNLOCKED the SSQA lever, and then a branch ot the tree I was lifting hit the lever again nd fully disengaged it.
CRASH the grapple fell to the ground WITH THE TREE IN IT!
Luckily I had it almost closed with the teeth pointed down. I also had plenty of slack in the HYD lines. I opened the grapple gently so it would kind of stand, and I lowered the FEL to slack the HYD lines.
Everything was caddywompass & all I could do was manage to hook one side of the FEL just enough to stabilize the grapple and lift it slowly while opening it slightly so the tree would drop out.
I backed up a few feet, opened the grapple, and managed to rehook both sides of the SSQA, lock the lever, and go back to full function (and lower my pulse rate).
I started taking it easier after that.
The moral of the story seems to be watch that LEVER! And make sure there is some slack in the HYD lines. My dealer explained he had done that so when taking the grapple on/off the Hyd lines can be attached longer than the grapple is attached (so that you can use the grapple hydraulics to help you connect/disconnect it. Seem he was flipping brilliant!
Has anyone else ever seen their SSQA lever become "Unlocked" like that. Kioti uses a single lever. The Bobcat's use 2 levers (I think they use Rhino FELs). I am not familiar with any other tractor designs.
Be well Packmates,
David
This was shocking and I MUST share.
I was clearing land behind the 300hp Mulcher today and I was experimenting with the most effective methods to move dead slash, wood chips, root balls & stumps, etc.
Well the other thing I was moving was 3 large downed hardwood trees I wanted for fire wood. I had moved them once out of the mulchers way, and he was going so fast I needed to move them again.
I trundled off across the field to the trees, moved one an when I went to grab the next my grapple just FELL OFF the Kioti SSQA brackets.
It appears that somehow (I believe it was a twisted cedar stump) had UNLOCKED the SSQA lever, and then a branch ot the tree I was lifting hit the lever again nd fully disengaged it.
CRASH the grapple fell to the ground WITH THE TREE IN IT!
Luckily I had it almost closed with the teeth pointed down. I also had plenty of slack in the HYD lines. I opened the grapple gently so it would kind of stand, and I lowered the FEL to slack the HYD lines.
Everything was caddywompass & all I could do was manage to hook one side of the FEL just enough to stabilize the grapple and lift it slowly while opening it slightly so the tree would drop out.
I backed up a few feet, opened the grapple, and managed to rehook both sides of the SSQA, lock the lever, and go back to full function (and lower my pulse rate).
I started taking it easier after that.
The moral of the story seems to be watch that LEVER! And make sure there is some slack in the HYD lines. My dealer explained he had done that so when taking the grapple on/off the Hyd lines can be attached longer than the grapple is attached (so that you can use the grapple hydraulics to help you connect/disconnect it. Seem he was flipping brilliant!
Has anyone else ever seen their SSQA lever become "Unlocked" like that. Kioti uses a single lever. The Bobcat's use 2 levers (I think they use Rhino FELs). I am not familiar with any other tractor designs.
Be well Packmates,
David