Heh, you guys are too good.
The bend came as a result of overly aggressive use of my grapple. (Read, human error.) I was running in 2nd gear low range collecting a grapple load of logging litter and uprooting some privet adjacent to a large pine stump, when I made contact with something solid: one of the big stump's roots just beneath the surface. No problem, I thought. It's happened before. Backed up a little and raised the grapple tines a tad to clear the root, then moved forward again. Felt a little resistance, but not much -- figured it was the privet rootball -- so I just pushed on through.
Bad move.
Something didn't feel right. Backed out and was horrified to see the grapple had detached from one of the SSQA brackets. The other side was hanging on, but the damage was done. Torqued and bent the tube of the SSQA assembly. Displaced it vertically up and horizontally toward the tractor.
Thank goodness I didn't bend a loader arm.
Tried to straighten things with a chain and come-along attached to a stout tree, but no joy.
Jay