Grapple HD grapple shopping advice needed

[dex3361]

Thanks IslandTractor I feel much better now I may go ahead and keep it. Does this mean I can join the grapple club?

 

[ManAtArms]

Thanks for all of the responses and advice, particularly regarding the durability of the "light duty" models. If I decide to go with a "root grapple" design, I notices some design the tip of the lower tines to slope downward (like in the pic of the bradco) and some design them to have a slight upward curl...like this pic:

Part of the problem is that I've never used a grapple before. I assume different designs require different techniques to perform the same task.

If I want to grab a large, oblong boulder, would I "bite" it from the top down then roll the grapple back to shift the payload onto the lower tines? Or do you try to slide under it and shimmy it up? Do you think the 1st design (bradco with downward pointing lower tines) would make it harder to grab large boulders?

Thanks again,

mark

 

[IslandTractor]

If I want to grab a large, oblong boulder, would I "bite" it from the top down then roll the grapple back to shift the payload onto the lower tines? Or do you try to slide under it and shimmy it up? Do you think the 1st design (bradco with downward pointing lower tines) would make it harder to grab large boulders?

I haven't used a clamshell style (Bradco, Anbo, WRLong) so my comments are based on use of a "traditional" root grapple (Millonzi, Markham, WRLong OMG, others) with the style as indicated in my avatar.

The upper jaw of any grapple is not as strong as the lower jaw and IMO upper jaws are really just for securing the load rather than doing any real work. The lifting and digging is generally done by using the loader lift and curl functions with the lower grapple jaw digging under the object of your desire. Ideally then the upper jaw is really not involved in any serious lifting or bashing or whatever, it just serves to powerfully compress and secure the load once it is inside the lower jaw. That said, it doesn't always work out that way. I can think of a few instances where the upper jaw on a root grapple does work. First is when you come down directly on top of the object rather than scooping from underneath. This top down grappling of loose surface objects is fine and particularly useful with brush piles or single logs for example. Rocks that are not embedded can also easily be lifted that way. Typically you would first clamp the load (top down) and then close the upper grapple, lift and then curl to transfer the weight to the bottom of the grapple. I've posted a few photos of that method to pick up brush piles where it works well on smaller piles that would just be pushed along the ground if you used the typical bottom grapple first technique.

I would suggest avoiding active digging with the top grapple though as it is not nearly as well engineered for digging as the bottom tines. I have inadverently used the top grapple to grasp a large (well over a ton) embedded boulder (the hole was three feet deep once I pulled it out). I was able to get it out. I thought stupidly it was a small rock based on the "tip of the iceberg" that kept hitting my flail mower blades. In the end, when I yanked the rock out of the ground it was being held by the bottom grapple and a single upper jaw tine. The upper jaw tine was slightly bent but essentially it had lifted over a ton just being compressed against the tip of the rock. I would not suggest doing that as a habit but it does show how tough these "light duty" grapples are.

Photos show top down approach to brush and also use of the bottom grapple first approach in ripping through roots or brush. Inadvertent use of upper grapple to pull out a rock is pictured along with more appropriate bottom grapple use in moving rocks.

 

[ManAtArms]

Island,

Thanks for the info and pics. So, in your 7th picture, with the large rectangular slab...were you able to get under the rock with the lower tines, or did you grab that from the top side?

-Mark

 

[IslandTractor]

Island,

Thanks for the info and pics. So, in your 7th picture, with the large rectangular slab...were you able to get under the rock with the lower tines, or did you grab that from the top side?

-Mark

I just used the lower tines. You'll see that the upper grapple is not closed as this was right after I busted a hydraulic hose and could not close it.

 

[dex3361]

Part of the problem is that I've never used a grapple before. I assume different designs require different techniques to perform the same task.

If I want to grab a large, oblong boulder, would I "bite" it from the top down then roll the grapple back to shift the payload onto the lower tines? Or do you try to slide under it and shimmy it up? Do you think the 1st design (bradco with downward pointing lower tines) would make it harder to grab large boulders?

Thanks again,

mark

If I were going to pick up a large boulder I would tilt the Anbo Root grapple forward and sink the lower teeth below the boulder and the loosen the rock if possible by tilting the grapple back and breaking the boulder loose.

I would then close the upper tines to (and may clamshell it as you stated) clamp the boulder the upper tines have a combined clamping force (at the tips of the tines) of aprox. #2400 to #3000 depending on your hydraulic pressure. An irregular shaped object will not hurt the upper tines they are designed to fully clamp at the outer edges and not bend.

The picture of the slab on Islandtractors pic shows what a root grapple can't do and that is carry anything without the upper clamping tines.

They both have their places and they are great tools the Markham is about 60% cheaper in cost and with likely be just useful and maybe more so in some instances.

The weight may be an issue and the Anbo GRM series is a weight conscious build for CUT's as opposed to the heavier Bradco Root grapple. I needed the lightest strongest I could afford and I stumbled onto a used Anbo GRM 66" that filled the bill.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

If I want to grab a large, oblong boulder, would I "bite" it from the top down then roll the grapple back to shift the payload onto the lower tines? Or do you try to slide under it and shimmy it up? Do you think the 1st design (bradco with downward pointing lower tines) would make it harder to grab large boulders?

Thanks again,

mark

If I were going to pick up a large boulder I would tilt the Anbo Root grapple forward and sink the lower teeth below the boulder and the loosen the rock if possible by tilting the grapple back and breaking the boulder loose.

I would then close the upper tines to (and may clamshell it as you stated) clamp the boulder the upper tines have a combined clamping force (at the tips of the tines) of aprox. #2400 to #3000 depending on your hydraulic pressure. An irregular shaped object will not hurt the upper tines they are designed to fully clamp at the outer edges and not bend.

The picture of the slab on Islandtractors pic shows what a root grapple can't do and that is carry anything without the upper clamping tines.

They both have their places and they are great tools the Markham is about 60% cheaper in cost and with likely be just useful and maybe more so in some instances.

The weight may be an issue and the Anbo GRM series is a weight conscious build for CUT's as opposed to the heavier Bradco Root grapple. I needed the lightest strongest I could afford and I stumbled onto a used Anbo GRM 66" that filled the bill.[/quote]

I'm confused, his top grapple is not down on that slab, in fact his hydraulic hose was broken at that time and could not be used. Am I looking at a different picture than you? Why do you think that they can't carry anything without the grapple?

 

[dex3361]

I am talking about the Anbo type that I have would not carry a slab like the Markham's or Millzonni's that Islandtractor has. With the Anbo you have to have the upper tines clamped or it will roll out. I am pointing out the benefit of the type in the pic. Like this pic of mine Anbo Root Rake/Grapple.

 

[IslandTractor]

Regarding carrying the slab, I think we just have a terminology confusion. I call the type of grapple that Dex has a "clamshell" not a root grapple. I suppose others may use the terms differently. I use "root" grapple or "standard" grapple interchangably and that may lead to confusion. From my perspective, my Millonzi LD48 is a root grapple/standard grapple and Dex's grapple is a clamshell. The comment he made about picking up the big slab of concrete without using the upper grapple jaw should refect the fact that his grapple (clamshell in my terminology) cannot do that without the clamping pressure of the upper jaw.

Sorry for the confusion. I think my terminology is based on WRLong but may not be entirely consistent. (or even wrong see below)

 

[MtnViewRanch]

My misunderstanding of what was being said, sorry.