Grapple Help me choose a bolt on bucket grapple

[firefighter9208]

The u-bolts are holding up fine. I've stressed them to the maximum possible with the grapple many times and they stay tight and secure. Here is a link to my complete thread.

Notice that I had to make cross-straps for the u-bolts out of u-channel. The sheetmetal straps that come with u-bolts are just not strong enough in my opinion.

Get a Grip

Jim,

Thanks for the link to your install. I just joined TBN last year and did a search on grapples, but didn't make it back to 2005. I did see the write up that Pineridge did and that pretty much sold me on Andy's grapple. Then when you posted pics and said that yours came from Andy I knew that was the one to get. I'm also going to see if he will sell me an extra base, one for the bucket and one for a root rake I'm going to build.

I'm going to build a root rake like the one that I posted in my first post. I called the local steel supplier and he quoted me 1 1/4" 4140 steel rod to make the tines out of. Is 4140 what I need to use or something else. I want to make them pointed like a bale spear. He quoted me $5.50 a foot for hot rolled and $6.50 a foot for cold rolled. Would the cold rolled be too brittle? I was planning on using the hot rolled. Mainly because it was cheaper.

Chris

 

[jinman]

I'm going to build a root rake like the one that I posted in my first post. I called the local steel supplier and he quoted me 1 1/4" 4140 steel rod to make the tines out of. Is 4140 what I need to use or something else. I want to make them pointed like a bale spear. He quoted me $5.50 a foot for hot rolled and $6.50 a foot for cold rolled. Would the cold rolled be too brittle? I was planning on using the hot rolled. Mainly because it was cheaper.

Chris

Chris, I'm not an expert on the best steel for your project. I bet Andy would know if you ask him when you call to order your grapple. Actually, there are lots of experts here on TBN, so maybe they will give you some advice.

 

[firefighter9208]

Jim,

Thanks. I'll ask Andy be email. I just ordered 2 grapples and 2 extra mounts from him. I will put one mount on my bucket and one on the root rake I am building.

My neighbor had me order him a grapple for his bucket and an extra mount to build him a root rake.

Chris

 

[RjPilot]

Hey firefighter,

As long as your building root rakes and mounts for neighbors, count me in...one for a 4310,.... please!!

Just Kiddin'

Mike

 

[firefighter9208]

Hey firefighter,

As long as your building root rakes and mounts for neighbors, count me in...one for a 4310,.... please!!

Just Kiddin'

Mike

Mike,

My neighbor and I share many of our implements. We were actually going to buy one grapple and 4 mounts, but decided for the price Andy gave us to go ahead and buy 2 grapples so we could be working at the same time.

If you lived close enough and were a good enough neighbor I might could help you out, but Allgood is all the way across Inland Lake and I'm not a good swimmer

Chris

 

[3RRL]

IMHO I don't think firefighter will have any problem popping out small stumps in the 4" to 6" range with his lift capacity. I do that all the time with my 2 Andy Tatro grapples and my lift capacity is under 3000lbs. If spaced correctly on the bucket, larger objects can be centered and use both grapples to capture. I have had many occasions now that one grapple is nearly closed and the other is nearly all the way open. Just depends what I'm grabbing. And with his lift capacity, two grapples will hardly make a difference at all.

I think, like Jim said above, that 2 Andy Tatro grapples on his big bucket would work beautifully...as it has for me. Of course, that is my personal opinion.
Here is the thread to my dual grapple install.
Andy Tatro Grapple Install

And here is a link to some photos I posted using the dual grapples. (see post #3)
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/107635-bucket-grapple.html

 

[Leejohn]

Jim what is the weight of your get a grip set up? I sure would say (like you did) you need ballast. Can you lift much and what would you guess in lbs.?
That rock bucket sure looks heavy.
Lee

 

[firefighter9208]

IMHO I don't think firefighter will have any problem popping out small stumps in the 4" to 6" range with his lift capacity. I do that all the time with my 2 Andy Tatro grapples and my lift capacity is under 3000lbs. If spaced correctly on the bucket, larger objects can be centered and use both grapples to capture. I have had many occasions now that one grapple is nearly closed and the other is nearly all the way open. Just depends what I'm grabbing. And with his lift capacity, two grapples will hardly make a difference at all.

I think, like Jim said above, that 2 Andy Tatro grapples on his big bucket would work beautifully...as it has for me. Of course, that is my personal opinion.
Here is the thread to my dual grapple install.
Andy Tatro Grapple Install

And here is a link to some photos I posted using the dual grapples. (see post #3)
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/107635-bucket-grapple.html

3RRL,

I ordered 2, one for me and one for my neighbor, and two extra mounts. I'm going to mount one on my bucket and one on a root rake that I am going to build out of a round bail spear. My neighbor is going to do the same.

thanks for all the advice. I may have more questions when I start plumbing the grapple. The link to your thread will help a lot.

Chris

 

[jinman]

Jim what is the weight of your get a grip set up? I sure would say (like you did) you need ballast. Can you lift much and what would you guess in lbs.?
That rock bucket sure looks heavy.
Lee

Lee, the whole setup is 750-800 lb. My original bucket was a little over 300 lb, so this adds approximately 500 lb. That said, my lift capacity is well over 1500 lb for my NH 16LA loader, so I have plenty of "oomph!" left to lift brush. I've also filled the rock bucket with rocks and lifted it. I don't do that without a boxblade for ballast and rear tires are also filled.

This rock bucket and grapple setup is definitely not for smaller CUTs since it is a heavy setup. Andy's grapple only adds about 100 lb to a normal bucket though.

 

[Leejohn]

Thanks Jim for the info. Your setup sure looks good,I have been looking at some but just haven't took the step yet. Thanks again for the info.
By the way what did you do in the Navy? I was also in for only 4 as machinest Mate. (1957-61)
Lee