Grapple root grapple: bradco vs. loflin

[EddieWalker]

I have two ideas. The first is to mount the bottom teeth in a downward position with a curl to it to help hold onto debri. It would need two points of mounting to keep it solid.

In this picture, the blue part is the non moving part. It would mount to the end of the arm and to a point under the arm where a suport bracket is for the end of the cylinder.

The green teeth would rotate on the end of the boom, but be controlled by the single cylinder that is alread there to open and close the bucket.

Eddie

 

[EddieWalker]

My second idea is to remount the support bracket for the end of the cylinder. I'd use that bracket as on of the spreaders for the grapple. The other bracket that goes from the end of the cylinder to the bucket would be used to open the other half of the grapple.

Both halves of the grapple would pivot at the end of the arm that the bucket pivots on.

When the cylinder is pushed forward, the the two halves of the grapple will close together.

Cutting the teeth and getting the lengths and angle right will make a huge differenct to the effectivness of it.

What am I missing.? Both these designs seem so much simpler, cheaper and easier than everything I'm seeing for sale.

Thanks,
Eddie

 

[IslandTractor]

There are grapples with just a single middle upper jaw. Worksaver for one. Worksaver grapple

In some situations there may be an advantage to having two independently operated upper jaws to accommodate uneven sized material. However, I gather from what people have posted here that for most brush clearing operations that feature is not critical.

 

[BigDogues]

EddieWalker, Is this what you had in mind? This company has some of the most interesting and innovative grapples I have ever seen. Here is another example.

 

[CT_Tree_Guy]

Eddie -

That is definitely an interesting idea, and the folks at Westendorf Mfg. obviously think so too. Leave it to you to "think outside the box" like that and come up with such a novel way of looking at something.

I have of late been lamenting a tendency among **** sapiens to reject new ideas in favor of the old and familiar, even if it can be logically shown that the new way is "better".

That said, I'd like to make some observations on what I see as the pros and cons of "conventional" grapples vs. the "Walker/Westendorf" style.

"Conventional" pros: Ability to independently curl, and open/close grapple. (Critical IMO). Ease of switching between bucket and grapple using QA. Readily available in a wide variety of sizes and price ranges. Usually holds more. Easier to use. More productive.

Cons: Need extra hydraulic circuit and controls ($$). Grapple itself is not cheap. Weighs more.

"Walker/Westendorf" pros: Uses existing hydraulics/cylinders. Less expensive than conventional grapple, weighs less (increasing payload).

Cons: Less versatile than conventional grapple (inability to curl grapple arms independent of loader). Reduced grapple opening height, and resultant reduced capacity. Limited availability. Difficult to switch between grapple and other attachments.

Final thoughts: IMO the ability to independently open and close a conventional grapple while retaining full control of the loader functions (curl, raise/lower) is simply too much functionality to give up. The extra expense involved with an additional hydraulic circuit will in most cases have an acceptable payback period.

Again, excellent, innovative thinking on your part. Not something I'd want to switch to, but that's just me.

Take care, John

 

[EddieWalker]

John,

Your dead on with your pros and cons. Ideally, I'd love to do it with remotes and a seperate hydraulic cylinder independantly controled for each side, but that just isn't gonna happen.

I think I can build a functional grapple that will pick up logs and brush without any modifications to my hydralics for a few hundred bucks in steel.

Most of my debri clean up is easily done with the rake on my dozer, but in areas I don't want to damage the remaining trees, I'd like to be able to pick it up and carry it to the burn pile.

The Westendorf design is very similar from what I can see. I'm gonna contact them to see what they cost and if they have one that will work on a 555E. I'd rather buy one then have to fabricate it.

Thanks,
Eddie

 

[psuedofarmer]

<font color="blue">I found the following website, Loflin Grapple prices - Discount Eqpt.com and it seems to me that the prices are nearly identical as well. The "street price" on my (72")Bradco was around $2,850, and they're getting $2,895 for the Loflin. I believe the Bradco has a larger jaw opening, too.
</font>

i was quoted $4,385 for the 72" bradco grapple. installed.

all other grapples were in the same range, with the exception of the loflin.

excellent discussion - thanks everyone!

pf

 

[psuedofarmer]

does anyone have a source for bradco? the distributor my dealer uses does not provide prices, and i can't seem to find prices on the web.

thx
pf