Thoughts on this grapple from a local dealer?

[LD1]

Looks good. Easy and simple install. seen quite a few others here go for the fender mount. I challenged myself to conceal as much as I could and get the levers in the factory location.

How to the couplers fit in the plate with the snap-rings? Do they feel secure and stable? That was one of my concerns in mounting them in a ~1/4" plate loosely and only holding them with snap-rings. Thats why I chose the ~1" thick aluminum to clamp mount them.

 

[LD1]

If I understand this correctly the answer with electric 3rd function is to cycle the valve with key to 'on' but the engine off.

Thats not my issue. While I dont have a third function, with my diverter....I can do the same thing. Tractor off....key on....squeeze trigger and cycle valve to relieve pressure. Same way I do the loader couplers (minus the key on part).

And in doing so....I still cannot get them coupled.....either hooking up the grapple, or coupling the tractor side hoses back to eachother. And with FF (no-spill) couplers, its impossible to purge a little out like with ag style.

ITs like you can bleed all the pressure off the hoses......but the hoses are still 100% full of fluid. And fluid is NOT compressable. The act of coupling them together it seems like it "needs" to displace a little fluid to allow the connection to be made.....which it cannot.

The only way (after 5-6 hook-unhook's so far) to get them coupled.....is to use a simple rubberband around the trigger, and detent the joystick in float which gives both hoses a return to tank.....then they go on effortlessly. Had I used the curl circuit, or a 3rd function valve....this would not have been an option and I would have been fighting the couplers each and every time.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

Thats not my issue. While I dont have a third function, with my diverter....I can do the same thing. Tractor off....key on....squeeze trigger and cycle valve to relieve pressure. Same way I do the loader couplers (minus the key on part).

And in doing so....I still cannot get them coupled.....either hooking up the grapple, or coupling the tractor side hoses back to eachother. And with FF (no-spill) couplers, its impossible to purge a little out like with ag style.

ITs like you can bleed all the pressure off the hoses......but the hoses are still 100% full of fluid. And fluid is NOT compressable. The act of coupling them together it seems like it "needs" to displace a little fluid to allow the connection to be made.....which it cannot.

The only way (after 5-6 hook-unhook's so far) to get them coupled.....is to use a simple rubberband around the trigger, and detent the joystick in float which gives both hoses a return to tank.....then they go on effortlessly. Had I used the curl circuit, or a 3rd function valve....this would not have been an option and I would have been fighting the couplers each and every time.

Yup, sounds irritating.

 

[LD1]

Yup, sounds irritating.

It is. Not a huge issue with a simple rubber band left on the joystick. But bad enough that I am gonna switch to ag couplers.

I think spilling a few drops of fluid is a good thing in this case. As I cannot compress it when trying to couple. So it has to go somewhere.

 

[FTG-05]

Looks good. Easy and simple install. seen quite a few others here go for the fender mount. I challenged myself to conceal as much as I could and get the levers in the factory location.

How to the couplers fit in the plate with the snap-rings? Do they feel secure and stable? That was one of my concerns in mounting them in a ~1/4" plate loosely and only holding them with snap-rings. Thats why I chose the ~1" thick aluminum to clamp mount them.

It's not a fender mount, per se. It's attached to the ROPS and hangs over the fender, but doesn't touch it. The fender isn't attached all that solid and I didn't want the valve moving when I manipulate it.

The QD mount is made from a 1/2" plate that I got for $15 from a local welding company (only 13 miles one way instead of +30 miles). The plate was 1/2" x 5" by about 42" or so and I used all of it for both the QD mount and valve mount.

1/2" is a little too thick for the two way sleeve connectors by about .02" IRC. I removed just enough metal with a 60 grit flap wheel to make them fit (it also got rid of some hole saw gouges as well, so it was two-fer). The QDs are very solid, very tight; I'm not worried about them at all.

Thanks,

 

[LD1]

It's not a fender mount, per se. It's attached to the ROPS and hangs over the fender, but doesn't touch it. The fender isn't attached all that solid and I didn't want the valve moving when I manipulate it.

The QD mount is made from a 1/2" plate that I got for $15 from a local welding company (only 13 miles one way instead of +30 miles). The plate was 1/2" x 5" by about 42" or so and I used all of it for both the QD mount and valve mount.

1/2" is a little too thick for the two way sleeve connectors by about .02" IRC. I removed just enough metal with a 60 grit flap wheel to make them fit (it also got rid of some hole saw gouges as well, so it was two-fer). The QDs are very solid, very tight; I'm not worried about them at all.

Thanks,

Thats great. And you have the personal satisfaction of doing it yourself too.:thumbsup:

 

[FTG-05]

Thats great. And you have the personal satisfaction of doing it yourself too.:thumbsup:

Yea unfortunately there's a huge downside as well...

 

[LD1]

What's that?

 

[FTG-05]

What's that?

LD1 getting to say: "I told you so...!!!"

Like I said: "huge"

 

[LD1]

LD1 getting to say: "I told you so...!!!"

Like I said: "huge"

Well, if thats the only downside....you did good then