Grapple Which type of grapple is best suited for...

[TSO]

I'm not sure that we'll have a demo/prototype because he's gonna use the same design of the Wicked Grapple that has received rave reviews. With this smaller grapple, we will be able to shave some additional weight and $$$ as well.
Travis

I'm excited to see what he comes up with. Any insight on what he has in mind on the design? I'm assuming he has seen guys comments regarding their concerns about opening width/height.

 

[Xfaxman]

I vote for a larger bite. My grapple opens to 51", usually need more!

 

[IslandTractor]

After kicking the idea around for a while and reading all of the comments about 48" single lid grapples, Ted has decided to design and manufacture a smaller 48" Wicked Grapple. He said first pics should be posted in a week or so.
Travis

I just watched the full video Ted did on the bigger wicked grapples. Very interesting and I commend EA on rethinking so many of the fine points in grapple design and manufacture. I hope they can get the pricing right! As someone myself who has spent a lot of time using and thinking about these smaller 48 inch single lid grapples, I have a few comments that others might want to consider.

1) Based on the bigger wicked grapple design, I am pretty sure that the 48 single lid is going to be a big hit with CUT owners. I would go so far as to say I'd probably buy one sight unseen if I needed a replacement. Based on the big brother wicked grapple, it will be the best thought out small grapple available. Based on EA's quality record, it will also probably be the most precision manufactured small grapple out their too. I would certainly advise prospective grapple buyers to wait to see the pricing and final details on the EA 48 Wicked before handing over cash for another grapple. On paper this one looks like a winner and as EA is a well organized company will be much easier to deal with than some others.

2) I hope EA does decide to offer the 48 as a "light" and "heavy" version with the lighter version built like their 54 and the heavy built like the larger versions with thicker steel. I'm guessing that the "light" version would be under 300lbs which would be great for CUTs like the B series Kubota. I used my current ?325lb grapple with my Kioti CK20 and it was fine so any tractor bigger than 30hp would probably want to use the "heavy" version as that would still probably weigh only 325-350. Even if it weighed a bit more it would be appropriate for CUTs in the 35HP to 50+HP range and the extra fifty or seventy pounds would not make much difference for the bigger machines. I love the use of laser cut tines complete with weight saving cut outs. That is a great feature. Put the metal where it counts.

3) I appreciate the argument for using high strength steel but I still would prefer myself a little weight penalty to have slightly thicker plain A36 steel. I hope the EA engineers consider the benefits of being able to more easily weld and repair A36 over the better structural strength of the A80. My grapple has 3/8" bottom tines and despite considerable abuse with my ?5000-6000lb DK40 tractor I have never bent a bottom tine. I've bent and twisted the upper tines but they are A36 so pretty easily heated and straightened. Not sure that will be as easy with A80.

4) I really like what they are doing with the running of hydraulic lines and the use of pipe fittings instead of JIC etc. I have busted a couple of JIC fitted hoses and they are expensive to replace as well as being rather delicate to install properly if you are not used to dealing with them (wrist tighten max...you'll break them otherwise). Good old pipe fittings with appropriate sealant would be a plus. I also really like the "loose" fitting of the tractor hoses where the grapple hoses connect. I did that with my CK20 and never had an issue. Much easier to connect and disconnect when you can grab the whole thing in your hand than deal with a sideways flush mounted tractor fitting. The key to keeping excess hose out of harms way for me has been to put a ziptie on the hoses in the middle of the span between grapple and tractor fitting and then put a loose fitting bungee cord from there to the FEL torque tube. Takes up the slack while allowing stretch when needed.

5) I wonder a bit about the plan to have the upper lid tines exactly touch the bottom tine tips as that is great before you pick up some massive rock or tree and slightly twist the upper arm out of alignment by half an inch or so. My upper arm/lid is not nearly as well engineered or supported as the EA design and I do periodically notice it gets twisted one direction or the other by an inch or so. Tough to build those lids so they cannot be twisted just a bit by a large off center load. I'd probably opt for having the upper lid tines overlap just a bit rather than make precise contact. This is also another reason to think about the A36 vs A80 steel issue as a balance between initial strength vs repairability. I can repair my upper arm without removing it by simple hooking up a portapower puller and some chain hooked to the side of the grapple. Not sure that would work with high strength steel.

6) Any grapple design has to compromise between weight/cost of closely spaced bottom tines vs having smaller material fall through the 9" or larger gaps that are needed to cut the number of bottom tines down. One solution I hope EA can offer as an option is to use their fancy laser cutter to make "intermediate" tines that can be added. If they are precision cut they could just slip over the back bottom 3x3 and the front round pipe and be welded in place. Designing them so they are just a bit shorter and not as tall as the structural bottom tines would mean that lighter stock could be used (?1/4") as the only job they would do is keep small stuff from falling through. Assuming 6 structural bottom tines, the gaps are about 8 or 9 inches. If 5 lightweight intermediate tines were available (?add on kit or factory option) you could quickly convert the grapple to one with 4 inch gaps that would be very helpful when cleaning up debris or rocks etc. If the EA engineers got really creative, they could even figure out how to have the intermediate tines be removable and held in place by a bolt on the back or something. Just an idea.

7) I agree that SSQA and JD mounts are appropriate but there are a LOT of small CUTs that do not have SSQA adapters. A 300lb grapple is going to work well even with a 700-800lb lift loader. Think Kubota B series for example. EA might want to consider offering a simple QA adapter for common smaller CUTs like the Kubota B series, NH Boomers etc.

 

[EverythingAttachments]

I'm excited to see what he comes up with. Any insight on what he has in mind on the design? I'm assuming he has seen guys comments regarding their concerns about opening width/height.

I don't have any insight yet. Ted just told me to announce that he's working on it. I directed him to this thread so he's aware of everyone's comments. He(and the customers that have used one) is very happy with the opening and performance of the larger Wicked Grapples so I think the design will be very similar.
Travis

 

[Dingo Man]

So... did you guys have anybody specific in mind to test out the demo? I've got piles of trees down on the ground waiting for a grapple to be used! :dance1:

Son of a.... I pulled the trigger to soon. Well if my NAI dosent work out there is always Craigslist.

 

[Dingo Man]

That is great news. The more manufacturers that offer these handy and less expensive grapples, the more CUT owners will buy them. EA is also well respected and a very reliable business which puts it ahead of many of the mom and pop welding shops. They sell direct to the consumer so that is a big plus over other quality manufacturers like WRLong. I'm sure they will be well engineered and built. Hopefully they will be price competitive based on volume.

You should probably receive some type of kick back considering the hours and likely carpal tunnel you must be suffering from after years of advocating for the light duty grapples. Maybe a new EA 48" just shows up some day on the island:stirthepot:

 

[TomSeller]

I vote for a larger bite. My grapple opens to 51", usually need more!

I agree, make a big opening, not another ankle biter. 30" is too small.

 

[TomSeller]

I don't have any insight yet. Ted just told me to announce that he's working on it. I directed him to this thread so he's aware of everyone's comments. He(and the customers that have used one) is very happy with the opening and performance of the larger Wicked Grapples so I think the design will be very similar.
Travis

Can you name the 48" model after Island Tractor? Maybe "Island 48" ? Or "Wicked Island 48" ?

 

[Dingo Man]

I vote for a larger bite. My grapple opens to 51", usually need more!

Surely 51" is plenty for 99% of jobs? Just curious what issues you have experienced with your 51" mouth that makes you want a design that gives you more than that.

 

[EverythingAttachments]

Can you name the 48" model after Island Tractor? Maybe "Island 48" ? Or "Wicked Island 48" ?

I haven't heard a complaint from a Wicked Grapple owner or a Construction Attachments compact grapple owner and both open to 30". Ted has used both for many hours and hasn't had any issues. He says that an extra wide opening would push the brush away from the grapple rather than taking a good bite. I'd like to hear some Wicked Grapple owners chime in.
Travis