Grapple width

[yekrut]

I have a 48" grapple on a Kubota L39. 450+ hrs and going strong. Brought a portable sawmill guy in this weekend. Sawed about 30 cherry logs - about 2000 bf. Made the prep of position logs and loading and stacking wood a heck of alot easier. I'll bet it reduced manual work by 70% and sped the operation up by 50%. I have never had a need for anything wider.

 

[powerstroke444e]

I made mine 54" so the cylinders would fit and be coverd? Its on a b26 kubota and have loaded/moved over 30 acres of small trees with it and would not want anything other than a grapple on my bigger tractor next time.

 

[dangerdoc]

Mine is indeed 48". I do not believe you need to cover tire width at all, that just adds weight. Search post's by user IslandTractor , he has written volumes on this very issue.

When you are grabbing brush, a narrow bucket will clear a path wider than your tractor. When you are grubbing rocks and roots, a narrow bucket works better. When you are getting firewood, it is easier navigating between the trees with a narrow buck. The narrow bucket is also lighter increasing the weight of material you can pickup.


The only time I can see where a wide grapple would be beneficial is if you were trying to rake trash with it.

 

[kennyd]

When you are grabbing brush, a narrow bucket will clear a path wider than your tractor. When you are grubbing rocks and roots, a narrow bucket works better. When you are getting firewood, it is easier navigating between the trees with a narrow buck. The narrow bucket is also lighter increasing the weight of material you can pickup.


The only time I can see where a wide grapple would be beneficial is if you were trying to rake trash with it.

:thumbsup: I agree 110%

Some pictures of mine in action:

 

[MtnViewRanch]

It seems to me that typically in these threads the guys with the smaller tractors prefer the smaller grapples and the guys with the bigger tractors like them a bit bigger. Do ya think that there is a correlation there? Maybe, just maybe the bigger ones get used a bit differently since the bigger machines have different capabilities.

 

[AKfish]

I've got a 66" double cylinder grapple on my JD 110. I wish I had a 60". Heavy, heavy... I've used it on a Bobcat T250 and beat that Bobcat to it's knees!!

Unless it's on the front end of a dozer - you don't need anything more than a 48" - IMO.

AKfish

 

[jinman]

My grapple is mounted on a 5' wide rock bucket instead of a root rake. It's really nothing more than a thumb for holding odd materials inside the bucket. Here are a couple of pictures of the grapple in use. In the case of the pole, it was too wide to carry cross-wise through the trees, so I grabbed the end of it and clamped down, making my tractor look like it was an olympic pole vaulter. In the second photo, I'm gathering big rocks to use in landscaping. Just having a tiny thumb type grapple worked great.

 

[Redbug]

Hey Jim...what do you think that rock weighed?

 

[pitt_md]

It seems to me that typically in these threads the guys with the smaller tractors prefer the smaller grapples and the guys with the bigger tractors like them a bit bigger. Do ya think that there is a correlation there? Maybe, just maybe the bigger ones get used a bit differently since the bigger machines have different capabilities.

Amen! It all depends on what you use it for. I also believe that very few grapple users have had the chance to test wider V narrow in a side by side.
If you want the real low down on what works best for what call up the makers of the grapples and ask them.

 

[jimmysisson]

I had to order mine 5' wide so it would mate with the proprietary Ford quick-attach system, which sticks out wider than the loader frame. I'm pleased I did because I can see the edge of the thing for picking up individual rocks, logs, etc. Forward vision is limited with my loader, tough with forks and grapple. More modern units might be easier to see around.
Mine has two clamps, and is a Millonzi LD60. I'm very happy with it but have no experience with any others.