add on bucket grapple

   / add on bucket grapple #41  
Here is a control pic from my grapple upgrade. It is a 4 way valve open center I purchased on e-bay and also you will see the adjustable flow restrictor on the close line. Works great and really is handy when picking up limbs and debris on the property.
 

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   / add on bucket grapple #42  
Sorry, I'm fairly web challenged. I was a silver member before I learned to post in colors. The computewr pops up it's own url thing and I guess it doesn't work for TBN. Good luck on the bidding.
 
   / add on bucket grapple #43  
John,
I have a ton of brush to move and I want to put this grapple on a Kubota 723 loader. Questions
1. Should I upgrade to the heavier bucket, or is the 3/8" backing plate you made good enough?
2. My loader is not installed yet. Should I have the dealer run the lines or should I go elsewhere. One dealer quoted me $1000.00 for the valve and lines. This seemed high.
3. Once the lines are run, installing the grapple looks simple.
How much extra hose should I have them leave at the end.
4. what type of control should they add to control the grapple? Thanks for your advice.
bolo
 
   / add on bucket grapple #44  
Care to divulge the cost of valve and flow control (for 12vdc diverter $ comparison)? Was power beyond orig equipped or purchased after? $?
 
   / add on bucket grapple #45  
Finally got the hoses I needed to hook up the new grapple. So I took it out for some play time in the woods to try it out. It works real good for gathering up brush. Its probably not as good as a dedicated root rake/grapple might be, but its certainly a useful tool for a pretty reasonable price.

Here are a couple of pictures of the grapple in action.

John
 

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   / add on bucket grapple #46  
Here's another pic.
 

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   / add on bucket grapple #47  
Bolo

I try give my best answer to your questiosns. Of course a lot depends on how much money your want to spend and what mods you are willing to attempt yourself...

<font color="red"> I want to put this grapple on a Kubota 723 loader. Should I upgrade to the heavier bucket, or is the 3/8" backing plate you made good enough?
</font>

I would not get another bucket. If you are able to afford another attachment and have lots of brush work to do and you have quick attach on your loader you might want ot look at getting something like the Anbo root rake/grapple. If your intent is to go with the bolt on grapple to keep cost down and just have a "quick and dirty" grapple attachment for your existing bucket, then just bolt it on. Your bucket should be OK.

<font color="red"> My loader is not installed yet. Should I have the dealer run the lines or should I go elsewhere. One dealer quoted me $1000.00 for the valve and lines. This seemed high.
</font>
You're right. That price seems high. You might want to get your dealer to just give you a quote to install an additional valve section on your loader valves or at least a power beyond kit so that you could install the hydraulic lines or a valve and lines yourself later once your ready to install the grapple. You can probably save some money this way. You can also get all of necessary parts yourself and do all of the plumbing yourself. There was a very good thread on TBN about hooking up hydraulics to angle a snow plow. You might want to check that out to use for the grapple. It will at least give you some ideas/options for your hydraulics.

<font color="red"> How much extra hose should I have them leave at the end. What type of control should they add to control the grapple? </font>

For my situation, I needed about 4 ft of hose to go from the loader cross brace where my quick connect outlets are to the grapple cylinder. What you will want to have is hydraulic lines ending in quick connect to some convienient location on the front of the tractor loader. You will just need to make/get hoses to go from there to the grapple making sure you give enough length to let the bucket curl through the full range. A simple direction control valve to open and close the grapple would be the most straight forward setup. If you look at the snow plow thread you might want to get a solenoid operated valve and operate the grapple with a push button on your loader joystick (a very trick setup indeed /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif). Again, its a matter of cost, complexity, and your preferences.

Hope this helps some.
John
 
   / add on bucket grapple #48  
Thanks John... Good stuff. I am definitely going with the bolt on as I really don't want to sink 1200.00 into a root grapple.
I will read the snowplow thread to help me decide on the plumbing. When I asked the dealer that is selling/installing the loader about this set up, he said he would come off the power beyond. I guess the price he quoted me on the loader includes PB. Anyways, thanks for the insight it has cleared some thing up.
bolo
 
   / add on bucket grapple #49  
Sorry to revive a sleeping thread, but who exactly is the ebay vendor that sells the particular $450 grapple (probably $600 now)? I would like to look into his as there are reports here of quality craftsmanship. Thanks :thumbsup:
 
   / add on bucket grapple #50  
Shop Online is one but there are many of them.

The one above is about $80 to ship... look around for others, I have the bolt on one from WR Long, BOG
 

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