Grapple Grapple research and tentative conclusion what may be best for me; what do YOU think?

[dustinfox]

My first tractor was a Kioti CK20 (see my avatar photo) and it handled a 300lb grapple beautifully. 1150lbs of lift is plenty even for a 350lb grapple and will leave you with enough capacity for as much brush as you can possibly cram into the grapple. Big logs and rocks are another matter but those things can overwhelm any tractor/grapple combo. I was able to lift and move logs/trees that were way too big to move without heavy rear ballast like a bush hog or BH even though I had loaded tires.

OK... I found some stats and did a few calculations. A 10' long 12" diameter log of softwood will contain roughly 7.855 cubic feet of material. The stats I found listed softwoods ranging between 22 and 43 lbs per cubic foot. This works out to between 172 and 337 lbs per log. I seriously doubt that I would be tackling more than two logs at a time. According to this, two logs would weigh a MAXIMUM of 674 lbs. 1,150 - 674 = 476 lbs for the grapple.

 

[IslandTractor]

OK... I found some stats and did a few calculations. A 10' long 12" diameter log of softwood will contain roughly 7.855 cubic feet of material. The stats I found listed softwoods ranging between 22 and 43 lbs per cubic foot. This works out to between 172 and 345 lbs per log. I seriously doubt that I would be tackling more than two logs at a time. According to this, two logs would weigh a MAXIMUM of 690 lbs. 1,150 - 690 = 460 lbs for the grapple.

Your calculations seem correct but remember that the load is forward of the pivot pins. If you have nearly 700lbs a couple of feet forward of the pivot pins that means your loader capacity is close to max. Not sure if your original figure of 1150lbs lift was the pivot pin or mid bucket position figure. If mid bucket then your calculations are spot on. Remember too that the grapple itself has a balance point that is probably 18 inches or more forward of the pivot pins too so a 400lb grapple "feels" more like 550lbs or so to the FEL.

Also, remember that lift capacities are given as the full height positions. You will (I hope) never lift logs to more than a couple of feet off the ground and at that level you have more than 1150lbs lift.

 

[dustinfox]

Your calculations seem correct but remember that the load is forward of the pivot pins. If you have nearly 700lbs a couple of feet forward of the pivot pins that means your loader capacity is close to max. Not sure if your original figure of 1150lbs lift was the pivot pin or mid bucket position figure. If mid bucket then your calculations are spot on. Remember too that the grapple itself has a balance point that is probably 18 inches or more forward of the pivot pins too so a 400lb grapple "feels" more like 550lbs or so to the FEL.

Also, remember that lift capacities are given as the full height positions. You will (I hope) never lift logs to more than a couple of feet off the ground and at that level you have more than 1150lbs lift.

I got that number from the loader specs (actually listed as 1155 to full height at pivot pins). So we add capacity by lifting only a few feet and we subtract capacity being forward of the pivot pins. Winds up being kind of a "seat of the pants" guesstimate I suppose.

 

[Missouri Pioneer]

Okay, here's the low down from WildKat. I just spoke with Connie at 866 811-5319. Their usual econo 48" single cylinder grapple weighs 420 pounds and will sell for $600 plus shipping if you call 'em rather than bid on ebay. That's a steal in my opinion.

She wasn't aware that they'd shipped me a double. They don't advertise the double, but will sell 'em if requested FOR THE SAME PRICE, $600 !!!!!!!!!!!! Unbelievable. The double, she says, weighs 450 (although they earlier told me 440).

The single is their usual product. They made several doubles, but on a few the jaws were touching (mine doesn't).

 

[IslandTractor]

Okay, here's the low down from WildKat. I just spoke with Connie at 866 811-5319. Their usual econo 48" single cylinder grapple weighs 420 pounds and will sell for $600 plus shipping if you call 'em rather than bid on ebay. That's a steal in my opinion..

I agree. That is the best deal out there right now. That is about what I paid for my Millonzi about six years ago and that was at an eBay starting price level.

I don't really trust weight calculations from the companies. They don't really weigh these things carefully and they lie in both directions. They lie to the shippers to get a cheaper rate and they lie to consumers because they think heavier means more steel and better value. I'd trust a big outfit like WRLong but most of the moms and pops are just guesstimating IMO.

I don't see how the Wildcat 48 inch single upper jaw grapple can weigh 420lbs. I presume it is 3/8 inch steel which is what my Millonzi 48 is too. Millonzi claimed 280lbs (which I think is a bit low). Gator/Markham claims something around 350 as I recall. The Wildcat 48 does have more bottom tines I believe than mine (mine has 9 inch spacing) and it has a slightly heavier, wider upper jaw but I can no way see 140 extra lbs of steel in the Wildcat. Mid to upper 300's is my guess. My Price is Right guess is 375!:thumbsup:

 

[dustinfox]

I agree. That is the best deal out there right now. That is about what I paid for my Millonzi about six years ago and that was at an eBay starting price level.

I don't really trust weight calculations from the companies. They don't really weigh these things carefully and they lie in both directions. They lie to the shippers to get a cheaper rate and they lie to consumers because they think heavier means more steel and better value. I'd trust a big outfit like WRLong but most of the moms and pops are just guesstimating IMO.

I don't see how the Wildcat 48 inch single upper jaw grapple can weigh 420lbs. I presume it is 3/8 inch steel which is what my Millonzi 48 is too. Millonzi claimed 280lbs (which I think is a bit low). Gator/Markham claims something around 350 as I recall. The Wildcat 48 does have more bottom tines I believe than mine (mine has 9 inch spacing) and it has a slightly heavier, wider upper jaw but I can no way see 140 extra lbs of steel in the Wildcat. Mid to upper 300's is my guess. My Price is Right guess is 375!:thumbsup:

Well what the hey... for $600 bucks it's worth a try! Think I'll order me one. :thumbsup:

 

[IslandTractor]

Well what the hey... for $600 bucks it's worth a try! Think I'll order me one. :thumbsup:

If I were looking to get a grapple right now that is definitely the one I would choose. I'd like to hear a bit more from Missouri about how his works but frankly these grapples are pretty straightforward devices. It looks reasonably well made and so long as their welder is not a drunk or newbie it is hard to imagine the grapple is not well constructed. Not that tough to fabricate a basic welder from mild steel these days.

 

[CarlL]

Just got off the phone with WildKat.

A 66" Econo (they don't make a 60") is $900 for a single cylinder and $1000 for the dbl. Weight is about 500lbs. Shipping to the Midwest adds around $200.

I have a Terramite T9 with a 2300 lb lift capacity and she recommended against the 48" econo for my machine.

Any thoughts?

 

[Missouri Pioneer]

Well, I guess primarily upon Island's recommendations and advice, I went with the 48", notwithstanding that my lift capacity is nearly 2,900 lbs. It makes sense to me that the more the grapple weighs, the less you can lift. I have no empirical date that says my 48" grapple can lift 2,500 pounds, but I hope so. It seems pretty stout. Both Connie and Anita at WildKat are quite helpful.

From appearances, it appears to me that the 66" is simply a wider version of the 48" and uses the same materials.

My recommendation - for whatever it's worth, since I am no expert at all - is to do what I did, i.e., get the double cylinder 48" WildKat for $600. What do you think, Island?

 

[dustinfox]

If I were looking to get a grapple right now that is definitely the one I would choose. I'd like to hear a bit more from Missouri about how his works but frankly these grapples are pretty straightforward devices. It looks reasonably well made and so long as their welder is not a drunk or newbie it is hard to imagine the grapple is not well constructed. Not that tough to fabricate a basic welder from mild steel these days.

Be here on Monday!