wr long or ??? for brush & logs?

[94BULLITT]

Extra cost, extra weight, limited visibility, only rare instances where two lids are helpful and virtually none where they are necessary.

On a wide grapple it grips more evenly. IMO it is necessary for a wide grapple. If you had a wide grapple with one lid that was sized properly I doubt there would much of a weight difference. I don't have any problems with visibility.

If I had 1 lid in the middle I would not have been able to pick up this stump.

 

[IslandTractor]

On a wide grapple it grips more evenly. IMO it is necessary for a wide grapple. If you had a wide grapple with one lid that was sized properly I doubt there would much of a weight difference. I don't have any problems with visibility.

If I had 1 lid in the middle I would not have been able to pick up this stump.

http://s278.photobucket.com/user/NH...pple/IMG_20130405_172519_zps77dd4b15.jpg.html

Stumps are actually very easy to pick up with single lid grapples. Stumps have symmetry around the vertical axis. Just load either the rootball or cut end first and clamp. I've done it hundreds of times and never failed to hold a stump. Just don't load it sideways.

Wide grapples would need two lids or a full length lid for loose stuff or brush though.

 

[lwm]

Learned something new today. I've got the grapple on a Kubota M59 which has skid steer style connectors. I went to put connect 'em and holy smokes was it hard.

The trick, for my tractor at least, when taking off the grapple, lower it to the ground, close the lids, turn off the engine. Then turn on the key but don't start it and push the buttons on the joy stick. You'll hear the valves open and close. This lets off the pressure and now when you take off the connectors when you go to put them back on they will slide right on slick as moose poop.

 

[TomSeller]

Learned something new today. I've got the grapple on a Kubota M59 which has skid steer style connectors. I went to put connect 'em and holy smokes was it hard.

The trick, for my tractor at least, when taking off the grapple, lower it to the ground, close the lids, turn off the engine. Then turn on the key but don't start it and push the buttons on the joy stick. You'll hear the valves open and close. This lets off the pressure and now when you take off the connectors when you go to put them back on they will slide right on slick as moose poop.

Right, you need to relieve the pressure behind the fittings of the tractor. The pressure can also build up in the attachment hoses as well on occasion if taken off at one temperature then put back on at another. I crack a fitting to relieve the pressure if this happens (rare) and tighten back up.

 

[sd455dan]

Yep and if using a remote to run the grapple, shutting the machine off and then push the lever into (float) which equalizes and relieves the line pressure.
Then i disconnect lines - no pressure

 

[lwm]

Right, you need to relieve the pressure behind the fittings of the tractor. The pressure can also build up in the attachment hoses as well on occasion if taken off at one temperature then put back on at another. I crack a fitting to relieve the pressure if this happens (rare) and tighten back up.

I think I pulled my grapple off with the pressure fully loaded in the hoses. It took two of us to push that sucker back on. Now that I know and release the pressure it's no problem.

Learn something new every day, huh?

 

[lwm]

Yep and if using a remote to run the grapple, shutting the machine off and then push the lever into (float) which equalizes and relieves the line pressure.
Then i disconnect lines - no pressure

Well in my case the pressure was on the other side, in the hoses connecting the rams on the grapple. Once those are off I think the only way you could release it is with a wrench, loosen something up and lose a little fluid.

But close 'em, put it on the ground, shut off the tractor, turn on ignition, cycle the buttons a couple of times, now the fluid flows out of the hoses and back into the tractor. Then I disconnect and the reconnect will be easy.

 

[IslandTractor]

Well in my case the pressure was on the other side, in the hoses connecting the rams on the grapple. Once those are off I think the only way you could release it is with a wrench, loosen something up and lose a little fluid.

But close 'em, put it on the ground, shut off the tractor, turn on ignition, cycle the buttons a couple of times, now the fluid flows out of the hoses and back into the tractor. Then I disconnect and the reconnect will be easy.

Quicker to whack the male fitting nipple than to unscrew it to relieve pressure. Not necessary on the tractor side as noted but sometimes needed on the implement side

 

[lwm]

Quicker to whack the male fitting nipple than to unscrew it to relieve pressure. Not necessary on the tractor side as noted but sometimes needed on the implement side

So the one that was tight was the female one but whatever, how do I wack one to bleed off some pressure?

 

[94BULLITT]

Quicker to whack the male fitting nipple than to unscrew it to relieve pressure. Not necessary on the tractor side as noted but sometimes needed on the implement side

or push the nipple down on the grapple to relieve the pressure.