Landpride grapple for SCUT?

[CHDinCT]

I will also be interested in the time it takes to go from grapple to bucket in a pinch.

Tollster - you have two choices on mounting the grapple. Pin on, in which case it's not very quick to change it out, or go with the new Kubota FEL quick hitch, which I am going with. Adds another $279 to the price (Kubota list price). I think it should be pretty quick using the quick hitch approach. Pull two pins and rotate the bucket down to drop the bucket, reverse to mount the grapple, then plug in the grapple hoses. As with many things, first time set up is more involved, and all of it looks easy except splicing in the hoses to the power beyond circuit. I really think LP should have gone with a diverter set up. No need to touch the power beyond circuit with a diverter, and I would think cheaper too.

I was looking at this unit from Surplus Center, and would then need a switch, wiring, and some hoses, plus fabricating a mount somewhere for the diverter. In the end, I got a pretty attractive package price for the grapple and 3rd function together, so I went that route.

SAE 8 6 GPM DOUBLE SELECTOR VALVE 12 VDC P15544-2

Not to burst your bubble, but seeing as you have a BX23, this LP grapple is listed as compatible with the 60 and 70 series BXs, not that you couldn't come up with some way to mount one if you're into fabrication.

 

[CHDinCT]

Chris, how many $$$ do you have into it so far and do you think you have everything needed for install (including the male QCs you are waiting for)?

I got a price of $1,550 for the grapple and 3rd function valve, etc., plus another $279 for the Kubota quick hitch. If you have that, you're dollars ahead. Price included a $100 discount for doing the install myself. Also, prices are pre-tax, which varies by state of course. And yeah, I think I should have everything once I get the male quick connects, except wiring connectors which they didn't supply. There's an in-line fuse holder with a 10 amp fuse included in the kit. I also have about 10' of hose protector that I bought years ago in anticipation of doing this someday, so I'll be adding hose protectors where needed and where LP didn't include it.

 

[CHDinCT]

It's 40 here today, but going sub-freezing again tomorrow, so I decided to mount the Kubota FEL quick hitch. Pretty straight forward. Going to be nice to be able to drop the bucket and mount the grapple, and maybe forks someday, quickly. Also attached is a pic of the grapple as it sits in my garage now. One item of note is the 90 degree fittings for the hoses that will plug into the male QC's on the FEL torque tube - they look rather exposed should a stick/branch/etc. come through the back of the grapple. I may try to turn them 90* counterclockwise, or maybe get some expanded metal screening an weld that on the back of the grapple. We'll see once it's mounted how exposed the hoses are. It might just be how it sits now unhooked.

Oh yeah, quite a few small rust spots which are a bit annoying. I will touch it all up come Spring.

 

[dragoneggs]

It's 40 here today, but going sub-freezing again tomorrow, so I decided to mount the Kubota FEL quick hitch. Pretty straight forward. Going to be nice to be able to drop the bucket and mount the grapple, and maybe forks someday, quickly. Also attached is a pic of the grapple as it sits in my garage now. One item of note is the 90 degree fittings for the hoses that will plug into the male QC's on the FEL torque tube - they look rather exposed should a stick/branch/etc. come through the back of the grapple. I may try to turn them 90* counterclockwise, or maybe get some expanded metal screening an weld that on the back of the grapple. We'll see once it's mounted how exposed the hoses are. It might just be how it sits now unhooked.

Oh yeah, quite a few small rust spots which are a bit annoying. I will touch it all up come Spring.

Yes the QA is definitely in the near future plans. Keep the pics coming. The price on the grapple is a bit stinging but man what a great implement! Forks are a definite.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

I have looked into this unit also and deluded by the price. I downloaded the instructions from LP and was surprised they send a line all the way back to the PB port on the HST. My dealer's non-negotiated price is just at $2K, plus 160 miles for two round trips to the dealer and 2-4 weeks in the shop. Most grapple hydraulic kits I have perused before use a solenoid in the lines to the curl cylinder with a switch on the joy stick to open and close the grapple by selection. The PB connection is then through the FEL joy stick valve. My thought on this is they made it complicated to discourage all but dedicated DIYers and double the cost of the hydraulics. The only advantage (maybe to some, not me) I see is that the grapple can be used independent of the curl cylinder. If you are working that fast you need a lot bigger tractor than a BX. Everything has its pros and cons.

Ron

 

[shatter42580]

I custom built mine and used a diverter valve to run the grapple. My diverter is wired up to my loader lever with a button. Love and use it almost every time I get on my tractor. I plumbed in the hydraulics with quick connects so the grapple and lines can be quickly removed.

 

[CHDinCT]

I have looked into this unit also and deluded by the price. I downloaded the instructions from LP and was surprised they send a line all the way back to the PB port on the HST. My dealer's non-negotiated price is just at $2K, plus 160 miles for two round trips to the dealer and 2-4 weeks in the shop. Most grapple hydraulic kits I have perused before use a solenoid in the lines to the curl cylinder with a switch on the joy stick to open and close the grapple by selection. The PB connection is then through the FEL joy stick valve. My thought on this is they made it complicated to discourage all but dedicated DIYers and double the cost of the hydraulics. The only advantage (maybe to some, not me) I see is that the grapple can be used independent of the curl cylinder. If you are working that fast you need a lot bigger tractor than a BX. Everything has its pros and cons.

Ron

Ron, the diverter set up is where I was headed until I got what I considered a good package price on the grapple and 3rd function together. Grapple prices were around $1,200 by itself, so I paid about $350 for the 3rd function set up. I figured the diverter set up like I linked above would have cost around $300 by the time I was done adding hoses, fittings, quick connects and finding a FEL joystick with a switch in it. I was researching where to get a joystick handle with the switch when the pricing changed my mind.

I forgot to post one update yesterday and that was that it looks like those hydraulic pipe connections that I need to get at are accessible from underneath the tractor. I will have to at least loosen my skid plate to drop it down, or maybe even drop it entirely, but that should be easier than removing the floor pan, I think.

 

[CHDinCT]

I custom built mine and used a diverter valve to run the grapple. My diverter is wired up to my loader lever with a button. Love and use it almost every time I get on my tractor. I plumbed in the hydraulics with quick connects so the grapple and lines can be quickly removed.

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Nice, that's just what I originally had in mind - adding the grapple thumb to my existing bucket. Definitely the most cost effective way to go, but of course not as elegant. Got any pic's of your diverter switch? I never did find a joystick handle with a switch. Guess you could just zip tie a plain old switch to the joystick rod or handle somehow, or just put it on the tractor somewhere within reach.

 

[srs]

I custom built mine and used a diverter valve to run the grapple. My diverter is wired up to my loader lever with a button. Love and use it almost every time I get on my tractor. I plumbed in the hydraulics with quick connects so the grapple and lines can be quickly removed.



Shatter, nice workmanship on the protective box for the diverter valve. Just curious where did you get the grapple from and if you don't mind what does something like that cost? Thanks, Stanley






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[shatter42580]

I custom built mine and used a diverter valve to run the grapple. My diverter is wired up to my loader lever with a button. Love and use it almost every time I get on my tractor. I plumbed in the hydraulics with quick connects so the grapple and lines can be quickly removed.

Shatter, nice workmanship on the protective box for the diverter valve. Just curious where did you get the grapple from and if you don't mind what does something like that cost? Thanks, Stanley

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I started with a grapple off of eBay and then doubled the width and added more support. I the dealer mount my diverter and wire it but I think in the end it was under $1,000.00 for everything. Piecing it together and doing the fab work saved me a ton of money.