davrow
Veteran Member
So, how was it working with the rear tire? Any problems handling it?
Landpride grapple for SCUT?
- Thread starter dragoneggs
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CHDinCT
Veteran Member
None really, but mine aren't loaded. But they were on my old tractor and I basically had to adjust the jack so the holes line up almost perfectly with the rim. Not gonna lift those rear tires too easily if they're loaded.
lowellw2
Silver Member
Well my installation should be easier as I do not have any blades on that fan. LOL
CHDinCT
Veteran Member
Just a couple quick updates. First off, before I get flack on those zip ties, I did cut off the excess straps tight to the locks. Second, though the instructions don't recommend you remove your FEL before installing the control valve, I would recommend that now that I've installed it. Getting to the nut on the OEM carriage bolt is harder than it looks, plus you'd have more room to maneuver the hoses around the FEL mounts. Third, with the new valve mounted, it will be a little tighter hooking/unhooking the FEL quick connects, but that's a small price to pay given the increased functionality the 3rd function valve provides. I vaguely see a FEL quick-attach snow plow with hydraulic angle in my distant future......
Anyway, used my tractor for a few hours yesterday while a neighbor and I took down one of his trees. I got the firewood, plus the branches for chipping. Really could have used the grapple yesterday, but my neighbor wanted to cut the tree down yesterday and you can't look a gift horse in the mouth. Come on LP, please send me the missing male QC's! (well, I can hope they're reading this thread :laughing
Anyway, used my tractor for a few hours yesterday while a neighbor and I took down one of his trees. I got the firewood, plus the branches for chipping. Really could have used the grapple yesterday, but my neighbor wanted to cut the tree down yesterday and you can't look a gift horse in the mouth. Come on LP, please send me the missing male QC's! (well, I can hope they're reading this thread :laughing
lowellw2
Silver Member
CHDinCT
Thanks for the info on the C/Ls on the Kubota QA. The 3 1/2" doesn't sound bad but you also noted the QA was heavy. I'm going to go for the pin on method to start. I hope the LP pins are not out of stock. Of course I don't even have my grapple yet. I better get the pins ordered. Your pictures are very helpful and the advice to remove the FEL is noted. I assume the BH should be off also as your pictures show. I was thinking of using it to jack up the back wheels but it's a simple removal and a floor jack is easy to use. Although the BX does not have much hydraulic flow I envision trying to power a small hydraulic motor powered chainsaw that might be useful around my place to cut small cedar brush. Mounted to a FEL arm I could get in toward the center trunk the brush.
Thanks for the info on the C/Ls on the Kubota QA. The 3 1/2" doesn't sound bad but you also noted the QA was heavy. I'm going to go for the pin on method to start. I hope the LP pins are not out of stock. Of course I don't even have my grapple yet. I better get the pins ordered. Your pictures are very helpful and the advice to remove the FEL is noted. I assume the BH should be off also as your pictures show. I was thinking of using it to jack up the back wheels but it's a simple removal and a floor jack is easy to use. Although the BX does not have much hydraulic flow I envision trying to power a small hydraulic motor powered chainsaw that might be useful around my place to cut small cedar brush. Mounted to a FEL arm I could get in toward the center trunk the brush.
CHDinCT
Veteran Member
lowellw2, I have my backhoe off for winter since the ground is usually frozen, so I didn't even think about that. I don't see where it would get in your way if you want to leave it on, just be sure to block up the tractor if you lift the tires off the ground.
I did hook up the electrical connections yesterday. There a four wires coming from the new joy stick handle, two red and two black. Two wires on the directional valve, one white and one black. The instructions basically tell you to wire the red wires to the battery with the 10 amp fuse in line, and the black wires to the valve. Since it doesn't specify which black wire goes to the white or black wire on the valve, I just wired one to each. I assume the valve is grounded through the mounting bolt since there's no separate ground wire.
The new joy stick handle comes with a lot more wire than you need, but I decided not to cut any of it and just loom it up under the dash. Biggest issue was figuring out how to run the wires inside the screened cowl that hides the battery and provides air flow to the radiator. My first attempt was a no go. I notched a .5" by .5" cut out at the right edge of the cowl and tried to snake the two wires through there. Didn't work. As I thought about making the notch bigger or moving higher up the cowl, I decided to take a different approach. I noticed a small hole at the bottom right corner of the cowl when installed. There's some space between the cowl and the floor board. Decided to run the wires through that hole after I cut jut a little bit of the corner off the cowl. From there, I than ran the wires up through the plastic "dust cover" (not sure if that's the right term, but see pic's).
I did have to remove the plastic dust cover and make a few notches on it (see pic), but it's hidden behind the cowl and can be removed and replaced without disconnecting the wires. Worked good and the install looks clean from the outside. Just wish I hadn't made that notch in the outside of the cowl to start with. For connectors, I used some spade and bullet connectors I had already. Shrink-wrapped all the connections. Also, I used an in-line fuse holder that I had and not the one that came with the grapple. Just liked it better. So, it's all wired and now just waiting for the final hose connections once my male QC's arrive. For now, I left the fuse out of the holder so I don't accidentally hit one of the joy stick buttons and shoot oil into the air. LOL. I don't see any other way to wire it, but I guess I won't know if it's right until I try to use it. Anyway, again, hope my experiences help future LP grapple owners.
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lowellw2
Silver Member
CHDinCT
Wow. Fantastic help you are providing and the pictures really help. Cutting little notch on the dust shield for the wires looks like the best way to go. I went out to my dealer today to order the longer pins from LP so I can direct pin the grapple to the FEL arms. The parts guy had some trouble finding it on his LP system and after we looked at their parts catalog and he looked up the price he suggested I consider using 3/4" hitch pins instead of of the LP pins. He did not give me the price so I assume it surprised him. About that time my salesman wandered by and advised that my grapple had arrived but didn't think the 3rd function valve was in. I immediately thought of the male QCs that were missing from your valve. However, he soon reappeared with a yellow bag with the valve etc. The good news is that my valve does have the male QCs attached so I don't have to suffer that wait with you. However, the bad news was that I was in my SUV and the dealer staff seemed rather uninterested to try to load the grapple into the back. It's now too cold here to work in my shop anyway so I'll head back in a day or two with a pickup and get the grapple. My grapple is on a long pallet with two other ones. Seems they ordered 3 BX grapples so they must plan on selling these things. When I ordered mine I think they did not have any enthusiasm for them. Now I just need the weather to cooperate.
Wow. Fantastic help you are providing and the pictures really help. Cutting little notch on the dust shield for the wires looks like the best way to go. I went out to my dealer today to order the longer pins from LP so I can direct pin the grapple to the FEL arms. The parts guy had some trouble finding it on his LP system and after we looked at their parts catalog and he looked up the price he suggested I consider using 3/4" hitch pins instead of of the LP pins. He did not give me the price so I assume it surprised him. About that time my salesman wandered by and advised that my grapple had arrived but didn't think the 3rd function valve was in. I immediately thought of the male QCs that were missing from your valve. However, he soon reappeared with a yellow bag with the valve etc. The good news is that my valve does have the male QCs attached so I don't have to suffer that wait with you. However, the bad news was that I was in my SUV and the dealer staff seemed rather uninterested to try to load the grapple into the back. It's now too cold here to work in my shop anyway so I'll head back in a day or two with a pickup and get the grapple. My grapple is on a long pallet with two other ones. Seems they ordered 3 BX grapples so they must plan on selling these things. When I ordered mine I think they did not have any enthusiasm for them. Now I just need the weather to cooperate.
CHDinCT
Veteran Member
lowellw2, no problem posting updates. Someone has to be the guinea pig.
Good luck with your installation. Post up pic's or progress when you get a chance. Wanted to give a shout out the Chappel Tractor in NH. They've been good to deal with and have worked to chase down my missing QC's. Spoke with Andy in service yesterday and he was working on just sending me the correct QC's from another LP grapple but found out LP dropped shipped to me yesterday. Unfortunately, we're back to snow duty now, so not sure when I'll be getting a chance to use the grapple once set up is complete. We got 6" yesterday, more coming Wednesday and they're talking about a potential Nor'easter-type storm next Sunday/Monday. Need to get more firewood in before the snow get's too deep by my wood stacks.
lowellw2
Silver Member
CHDinCT
Sorry to hear about the snow but it is still winter. I was able to pick up the grapple this morning and since we were going to have an unseasonably warm day I set about tackling the installation. I've taken some pictures but do not know how to upload them. I'll do a little research here. I got the grapple attached directly to the FEL arms. The hose guide bracket that attaches to the right arm seems a little strange but I will defer to LP as they have been doing these things a while longer than me. I've run the hoses up to the valve connections. There is plenty of length so no scrimping there. I left the backhoe on and lifted the back end. As you noted there is plenty of room to get at the outlet block. I will go back and read your post, but I recollect you said the long hose connects to the outlet block and the short one to the short steel line leading to the loader valve (after removing the rear short line. It looks like I may throw my back out connection that short line. Your picture seems to indicate you put a protective cover on that hose and tied it up to the top of the fender. That looks like a good idea. I see what you mean about the difficulty getting the 3rd function valve hoses routed around the valve. The instructions say to put them to the left of the mounting bracket. LP must have a different tractor than mine as that seems impossible with all the FEL steel lines right there. I'll agin study your pictures as you managed. In any event I have a thought that may make installation of the valve somewhat easier. I'm considering reversing the mounting bracket on the valve assembly and then mounting the valve backwards. This looks like it will nestle the valve nicely between the loader bracket and the engine cowling. The back of the valve is almost flush with the loader bracket. However, to do this will require the C shaped guide bracket for the FEL and grapple hoses be either shortened or bent toward the engine cowling. It certainly makes running the hoses under the floorboard a lot easier. That's a lot of words where a picture or two would have helped. In any event it's going to be 23 here tonight and cold for the next few days so I'm going to be at a standstill. Gives me time to com template the above idea and learn how to post pictures.
Sorry to hear about the snow but it is still winter. I was able to pick up the grapple this morning and since we were going to have an unseasonably warm day I set about tackling the installation. I've taken some pictures but do not know how to upload them. I'll do a little research here. I got the grapple attached directly to the FEL arms. The hose guide bracket that attaches to the right arm seems a little strange but I will defer to LP as they have been doing these things a while longer than me. I've run the hoses up to the valve connections. There is plenty of length so no scrimping there. I left the backhoe on and lifted the back end. As you noted there is plenty of room to get at the outlet block. I will go back and read your post, but I recollect you said the long hose connects to the outlet block and the short one to the short steel line leading to the loader valve (after removing the rear short line. It looks like I may throw my back out connection that short line. Your picture seems to indicate you put a protective cover on that hose and tied it up to the top of the fender. That looks like a good idea. I see what you mean about the difficulty getting the 3rd function valve hoses routed around the valve. The instructions say to put them to the left of the mounting bracket. LP must have a different tractor than mine as that seems impossible with all the FEL steel lines right there. I'll agin study your pictures as you managed. In any event I have a thought that may make installation of the valve somewhat easier. I'm considering reversing the mounting bracket on the valve assembly and then mounting the valve backwards. This looks like it will nestle the valve nicely between the loader bracket and the engine cowling. The back of the valve is almost flush with the loader bracket. However, to do this will require the C shaped guide bracket for the FEL and grapple hoses be either shortened or bent toward the engine cowling. It certainly makes running the hoses under the floorboard a lot easier. That's a lot of words where a picture or two would have helped. In any event it's going to be 23 here tonight and cold for the next few days so I'm going to be at a standstill. Gives me time to com template the above idea and learn how to post pictures.
lowellw2
Silver Member
CHDinCT
Well it looks like I quit at a good point. I have clearly switched the hoses in my discussion above. The shorter one goes to the outlet block as you clearly stated. The long one needs to make a 180 turn to attach to the remaining line leading to the valve. IF I reverse the valve I will have to remember to also change the hose connections leading forward to the grapple.
Well it looks like I quit at a good point. I have clearly switched the hoses in my discussion above. The shorter one goes to the outlet block as you clearly stated. The long one needs to make a 180 turn to attach to the remaining line leading to the valve. IF I reverse the valve I will have to remember to also change the hose connections leading forward to the grapple.