Grapple Failure

IslandTractor · Apr 1, 2014

Red Horse said:
And the basis for your statement is??? Do you own one? Have you seen one? My statements are based on the fact that I own one. that I'm using it on a bigger, heavier, more powerful tractor than it is probably intended for, and that I damaged mine through my own negligence. And by the way, I was probably abusing it in the worst possible way-using the grapple to pull on a large buried bolder. And by the way, the tube really did not fail-rather the weld on the back side of the tower cracked. Last point, if you truly believe that all items, machines whatever, should perform the same, and have the same degree of durability regardless of price, I guess for sure you don't believe in the old adage..."you get what you pay for". I knew I was buying an "economy" grapple. I was more than satisfied with the value I got. Agsin, show me something else for the same money. another shot of my junk Econo wildkat in action

I have frequently posted photos of my economy model 48" Millonzi, made with 1/4" tube and 3/8 mild steel, pulling a one+ton boulder out of the ground. My tractor is a ?5000 lb DK40 and I had a BH mounted which was barely enough ballast. I could only lift the rock about three feet off the ground to transport it and the tractor was so light in the rear that I was concerned about tipping forward as I moved. Absolute limit of my loader which is rated to 2700lbs to full height. Grapple didn't break even though the upper jaw was compressing the rock against the lower jaws to hold it. The rock was not resting on the lower tines. Grapple damage: The very tip of the upper jaw tine splayed out an inch or two. Easily heated and straightened.

Remember, we are talking about chump change to upgrade from 1/8" to 1/4" for the top tube. I cannot believe that an intelligent engineer or business owner would cut that type of corner and ruin a perfectly good grapple. And, having made the initial mistake, I cannot even begin to come up with an excuse for why they didn't fix the issue two years ago when it was made very clear that 1/8" top tube doesn't cut it.

cfw3 · Apr 1, 2014

I find this kind of wining from the OP so typical of our failing modern society. Unfortunately, its prevalent on this site. The guy bought the economy grapple because he was too cheap to buy the beefy one. That's fine, I do the same thing all the time. He then latches onto something a little too big or heavy for the grapple and it bends a little bit. Sure, it happens, you bought the cheap one, you should expect it. The rest of the unit is working fine. Fix it yourself and move on. Instead of blaming himself for misusing it, he publicly shames the manufacturer of the grapple and guilt's them into giving him a new one to save face. Isn't that just great. I really hope you feel good about yourself. You know what, some people like me like a lighter weight grapple to work with. I'd rather use it carefully and have the extra lift capacity.

IslandTractor · Apr 1, 2014

cfw3 said:
I find this kind of wining from the OP so typical of our failing modern society. Unfortunately, its prevalent on this site. The guy bought the economy grapple because he was too cheap to buy the beefy one. That's fine, I do the same thing all the time. He then latches onto something a little too big or heavy for the grapple and it bends a little bit. Sure, it happens, you bought the cheap one, you should expect it. The rest of the unit is working fine. Fix it yourself and move on. Instead of blaming himself for misusing it, he publicly shames the manufacturer of the grapple and guilt's them into giving him a new one to save face. Isn't that just great. I really hope you feel good about yourself. You know what, some people like me like a lighter weight grapple to work with. I'd rather use it carefully and have the extra lift capacity.

You think ten extra pounds for a 1/4" top tube upgrade is going to make a difference in what you can do with your grapple? We are not exactly talking about Tour de France racing bikes. The difference in weight and cost are trivial compared to the strength considerations.

Yes, Wildkat and others who decide to cheapen a product should be called out. First as a warning to the unsuspecting and second as a reminder to the manufacturer of the consequences of squeezing a few more bucks of profit out of the grapple. If Wildkat wants to be known as the Harbor Freight of grapple manufacturers then they are doing a good job with their marketing plan.

TomSeller · Apr 1, 2014

cfw3 said:
I find this kind of wining from the OP so typical of our failing modern society. Unfortunately, its prevalent on this site. The guy bought the economy grapple because he was too cheap to buy the beefy one. That's fine, I do the same thing all the time. He then latches onto something a little too big or heavy for the grapple and it bends a little bit. Sure, it happens, you bought the cheap one, you should expect it. The rest of the unit is working fine. Fix it yourself and move on. Instead of blaming himself for misusing it, he publicly shames the manufacturer of the grapple and guilt's them into giving him a new one to save face. Isn't that just great. I really hope you feel good about yourself. You know what, some people like me like a lighter weight grapple to work with. I'd rather use it carefully and have the extra lift capacity.

I don't think bhh was at all unreasonable to expect the grapple lid to operate without a structural member failing in 25 hours. Wildkat should expect complaints if someone can't operate the lid without damaging the grapple. Particularly if this is a two year old known issue. If this poor quality is accepted, what is next? Beer bottles where the neck breaks when you try to open the cap?

CalG · Apr 1, 2014

TomSeller said:
I would say opening and closing a grapple lid structurally (the hinge) should be as reliable as opening and losing the door on my pickup. That is what a grapple is intended to do. I would expect 0 out of 100 failures on my pickup door and on a grapple within your stated hours of use.

And if while that door were opened, You just happened to back it into a tree, and "the door went a bit ajar",

Then "who ya' gonna call?"

We don't "REALLY KNOW" what the mechanism of failure is. IT's just a story and so much "telegraph".

Time to move on. There is a life to live!

CalG · Apr 1, 2014

IslandTractor said:
I have frequently posted photos of my economy model 48" Millonzi, made with 1/4" tube and 3/8 mild steel, pulling a one+ton boulder out of the ground. My tractor is a ?5000 lb DK40 and I had a BH mounted which was barely enough ballast. I could only lift the rock about three feet off the ground to transport it and the tractor was so light in the rear that I was concerned about tipping forward as I moved. Absolute limit of my loader which is rated to 2700lbs to full height. Grapple didn't break even though the upper jaw was compressing the rock against the lower jaws to hold it. The rock was not resting on the lower tines. Grapple damage: The very tip of the upper jaw tine splayed out an inch or two. Easily heated and straightened.

Remember, we are talking about chump change to upgrade from 1/8" to 1/4" for the top tube. I cannot believe that an intelligent engineer or business owner would cut that type of corner and ruin a perfectly good grapple. And, having made the initial mistake, I cannot even begin to come up with an excuse for why they didn't fix the issue two years ago when it was made very clear that 1/8" top tube doesn't cut it.

I guess that brand is no longer an option....

Chump change, I wonder what the cost of the unit would be today?

I here one can purchase grapples of several build qualities and "beefiness" from most of the fabricators. I wonder why they all don't just offer one model and back it with a lifetime guarantee.

Oh, That's not what "everybody" wants...

Hmm... freedom of choice has it's responsibility

TomSeller · Apr 1, 2014

CalG said:
And if while that door were opened, You just happened to back it into a tree, and "the door went a bit ajar",

Then "who ya' gonna call?"

We don't "REALLY KNOW" what the mechanism of failure is. IT's just a story and so much "telegraph".

Time to move on. There is a life to live!

Anyone can move on if they like. I am taking bhh at his word. No reason not to and no reason to degrade this thread.

sd455dan · Apr 2, 2014

cfw3 said:
I find this kind of wining from the OP so typical of our failing modern society. He then latches onto something a little too big or heavy for the grapple and it bends a little bit.

yeah a little bit -you know- it is only missing by a foot... just a little bit,

If in fact this a attachment can be hooked up to an average tractors hydraulics and then have the cylinder bend the unit out of shape by (using the supplied [Single] hydraulic cylinder)
the units frame is under designed

What can a person get for similar money... the ad just above this thread for Pallet forks - Titan Attachments (lite Duty )(600) lbs. 60" grapple including free shipping for $1075??? with 1/2" side plates and HIGH STRENGTH tube steel cross beams and even greaseable bushings compared to the Wild kat well ...

sounds like a deal to me

CalG · Apr 2, 2014

sd455dan said:
What can a person get for similar money... the ad just above this thread for Pallet forks - Titan Attachments (lite Duty )(600) lbs. 60" grapple including free shipping for $1075??? with 1/2" side plates and HIGH STRENGTH tube steel cross beams and even greaseable bushings compared to the Wild kat well ...

sounds like a deal to me

Looks to me like "Titan Attattachments is just a distributor.

Could be wrong, but that would be an indirect line to a failure resolution.

Hmm STF,

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/180624-new-titan-grapple-2.html

Read the first post and post #20. 'Guess nothing is perfect.

"Ya's pays ya's moneys and takes ya's chances"