Grapple Claw Grapple vs "L" Shape OBG

coolnature · Mar 5, 2015

Getting ready to pull the trigger on a new grapple. Since I have never used one, I am completely in the dark as to what style to get. I have read several grapple threads on TBN and I have learned that there is no one design perfectly suited for all uses.
My primary uses: raking, piling, moving brush; moving logs; uprooting small trees, mostly cedars; some rock digging / moving.
Tractor is 95 HP w/ FEL plumbed with WR Long 3rd function. Loader capacity is 2650# 32" forward of pivot.
In addition as to the style of grapple, I need advice on the following:
(1) Overall width: my front tires are 79" out to out. Does grapple need to be at least as wide as front tires?
(2) Lower tine thickness: Is 1/2" the minimum I need to consider?
(3) Weight: Is heavier necessarily better? Maybe more durable?
(4) Steel type: is high tensile strength preferred?
(5) Cylinders: Size / stroke recommendation?
(6) Gusseted tips: For strength reasons I suppose?
(7) Replaceble tips on lower tines: I have seen this on some units. Good or bad?
(8) Manufacturer: If $ were no object, I would buy an Anbo or a Bradco. Trying to keep the budget at 3K.
I have talked to one manufacturer that makes both styles and they recommended the "claw" stating that it would be the better choice and easier to operate for brush work.
Thanks in advance for any recommendations and advice.

Rocky Hoffler · Mar 5, 2015

Everything Attachments builds a lighter made grapple but is extremely strong giving you more lifting due to grapple being lighter your putting this on a fairly good size unit the style and clamps are a personal preference I think any style is good a lot better than no grapple I would get at least a 66 inch to 72 because of tractor size but some people like a narrow grapple to get up small stumps and such good luck in which ever style you decide on lets us know what you decide.

HCJtractor · Mar 5, 2015

coolnature said:
Getting ready to pull the trigger on a new grapple. Since I have never used one, I am completely in the dark as to what style to get. I have read several grapple threads on TBN and I have learned that there is no one design perfectly suited for all uses. My primary uses: raking, piling, moving brush; moving logs; uprooting small trees, mostly cedars; some rock digging / moving. Tractor is 95 HP w/ FEL plumbed with WR Long 3rd function. Loader capacity is 2650# 32" forward of pivot. In addition as to the style of grapple, I need advice on the following: (1) Overall width: my front tires are 79" out to out. Does grapple need to be at least as wide as front tires? (2) Lower tine thickness: Is 1/2" the minimum I need to consider? (3) Weight: Is heavier necessarily better? Maybe more durable? (4) Steel type: is high tensile strength preferred? (5) Cylinders: Size / stroke recommendation? (6) Gusseted tips: For strength reasons I suppose? (7) Replaceble tips on lower tines: I have seen this on some units. Good or bad? (8) Manufacturer: If $ were no object, I would buy an Anbo or a Bradco. Trying to keep the budget at 3K. I have talked to one manufacturer that makes both styles and they recommended the "claw" stating that it would be the better choice and easier to operate for brush work. Thanks in advance for any recommendations and advice.

You are going to get lots of opinions. Here is mine. Your tractor is larger than most who post here. Heavier, more powerful. Yet I think still most generalities apply. I have 70 horse, so not that smaller than yours. I use and abuse mine extensively, for exactly the same functions you want. In terms of strength, get main tines out of 1/2" steel. No need to get high strength steel. Next decision is width. If you dig and uproot, narrow is better than wider. The width of your tractor has nothing to do with it. Mine is 48". But perhaps go up to 60" max. I guarantee either of these widths will pick up piles of limbs bigger than you can imagine or see around. And a narrow one digs better. When uprooting a tree, the tines are used to dig under the root ball to pluck it out. An analogy is the shovel. Would you use a wide snow shovel to dig up a tree or a narrower spade? You cannot plunge a wider grapple deep into the soil like you can plunge a narrower one. The smaller one will focus the lift power of your FEL much more effectively. Some say the wider will pick up more or be better when "raking". I say this is not true. As far as the upper "thumb", on a 48", one is plenty. On a wider one, two is standard. Frankly, it really doesn't matter. Both work fine. As far as weight, I would say lighter is better, but it must be strong enough to hold up. 1/2" steel with proper construction and reinforcement is plenty. I think you could get a great one for $1500. Here is mine and a nice one made by WR Long. Also look at the recent build by "Hilbilly" documented on a thread titled "Re: Grapple---1 Lid or 2". It has good discussions. His is very nice and for your bigger tractor, could be beefed up a little. Also read everything here from IslandTractor. He knows his stuff

EverythingAttachments · Mar 5, 2015

Here's my pic for your tractor and price range.
The design like our Wicked Grapple, but it is built heavier for large tractors(like yours) and skid steers.
The best size is debatable, but I like the 66" on a tractor.
Travis

EverythingAttachments · Mar 5, 2015

Here are some pics of one on a pallet ready for shipping. It's definitely mean!!

coolnature · Mar 5, 2015

Thanks Rocky, HCJ and Ted. I agree that narrower is probably better than wider. I am sure the digging power is much greater with a narrower grapple. Now the question I have is this: which style will dig better provided both are the same width? Thanks

Industrial Toys · Mar 5, 2015

Yeah, I see no need to have a grapple be the width of the tires.

I wanted one that you could use more as a claw coming down form above. I mean, you can drive into something from the side, but I find the claw just works better for large stones, stumps, trees, brush and the like.

I got lucky. I friend spotted one in a super shopper magazine. A guy had bought a couple cheap at a Richey Bros Auction in the States and brought them up here to sell. Asked $1200.00 CASH.

That meant I could stop thinking about selecting, building or buying one and I needed one in a hurry. I did not consider it top quality and have seen some name brand ones that were badly mangled, but I have not managed to harm it in any way. It has suffered some abuse at my hands.

So, the ONLY thing I don't like about it, is that it has a single piece top grapple, and I find for long trees especially, a two independent top claw would be better.

One of the best things I ever got (and I already had a pallet fork style grapple already) that I kick myself that I didn't get one sooner!

SPYDERLK · Mar 5, 2015

HCJtractor said:
You are going to get lots of opinions. Here is mine. Your tractor is larger than most who post here. Heavier, more powerful. Yet I think still most generalities apply. I have 70 horse, so not that smaller than yours. I use and abuse mine extensively, for exactly the same functions you want. In terms of strength, get main tines out of 1/2" steel. No need to get high strength steel. Next decision is width. If you dig and uproot, narrow is better than wider. The width of your tractor has nothing to do with it. Mine is 48". But perhaps go up to 60" max. I guarantee either of these widths will pick up piles of limbs bigger than you can imagine or see around. And a narrow one digs better. When uprooting a tree, the tines are used to dig under the root ball to pluck it out. An analogy is the shovel. Would you use a wide snow shovel to dig up a tree or a narrower spade? You cannot plunge a wider grapple deep into the soil like you can plunge a narrower one. The smaller one will focus the lift power of your FEL much more effectively. Some say the wider will pick up more or be better when "raking". I say this is not true. As far as the upper "thumb", on a 48", one is plenty. On a wider one, two is standard. Frankly, it really doesn't matter. Both work fine. As far as weight, I would say lighter is better, but it must be strong enough to hold up. 1/2" steel with proper construction and reinforcement is plenty. I think you could get a great one for $1500. Here is mine and a nice one made by WR Long. Also look at the recent build by "Hilbilly" documented on a thread titled "Re: Grapple---1 Lid or 2". It has good discussions. His is very nice and for your bigger tractor, could be beefed up a little. Also read everything here from IslandTractor. He knows his stuff

View attachment 415177

View attachment 415178

This is a very good post. ... Truly factual, while those who disagree will err in calling it opinion. One issue -- hi strength steel appropriately placed is free money. A bulletproof construction will make you smile EVERY day. - As said, "lighter is better". High strength steel gives you a margin to use less, and eases bracing requirements. Pay for the design of an item tailored to its function -- not a kluge that substitutes extra metal for a need of focused strength.
larry

SPYDERLK · Mar 5, 2015

HCJtractor said:
You are going to get lots of opinions. Here is mine. Your tractor is larger than most who post here. Heavier, more powerful. Yet I think still most generalities apply. I have 70 horse, so not that smaller than yours. I use and abuse mine extensively, for exactly the same functions you want. In terms of strength, get main tines out of 1/2" steel. No need to get high strength steel. Next decision is width. If you dig and uproot, narrow is better than wider. The width of your tractor has nothing to do with it. Mine is 48". But perhaps go up to 60" max. I guarantee either of these widths will pick up piles of limbs bigger than you can imagine or see around. And a narrow one digs better. When uprooting a tree, the tines are used to dig under the root ball to pluck it out. An analogy is the shovel. Would you use a wide snow shovel to dig up a tree or a narrower spade? You cannot plunge a wider grapple deep into the soil like you can plunge a narrower one. The smaller one will focus the lift power of your FEL much more effectively. Some say the wider will pick up more or be better when "raking". I say this is not true. As far as the upper "thumb", on a 48", one is plenty. On a wider one, two is standard. Frankly, it really doesn't matter. Both work fine. As far as weight, I would say lighter is better, but it must be strong enough to hold up. 1/2" steel with proper construction and reinforcement is plenty. I think you could get a great one for $1500. Here is mine and a nice one made by WR Long. Also look at the recent build by "Hilbilly" documented on a thread titled "Re: Grapple---1 Lid or 2". It has good discussions. His is very nice and for your bigger tractor, could be beefed up a little. Also read everything here from IslandTractor. He knows his stuff

View attachment 415177

View attachment 415178

This is a very good post. ... Truly factual, while those who disagree will err in calling it opinion. One issue -- hi strength steel appropriately placed is free money. A bulletproof construction will make you smile EVERY day. - As said, "lighter is better". High strength steel gives you a margin to use less, and eases bracing requirements. Pay for the design of an item tailored to its function -- not a kluge that substitutes extra metal for a need of focused strength.
larry

HCJtractor · Mar 5, 2015

EverythingAttachments said:
Here's my pic for your tractor and price range. The design like our Wicked Grapple, but it is built heavier for large tractors(like yours) and skid steers. The best size is debatable, but I like the 66" on a tractor. Travis

That's a very nice looking grapple. It would serve your needs well. Here are pix of mine. Was quite a bit less $$ but certainly a little smaller and less beefy that the EA one. Regardless, the EA one has everything you are looking for, and they are a good reputable company.