The WICKED Root & Debris GRAPPLE!!!!!!!

[rswyan]

I'm sure that would work if backed up.

That's the key ...

I can tell ya - from personal experience - that 3/4" no. 9 raised expanded metal will bend fairly easily in this application unless properly supported/backstopped.

Figure on supporting it every 6" or so ...

The grating I favor would almost certainly withstand more abuse but would also block more view and is much more costly if purchased.

4 lb expanded metal grating is over double the weight per sq. ft. of the size I mentioned above, with a strand thickness that is not quite double.

Probably a good choice ... although ya could always go heavier ...

 

[PivotalConnections]

That's the key ...

I can tell ya - from personal experience - that 3/4" no. 9 raised expanded metal will bend fairly easily in this application unless properly supported/backstopped.

Figure on supporting it every 6" or so ...


4 lb expanded metal grating is over double the weight per sq. ft. of the size I mentioned above, with a strand thickness that is not quite double.

Probably a good choice ... although ya could always go heavier ...

Rswyan,

I had similar concerns (but not personal experience) that expanded metal may not be very strong against a stick coming straight at it with a lot of force. I doubled it up with one sheet 90 degrees rotated from the other to make the holes smaller and put supports every 4 inches or so (Except at the bottom where it was harder to add supports there. I don't have it on the back of my grapple yet (it gets delivered next week) but I did the grill guard on the front of my tractor. I don't have welding experience/equipment, so i did it all with bolts and clamps. The expanded metal is supported by square box steel which has 1/2" threaded rod through the center and through existing holes/slots in the guard on each side with washers/nuts on each side.

Hopefully this works.... It hasn't been tested yet so I don't know how it will fare. It has way less bend/bounce to the expanded metal than it did with only one layer and no additional supports. Hopefully its enough to protect against branches poking through.

Your post gave me some reassurance that buying the extra parts and doing the extra work was worth it over one sheet of expanded metal without the supports.

 

[lostcreekranch]

PC, looks familiar.

 

[IslandTractor]

Rswyan, I had similar concerns (but not personal experience) that expanded metal may not be very strong against a stick coming straight at it with a lot of force. I doubled it up with one sheet 90 degrees rotated from the other to make the holes smaller and put supports every 4 inches or so (Except at the bottom where it was harder to add supports there. I don't have it on the back of my grapple yet (it gets delivered next week) but I did the grill guard on the front of my tractor. I don't have welding experience/equipment, so i did it all with bolts and clamps. The expanded metal is supported by square box steel which has 1/2" threaded rod through the center and through existing holes/slots in the guard on each side with washers/nuts on each side. Hopefully this works.... It hasn't been tested yet so I don't know how it will fare. It has way less bend/bounce to the expanded metal than it did with only one layer and no additional supports. Hopefully its enough to protect against branches poking through. Your post gave me some reassurance that buying the extra parts and doing the extra work was worth it over one sheet of expanded metal without the supports. <img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=468202"/>

That looks great. Well supported by the grill guard. Ain't nothin gonna get through that except grass fuzz.

 

[rswyan]

Rswyan,

I had similar concerns (but not personal experience) that expanded metal may not be very strong against a stick coming straight at it with a lot of force. I doubled it up with one sheet 90 degrees rotated from the other to make the holes smaller and put supports every 4 inches or so (Except at the bottom where it was harder to add supports there. I don't have it on the back of my grapple yet (it gets delivered next week) but I did the grill guard on the front of my tractor. I don't have welding experience/equipment, so i did it all with bolts and clamps. The expanded metal is supported by square box steel which has 1/2" threaded rod through the center and through existing holes/slots in the guard on each side with washers/nuts on each side.

Hopefully this works.... It hasn't been tested yet so I don't know how it will fare. It has way less bend/bounce to the expanded metal than it did with only one layer and no additional supports. Hopefully its enough to protect against branches poking through.

Your post gave me some reassurance that buying the extra parts and doing the extra work was worth it over one sheet of expanded metal without the supports.

Yeah, that should help keep it from getting bent up.

The deformations I was referring to on the expanded metal on the grapple were probably caused by fairly large branches and limbs (3" to 4" in diameter) ... either from me driving into a large pile or just from the force generated by closing the jaw.

On the brush guard on our Kubota I used flattened expanded metal with a much thinner strand thickness ... but one which had a much smaller opening than what I used on the grapple. Since the openings were smaller, the overall amount of metal was fairly high, which made it pretty stiff. Still, it managed to get dented in at some point, in at least one spot ... didn't break or get punched through tho' ...

 

[JBROCKEY]

New to this forum today. Spoke with Travis earlier this morning about the Wicked Mega Grapple for my JD 5055E. Just wanted to say thanks to Travis and that I've learned a lot reading this lengthy post. Tell me again about single vs. dual lids...lol

 

[lostcreekranch]

The WICKED Root &amp; Debris GRAPPLE!!!!!!!

You need both dual and single lid. . Welcome to TBN, we will help you spend your money!

 

[IslandTractor]

Now you're just showing off!

 

[Mikejeakins]

New to this forum today. Spoke with Travis earlier this morning about the Wicked Mega Grapple for my JD 5055E. Just wanted to say thanks to Travis and that I've learned a lot reading this lengthy post. Tell me again about single vs. dual lids...lol

I've been looking at the 5055e. What extras did you get on it? Anything that you would change?

 

[JBROCKEY]

I've been looking at the 5055e. What extras did you get on it? Anything that you would change?

I bought it used 12 months ago. 2012 4 wheel drive model with 650 hours. I added a third function because I knew I'd be getting a grapple. It is in the shop now getting a second set of rear remotes for my Woods SG100 stump grinder I just bought.
After a dozen years on several CUTs, I'm very happy with the 5055. It is a beast by comparison and will do anything I will ever need. Not a lot of bells and whistles, just a sun shade. I upgraded because I cut 25 acres of mature pines and I'm putting in pasture. I needed the bigger tractor to handle the cleanup and stump grinding and all that goes with getting started with grass/hay and cows.