Do Any of You All Run Grapples From Rear Remotes?

[Old Red]

Was wondering how many of you run your grapple from your rear remotes? On my BX I have the 3rd function diverter valve. On my 5740 I am debating dropping the thousand bucks for the 3rd function....but then I was thinking maybe I would just use the rear remotes for now?

The 5740 will not be "grappling" much.

How much $ are hoses?

 

[rd_macgregor]

I have hydraulic hoses running from my rear remotes up to the FEL to power my grapple and hydraulic auger. I would prefer to have more rear remotes and one set dedicated to the FEL...but cost and sloth have inhibited me from making that modification.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I did for about 3.2 minutes!

When I realized, if I was going to get anything done with any decent speed working with MY grapple, I needed the control of it MUCH more handy that using my rear remotes...

So now, years later, I don't feel the sting of spending the money to do it right, at all!

SR

 

[newbury]

<snip>but cost and sloth have inhibited me from making that modification.

cost and sloth

I like that!

 

[k0ua]

I do. It works fine for me because the rear remote lever is "handy" and it was low cost. I had about $150 in hoses and couplers. Don't forget you will want a set of couplings at the center so you can still take off your loader without removing your hoses.

 

[Gordon Gould]

I ran my grapple for years from the rear remotes. I did not find it that problematic especially for occasional use or where you have a lot of travel time between grab and dump. My FEL control lever is pretty high and sometimes I would reach across with my left hand to control that while my right hand controlled the remote at my right thigh. Very doable, but having a one hand control is much better for more than occasional use or working tight quarters where grab/dump cycles are quick.

gg

 

[LouNY]

Yes, I use a rear remote for my grapple and my FEL blade. It works just fine for me.

 

[k0ua]

I think the key takeaway here as some of us are doing fine with our rear remotes control lever and some of us didn't care for the way it operates is that some of the remote levers are easy to reach and some are not. On mine, it was OK in its stock configuration, but I lengthened it 4 inches and now I can keep my hand on the main joystick and still operate the remote lever with fingers. You can read about that mode below if you like.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...ion-control-valve-lever.html?highlight=remote

 

[sawyer andy]

It should be illegal its so painfully slow

 

[k0ua]

It should be illegal its so painfully slow

That would be incorrect. If your operating handle is convenient to use (like mine) it works very well, very rapidly and very conveniently. If your operating valve handle is inconvenient to use, I would see you point. But don't make generalizations, some of us are getting along very well with ours, and see no reason to change to any other method.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

It's hard to be more convenient than having it all in ONE joy stick and that's how mine is...

ALL loader/joy stick control, is in my hand at my finger tips, I don't even have to take my hand off the joy stick to operate either one...

That's just about perfect for precisely loading logs where I want them and other jobs I do with my grapple almost daily...

SR

 

[k0ua]

It's hard to be more convenient than having it all in ONE joy stick and that's how mine is...

ALL loader/joy stick control, is in my hand at my finger tips, I don't even have to take my hand off the joy stick to operate either one...

That's just about perfect for precisely loading logs where I want them and other jobs I do with my grapple almost daily...

SR

No doubt, that is the most convenient, and in your case of needing the tractor/grapple for everyday use is likely the best choice for you. However for some of use that use the grapple every few days or even weeks, and are concerned about costs, the rear remote can be quite convenient and useful. Provided it comes to hand easily. If it was down by my side or some such as many tractors are it would be a real PITA and I would have sprung for all the extra cost of an electric/hydraulic valve and joystick button, and a 3rd function tap in. But my total cost was about 150 for hoses and couplers, and a few dollars for that joystick extension I made up. End result for ME, this is working great. Might not be great for everyone.

 

[ericm979]

I couldn't decide between diverter and true 3rd function by the time the grapple arrived so I connected it to a spare remote. It's on the fender close to the loader joystick but not quite close enough to operate with my hand still on the loader control. It's not as bad as I thought it would be. If I was using the factory remotes whose levers are down below the seat I'd probably hate it and have switched to something better already.

 

[sd455dan]

It should be illegal its so painfully slow

Really ? Mine works fast enough to slam the grapple open if necessary... It is also nice to put the valve in float after closing for easy 0 pressure line disconnection

 

[Old Red]

I just don't want to add another grand to the purchase at the moment. The grapple I currently own is sized for the lil BX 23s so I won't use this much on the big tractor, but still want to use it if I need it, so using the rear remotes makes sense for me.

 

[ericm979]

I thought I'd be putting the grapple on for specific work but it's so useful that I leave it on all the time and only swap to bucket or forks when I have a specific need.

You can put together a diverter or 3rd function system yourself for a lot less than $1k. There's kits that cost about half that and you can find the components yourself for less.

 

[Old Red]

I thought I'd be putting the grapple on for specific work but it's so useful that I leave it on all the time and only swap to bucket or forks when I have a specific need.

You can put together a diverter or 3rd function system yourself for a lot less than $1k. There's kits that cost about half that and you can find the components yourself for less.

Oh, cool. I need to look into that.

And I know what you mean, my grapple stays on the BX 100% of the time.

 

[MHarryE]

Used my L5740 for 3 years that way but when I traded for a L6060 I went with third function. I had also added a front blade to my equipment and it was a lot handier. Would never have added the expense of the third function if I didn't have a lot of use. Grapple was okay but plowing snow I am frequently tweaking blade angle.

 

[k0ua]

Used my L5740 for 3 years that way but when I traded for a L6060 I went with third function. I had also added a front blade to my equipment and it was a lot handier. Would never have added the expense of the third function if I didn't have a lot of use. Grapple was okay but plowing snow I am frequently tweaking blade angle.

I don't think anyone would disagree that a good 3rd function installation with controls on the joystick is the ultimate in convenience and likely a must for a high volume user, but for those of us that happen to have a conveniently located SCV remote control or we can make it more convenient, and have less intense usage needs, the practice of using a rear remote is a good low cost compromise. $150 got my grapple up and running and it works perfectly for my usage.

 

[Old Red]

Used my L5740 for 3 years that way but when I traded for a L6060 I went with third function. I had also added a front blade to my equipment and it was a lot handier. Would never have added the expense of the third function if I didn't have a lot of use. Grapple was okay but plowing snow I am frequently tweaking blade angle.

was there a reason you traded the 5740 in for the 6060?