PT 54" grapple bucket vs the 29" utility grapple which to buy??

[m5040]

For the record, I went with the grapple bucket. It is working out great and seems well made. I weighed it and found it to be 370 lbs. The shipping weight on the utility grapple was 380 lbs, so basically the same. Terry at Power Trac stressed that the utility grapple will bend if you try to crush with it and by looking at it's flat design I can see it bending if abused. The 1430 model grapple bucket seems more forgiving being it has a hyd cyl on each side and four bushings across the top shaft to keep it in alignment. Terry did say not to crush things with it also. Time will tell.

 

[MossRoad]

Yeah, PT isn't exactly known for its soft, forgiving hydraulics! :laughing:

Always have to keep in mind how easy it is to do the PT pucker with either too much weight on the FEL or jamming an attachment under something, like forks in the dirt, bucket under a log, etc... They are strong! :thumbsup:

 

[joshlee]

The 425 does pucker easily! That little machine was a lifting fool The hydraulics on my 1430 tank out before it puckers, unless a long attachment is on, like the mini hoe. A boom pole would probably make it pucker too.

 

[m5040]

Probably because that diesel engine works as a good counterweight. Come to think of it, I haven't had the rear end lift off the ground yet on mine, but haven't used a chain or pallet forks to lift anything heavy.

 

[joshlee]

Yeah, that extra weight is probably the reason.

On that utility grapple you seen, did it look like the one in the ,Attachments for Other Equipment, picture on the Power Trac website? Their website has type styles of the utility grapple. I think I like the look of that one better, the one in the Attachments for other equipment.

 

[woodlandfarms]

Every blue moon I will get an 1850 pucker. Generally I am in a downhill mode anyway.

 

[m5040]

It was like the one in the attached picture. I think with PT you never know what you are going to get because they don't update their pictures to the latest/greatest version.
When I tested out the demo PT180 the loader bucket had an angled top and no bucket level indicator. The one I purchased that day had a flat top that matched the angle of the cutting edge, a much better way to make it as it allows you to judge what your cutting edge angle is by looking at the top of the bucket.
When I was deciding between the utility grapple or grapple bucket, the pictures of the grapple bucket all seemed to have one hyd cylinder. The one I bought has one on each side.

 

[joshlee]

I guess I would have to go down and take a look at it myself, because this picture I put on here is the utility grapple that looks heavier built than the one in the picture with the PT-1430 holding the big log. It's amazing that this thing weighs well over 300 pounds! I never would have guessed that by the picture.

I'll take a run down there soon, because I also want to look at those custom trailers they have for the 1430. Also, would like to look at that 10 ton tree shear.

 

[m5040]

Only the top jaw looks heavier to me and there lies the problem if you use the jaws to clamp or pinch with the tips the bottom jaw might bend.

I guess most of the weight comes from the fact that it is all made out of thick/flat steel. It must all be 1/2" or better. It they would box it in a little the strength would go up, but the beauty of its flat design is using it for brush and how easy it is to slid under the pile.

 

[joshlee]

Yeah, I know what your saying, because I was thinking about buying it and reinforcing it. If that were done though, the attachment would lose it s niche for sliding under brush.

Let us know how your grapple bucket works out for ya. This is a nice time of the year for cutting brush.