Root Grapple vs Rock Grapple Help

[StAngerSandman]

Ok, I'm 100% sure I need a grapple. Lots of things that I know I will need to do clearing brush, etc.

I am confused about the multiple types of grapples, and if I am overthinking this (likely am). I know for certain that a lot of the clearing that I need to do is brush, roots, etc. I also have a lot of large rocks (think 6-8" rocks) that I need to clear from parts of the property. I had considered buying a rock bucket to slide along and grab these, but they are not cheap.

That led me to looking at a grapple with a bottom that is closely spaced tines, like the rock grapple below.

However, it seems most people (particularly purchasing the EA grapples) seem to gravitate to the root grapple, where the tines are spaced out more. This seems great for saving weight, but won't accomplish some of what I was hoping to do with this grapple.

I guess this is a long winded way of saying: Is there really a reason (outside of extra weight) that the root grapple is better than the rock grapple bottom? If I get the rock type, would those closer tines have any issues tearing out roots? Seems like they would do the same thing the others do, just likely a little more load by being further together?

I have a Mahindra 2555 tractor, with 3122 lifting capacity to full height per tractordata. Haven't used it enough to test that, but that makes me think a little extra weight on the grapple itself isn't going to be a huge factor for me. 3rd function is already installed.

Any other thoughts? Really want to buy one this week and have it here soon, wife and I took advantage of the 50 degree day today to walk the property, and we are both excited to get going on this, and see why a grapple will make much shorter work of a lot of our initial clean up.

Thanks to all!

Sandman

 

[Cat_Driver]

I've had a few grapples so here is my .02.
Get the grapple that fits your tractor - BY WEIGHT. If you get a grapple too heavy then you can't lift a good size load. I bought a grapple based on durability and when I got it it was so heavy for my tractor I could hardly lift anything with it. I got gid of the tractor and went with a track loader and that solved that problem.

The next grapple I got was based on weight to my tractor and that now has caused a different set of problems. Because it's "light" it is bending out of shape in many ways. The tines are bending, the claw is bent etc. and I'm only lifting the brush. Very dissatisfies with this lightweight grapple.

Next advice I would give, get the tines as close as possible min 2" apart this way you can capture rocks to 2" and above along with any type of logs brush etc - but there again this will add weight sooooooo you need to decide what's more important to you. Lifting capacity or capture capacity or durability. Sadly they don't make a lightweight bulletproof close tine grapple.

Yes a root grapple will tear out roots as this is performed by the points on the grapple once they dig in you lift.

 

[oosik]

I looked a both - rock & root. There is no way on God's green earth that ANY type/size grapple will rip out the roots I have. All I have on the 80 acres is ancient Ponderosa pines. Besides - I have no desire to remove/eliminate any of them.

I use my grapple to move VERY large rocks and chunks of Ponderosa pine( die from bark beetle). I choose a very heavy duty rock grapple. It's the Land Price SGC 1560. It weighs 820#. No matter what I lift - it never gets more than 6" off the ground. This gives me around 3200# MAX lift capacity.

I don't think Land Pride makes this exact grapple any more.

Look at the load lift charts in your FEL OP manual. How high do you plan on lifting and how much weight. What is listed for your FEL under the general spec is, more or less, at an industry accepted height. The load lift charts will give you much more specific capacities. I will lift to greater heights but only with limbs collected from downed pines.

My rock grapple collects, grabs, lifts & transports limbs just fine. Not as good as a root grapple would but a root grapple would wither trying to dig & lift out large( size of an office desk) rocks. I occasionally use the grapple to rip out brush.

A caution here - no matter what you end up purchasing - modify your grill guard. Stobs, sticks, roots, etc will damage your grill, radiator and battery without added protection.

View attachment 640864View attachment 640865

 

[ovrszd]

Interesting topic. Much discussed.

I'd always choose a root grapple. I think it has more versatility.

 

[ns_in_tex]

Another option which might work for you with a root grapple. We added a 12" removeable steel plate to clean up roof shingle debris to top & bottom jaws. Since then we leave the bottom plate on 95% of the time and top plate off so we can still back rake. We find it is much more versatile with the one plate on. Only when we want to get underground roots, do we take it off (4 ea 1/2" bolts). With both on, we can handle large loads of dirt and with only one on we can handle smaller loads of dirt, as well as grade, clean off any area of small debris or use it as a small dozer.

We suggested this to EA years ago, but they have not seemed to run with it.

We built our root grapple more than 15 years ago. Our Kubota now has 3700 hours on it, with a large portion using this grapple. For the last 5 years, we make several trips per year volunteering with tornado disaster relief clean up, 1 to 3 weeks at a time.

Link to a thread we posted in 2004.
https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/43470-neals-root-rake-grapple-1.html
Sorry, don't have pictures on this computer of the added 12" plates.

Another thing. It seems most people think a wider mouth opening is better. We agree, although ours has a 64" opening, so this is all I have experience with. Have not seen any this large. Don't know why the others don't come up with it.

 

[LouNY]

I have a rock bucket with a grapple.
It does work in soft well worked up dirt,
you have to shove it into the dirt and under the rock to grapple it,
then shake the dirt out, it the dirt is cloddy you end up carrying a lot of dirt.
To pick up a rock or log on top of the ground you have to curl your bucket down and past vertical
then start shut the grapple while working the curl otherwise the grapple teeth will not close on your load to carry it.
If I was buying another one I'd get one similar to what Oosik has or a similar root/brush style.

 

[kenmac]

I've had a few grapples so here is my .02.
Get the grapple that fits your tractor - BY WEIGHT. If you get a grapple too heavy then you can't lift a good size load. I bought a grapple based on durability and when I got it it was so heavy for my tractor I could hardly lift anything with it. I got gid of the tractor and went with a track loader and that solved that problem.

The next grapple I got was based on weight to my tractor and that now has caused a different set of problems. Because it's "light" it is bending out of shape in many ways. The tines are bending, the claw is bent etc. and I'm only lifting the brush. Very dissatisfies with this lightweight grapple.

Next advice I would give, get the tines as close as possible min 2" apart this way you can capture rocks to 2" and above along with any type of logs brush etc - but there again this will add weight sooooooo you need to decide what's more important to you. Lifting capacity or capture capacity or durability. Sadly they don't make a lightweight bulletproof close tine grapple.

Yes a root grapple will tear out roots as this is performed by the points on the grapple once they dig in you lift.

Exactly why I bought an EA. it's the lightest / strongest grapple you can buy.
I used mine to reclaim a 7 acre pasture. From digging out large rocks to back dragging pulling out roots and trees
The EA grapple handled everything I and my MX 5100 could throw at it.
Just for kicks, I also use it on my CX105 HP McCormick

 

[StAngerSandman]

I've had a few grapples so here is my .02.
Get the grapple that fits your tractor - BY WEIGHT. If you get a grapple too heavy then you can't lift a good size load. I bought a grapple based on durability and when I got it it was so heavy for my tractor I could hardly lift anything with it. I got gid of the tractor and went with a track loader and that solved that problem.

The next grapple I got was based on weight to my tractor and that now has caused a different set of problems. Because it's "light" it is bending out of shape in many ways. The tines are bending, the claw is bent etc. and I'm only lifting the brush. Very dissatisfies with this lightweight grapple.

Next advice I would give, get the tines as close as possible min 2" apart this way you can capture rocks to 2" and above along with any type of logs brush etc - but there again this will add weight sooooooo you need to decide what's more important to you. Lifting capacity or capture capacity or durability. Sadly they don't make a lightweight bulletproof close tine grapple.

Yes a root grapple will tear out roots as this is performed by the points on the grapple once they dig in you lift.

This is kind of what I have been thinking. Having the tines close together (I was thinking 4" apart?) would be ideal, so I can scoop up the bigger rocks, etc., but leave as much dirt as possible. These larger 12" plus openings don't help in any way with the rock scooping, so I would end up needing a separate rock bucket...

I'm not sure if this is a situation where I should buy a rock bucket and a grapple separately (more money and more stuff to store) or get a grapple that will do both. I'm pretty sure I'll be happy ether way once I get going...

 

[StAngerSandman]

I have a rock bucket with a grapple.
It does work in soft well worked up dirt,
you have to shove it into the dirt and under the rock to grapple it,
then shake the dirt out, it the dirt is cloddy you end up carrying a lot of dirt.
To pick up a rock or log on top of the ground you have to curl your bucket down and past vertical
then start shut the grapple while working the curl otherwise the grapple teeth will not close on your load to carry it.
If I was buying another one I'd get one similar to what Oosik has or a similar root/brush style.

Looking at your bucket, I saw a couple like that and thought that the teeth front wouldn't dig as well as as the multiple tines on the one I pictured above.... It seems like that might help some of the things you mention, but I do think having 20 or so tines vs 12 will be harder to dig through the ground and root structures, but not insanely more difficult. I'm strongly leaning toward the MTL RK5 right now, trying to finalize the decision.

 

[JohnnyMX]

Have a W.R. Long grapple that has longer straight lower base with two clamshells. That thing is great for grabbing debris and hauling building materials or things you want to stack up on the jaws. When doing my food plot I had a ton of rocks. I was able to get out the large rocks no issues but the "smaller" stuff fell through. I didn't realize at the time and my dealer never told me they had an option to provide twice the set of lower jaws. I think that would grab anything in the 4-6" range which my tiller would have appreciated. I was also trying to seperate my rocks out of the mix by shaking the grapple.

I may weld something up myself but that seemed like a nice option.