Is A Stump Bucket Grapple A Capable Brush Handler?

[Yellow Fly Fish Camp]

Hey y'all. I'm getting my list of must have attachments together and I'm trying to not have a stump bucket and a grapple. My place is a fire managed pine stand so there is less brush and more stumps but obviously still some brush. The question is, am I asking too much of a stump bucket grapple to clear and stack brush on the slash pile?

Thanks in advance.

 

[4570Man]

I’m sure it would pick up a dead fall tree trunk fine but brush tends to get broken up in a lot of pieces. It’s going to be junk for raking up and moving little pieces.

 

[Yellow Fly Fish Camp]

I’m sure it would pick up a dead fall tree trunk fine but brush tends to get broken up in a lot of pieces. It’s going to be junk for raking up and moving little pieces.

Yeah, I was afraid of that. I use and landscape rake to break up duff and clean up worked areas but that would be an extra step.

 

[Xfaxman]

How about this? stump bucket with grapple - Image Search

 

[MossRoad]

I’d like to add a grapple finger to my pallet forks. I’ve seen grapple forks before, and they look extremely handy.

 

[oosik]

Xfaxman - are those stump bucket grapples designed for subcompact tractors or a unit like your Bobcat V417? Those might put a healthy strain on the subcompact FEL and hydraulics. Just asking.....

 

[mikester]

I find my root rake is handy when used as a dozer to push libs into a pile and grab the whole pile in one shot. Stump buckets are narrow and would be better at grabbing onsies-twosies i.e. grab "a" log or grap "a" root ball. A root bucket grapple wouldn't work for me and what I do.

FYI I have a set of powered forks. I can pick multiple root balls and larger roots than I can with my root rake. A thumb on these forks would be handy for grabbing piles of logs.

 

[oosik]

My Land Pride grapple is called - rock and root. In all my years out here - 40+ - I've only had two root balls. Trees that died and the wind pushed them over. I cut the trunks into appropriate size chunks and moved them to my burn pile. I left the root balls where they were. I occasionally have to fall dead trees - pine bark beetle. I cut them down - cut the trunk to size - move to my burn pile. I leave the stump right where it was. These are all out - well beyond my yard. Mother Nature will take care of the stumps.

 

[Yellow Fly Fish Camp]

How about this? stump bucket with grapple - Image Search

Yes, Xfaxman, that's the attachment I'm asking about. Does anyone have any experience clearing brush with one?

 

[Xfaxman]

Xfaxman - are those stump bucket grapples designed for subcompact tractors

The light duty ones are.

or a unit like your Bobcat V417?

The heavy duty ones are.

Those might put a healthy strain on the subcompact FEL and hydraulics. Just asking.....

Right. Good point.

 

[2manyrocks]

Another option to consider might be a tree puller if the goal is to remove one tree at a time and dispose of it.

MTL X Series Tree Fence Post Puller Skid Steer Attachment — MTL Attachments

MTL Attachments NEW 2020 X-Series Tree and Post Puller The MTL Attachments Tree Puller is an excellent tool for removing trees and shrubs when the roots need to be pulled out. The serrated teeth lock onto the base of the tree, then pry or pull roots and all from the ground, shake the dirt out of

www.mtlattachments.com

Another option would be a rear mounted tree puller for the three point hitch plus a grapple for the FEL. There are some discussion threads here on rear mounted tree pullers, but for some reason, people seem to be limited in their thinking that FEL attachments are their only option???

Fork mounted stump/tree puller

Tried searching and couldnt find exactly what I've been invisioning in my head but I was thinking about making a notched V thick piece of plate steel welded in between two chunks of tube steel so I can slide this on and off my forks when it is needed, which I've seen done before but I thought if...

www.tractorbynet.com

 

[Smokeydog]

Hard to beat a long bottom grapple for debris and limb pickup. Dual lid. Trying to get motivated to clear limbs in the driveway from last evening storm.
Danuser Intimdator my stump, tree puller attachment of choice. Can move live stacks of stem long wise pretty good. Just not a good raker.
Fortunately trees here grow fast but rot away fast too. Stacking debris on stumps helps to rot them loose.

 

[5030]

I’d like to add a grapple finger to my pallet forks. I’ve seen grapple forks before, and they look extremely handy.

Mossy... What I did because I needed a grapple to move brush and limbs to the burn pile, is I added a grapple to the top of one of my FEL buckets, the upper section only. I did it so it's removable via 2 pins so it I want it off. it's an easy matter to remove it. Works very well for sequestering brush and limbs in the bucket.

 

[Yellow Fly Fish Camp]

Another option to consider might be a tree puller if the goal is to remove one tree at a time and dispose of it.

MTL X Series Tree Fence Post Puller Skid Steer Attachment — MTL Attachments

MTL Attachments NEW 2020 X-Series Tree and Post Puller The MTL Attachments Tree Puller is an excellent tool for removing trees and shrubs when the roots need to be pulled out. The serrated teeth lock onto the base of the tree, then pry or pull roots and all from the ground, shake the dirt out of

www.mtlattachments.com

Another option would be a rear mounted tree puller for the three point hitch plus a grapple for the FEL. There are some discussion threads here on rear mounted tree pullers, but for some reason, people seem to be limited in their thinking that FEL attachments are their only option???

Fork mounted stump/tree puller

Tried searching and couldnt find exactly what I've been invisioning in my head but I was thinking about making a notched V thick piece of plate steel welded in between two chunks of tube steel so I can slide this on and off my forks when it is needed, which I've seen done before but I thought if...

www.tractorbynet.com

I'll take a look at those. That's a really great option. Thanks. I may even put a thumb on my bucket instead of a grapple since I really don't have THAT much brush.

Yeah, as a noob here, I've notice the propensity to go straight to the front of the tractor for a solution when the machine was obviously meant to primarily carry and pull weight on the rear. Coincidentally, that's really some of my hang up on a root rake style grapple; I can rake better from the 3 point, right?

 

[Yellow Fly Fish Camp]

Mossy... What I did because I needed a grapple to move brush and limbs to the burn pile, is I added a grapple to the top of one of my FEL buckets, the upper section only. I did it so it's removable via 2 pins so it I want it off. it's an easy matter to remove it. Works very well for sequestering brush and limbs in the bucket.

See, I like this. I can add a mount to pallet forks and maybe a stump bucket in the future if I need it and use the same grapple lid between them. That's thinkin'!

 

[5030]

See, I like this. I can add a mount to pallet forks and maybe a stump bucket in the future if I need it and use the same grapple lid between them. That's thinkin'!

Do a 'Goggle' search for add on grapples and they will come up. I've had mine for at least 7 years now and I believe I paid less than 500 bucks for it, delivery included. Like I said, I have it on one of my FEL buckets (I own more than one bucket) mounted on the top with a set of pi9ns so it's quickly removeable and you could weld ears on your pallet forks and mount one as well.

I fabbed up 4 ears drilled them for pins and welded them to the top of the bucket. Real easy modification.

You will need a 3rd function and hydraulic fittings out front to operate it however. Being the frugal person I am, I just ran a pair of hoses under the floor to the rear remotes and use the remotes to actuate the grapple. I have 3 sets of remotes on my tractors so no big deal. I did make it so I could remove the FEL and leave the hoses intact with a set of hydraulic fittings that break the hoses at the loader frame.

 

[Yellow Fly Fish Camp]

Do a 'Goggle' search for add on grapples and they will come up. I've had mine for at least 7 years now and I believe I paid less than 500 bucks for it, delivery included. Like I said, I have it on one of my FEL buckets (I own more than one bucket) mounted on the top with a set of pi9ns so it's quickly removeable and you could weld ears on your pallet forks and mount one as well.

The Thumb - Add-on Grapple Attachments

 

[2manyrocks]

I'll take a look at those. That's a really great option. Thanks. I may even put a thumb on my bucket instead of a grapple since I really don't have THAT much brush.

Yeah, as a noob here, I've notice the propensity to go straight to the front of the tractor for a solution when the machine was obviously meant to primarily carry and pull weight on the rear. Coincidentally, that's really some of my hang up on a root rake style grapple; I can rake better from the 3 point, right?

You can clear up a lot with a simple set of add on forks for your bucket. The add on grapple just helps you keep material from falling off while transporting material.

A dedicated grapple has the advantage of your being able to see through the gaps in the tines to see what's going on with what you are trying to move. You can't see through a tractor bucket.

There are different types of grapples and tooth configurations that have advantages and disadvantages to each style--clam shell vs long bottom, for example.

The issue with raking using the FEL is the potential for damaging loader cylinder rods, especially if they are fully extended when raking. IMO, a grapple is most safely used for moving already loose material--not trying to rake or push it loose using the FEL. The leeway for safety probably increases with the size of tractor, but I guess the temptation to go too far may increase as well.

If you are raking up pine straw, then I'd go with a rear rake on the three point hitch. It's possible to rake up some smaller sticks as well, but it's possible to break rear rake tines if they get hung on a stump or rock. The disadvantage of the rear rake is the material tends to bunch up and/or roll off making it harder to move it over a longer distance than using a grapple or bucket.

Not sure if I'm helping here or not. If you could give more details on what you are dealing with, then maybe we could come up with more helpful suggestions.

 

[5030]

The Thumb - Add-on Grapple Attachments

What I bought and added to the top of one of my buckets so it will 'sequester' all the limbs and not strew them all over. Works very well and much less expensive that a grapple too.

 

[4570Man]

Mossy... What I did because I needed a grapple to move brush and limbs to the burn pile, is I added a grapple to the top of one of my FEL buckets, the upper section only. I did it so it's removable via 2 pins so it I want it off. it's an easy matter to remove it. Works very well for sequestering brush and limbs in the bucket.

I got a demolition bucket included with my last skid steer purchase. I put it on to move some brush and I was immediately disappointed with how bad it is compared to my regular grapple. It should’ve been a tooth bucket for one thing but the solid bottom that you can’t see through is significant disadvantage.