Help deciding on a grapple.

[In.the.Piñons]

I would like to purchase a grapple for my 100 horse tractor. There appears to be a ton of styles/brands/sizes out there.

I'd like to get something useful for the following tasks.

Moving & loading old house building material like bricks, roof tiles, pallets, wood off cuts, old and rotten telephone poles & fence poles. Basically cleaning up from when the house was built. This is pretty much a one time task that I could mostly do by loading my current bucket by hand if I had too.

Moving & loading large trees/logs (old growth Pinion some up to 2-3ft diameter).

Moving bucked and split fire wood. I have about 10 loose cords laying about that I want to get off the ground and dump into IBC totes or relocate onto pallets. I'll always have more split wood that I have totes, so this will be an on going job.

Clearing and dumping sage brush from my fields, similar to what this gentlemen is doing (see video link below, clearing starts @ 5:00).

So from what I can gather a rock grapple (with removable side plates) would be best to cover these tasks? Something like the stinger in the video below? If so, what would be the best size to get? My tractor is 7ft wide with a 84" bucket. I'm guessing a wide grapple (the same width as the tractor) would be nice when clearing sage brush. However, when loading stuff into my dump trailer (7x14x4ft) I would always have to go over the side as the grapple would be too wide to f it inside the trailer from behind (with the barn doors open). Not that you could get the grapple very far into the trailer, from behind anyway.

What about brands? The stinger (depending on size) is a little more than I wanted to spend. CDI or Stout? Budget is $3K +/-

 

[nyone]

Express steel and tomahawlk both make quality USA built grapples that are strong enough for a large machine like yours. I would definitely be looking for smaller slots in the bottom like the one your showing here. They do make them with a solid bottom too.

 

[IXLR8]

I just bought a MTL Grapple, stout and a reasonable price.

 

[Torvy]

CID is great. It is affordable, strong and light. You can also add options like cylinder guards. Here's mine mounted on my 574.

In general, with grapple usually you get a little more narrow than tractor. They are going to hold 2X their width (or more). Weight is your enemy. It also helps when negotiating smaller spaces. Hard to tell from the photo, but mine is about 6" under tractor width.

 

[jumpin]

I find my ANBO rock rake / grapple everything I need for my JD 5065E. It has lasted without structural issues for 11 years. If you want a grapple that holds your load securely, get an ANBO with their 3,000 psi cylinders. Nothing slips out or wiggles loose. Definitely in the "buy once, cry once" category. Probably overkill if you only need to pick up small sticks and leaves.

Tractor and Skid Steer Attachments | ANBO Manufacturing

We offer high-quality, USA-made grapple rakes, snow blades, dozer blades, rock buckets, ground planers and more! Browse our tractor and skid steer attachments.

www.anbomfg.com

 

[HawkinsHollow]

I have the smallest single lid grapple MTL makes and I have no complaints. I was able to go pick it up which helped save on shipping. I really think you can't go wrong on a grapple for a tractor that big. For smaller ones you need to balance weight with durability. With a 100 hp tractor that is not an issue. You are going to love your new grapple, whatever you choose. Game changer!!!

 

[JeepHead]

72" Vertical Extreme Grapple

Shop 72" Vertical Extreme Grapple for your skid steer. Built for durability and performance. Get the best 72" Vertical Extreme Grapple online today!

expresssteelinc.com

 

[Lineman North Florida]

I use an MTL grapple on my skid steer and when I say use I mean use hard and it hasn't missed a beat in the 3 years that I have had it, think it was about $ 2300.00, it's very well built.

 

[Jstpssng]

I've had an MTL for about 6 years and it's my most used implement. At the time they offered free shipping.

 

[arrow]

From what you’re describing, your best bet would be a root grapple with a decent tine shelf length for the things you anticipate to scoop and carry. Root grapples are built stronger for earth engagement.
A common mistake I see is to get a grapple too wide.
Do not look at it as a bucket trying to cover tire width.
A narrower grapple will snake under things better and have more pounds per square inch penetration capability.
You have a strong tractor and I would not skimp in pricing.
A 5’ will serve you nicely

Extreme Root Grapple Rake Attachment | Titan Attachments

This extreme-duty SSQA root grapple rake has powerful lifting capabilities and a rock-solid grip.

palletforks.com

 

[Rvrrat14]

I have an Armstrong Ag 64” on my Yanmar YM347. It is heavy and well built. It, by far, if my favorite implement. Moving brush and trees is a breeze. Don’t know where you’re located, but Armstrong is in Brenham, TX. Within your budget.

 

[Torvy]

I wouldn't buy anything from that pallet forks dot com site.

They are a Chinese importer and use an address in TN to sound legit. They sullied the name of Titan Equipment so badly that they changed their name to Ironcraft.

Literally the last place I would buy anything, and I am cheap.

‐‐------

Agree 100% on the type of grapple needed. The clamshell style has its benefits, but the root style is better for logs, imho. I often use mine to hold logs level at waist height and cut them to length.

 

[JeepHead]

I have the Homestead Implements Pinnacle series root grapple with clam shell. It's a beast of a grapple that I use mostly for logging and cutting firewood and it works very well for that. I have carried some heftt logs out of the woods with it and then hold the logs at the splitter so I can cut to firewood size. I also use it to clear thick overgrowth around the property and it works amazing for rooting into the ground and digging stuff up. No regrets choosing his grapple.

Pinnacle Series Root Grapple - Rugged, American-Made Grapples

Discover the Pinnacle Series Root Grapples, perfect for clearing large limbs, dead trees, and boulders. Available in multiple sizes and colors for Cat-1 tractors. Order now for reliable land maintenance.

www.homesteadimplements.com

 

[M59]

I would like to purchase a grapple for my 100 horse tractor. There appears to be a ton of styles/brands/sizes out there.

What about brands? The stinger (depending on size) is a little more than I wanted to spend. CDI or Stout? Budget is $3K +/-

I purchased a 72" Bradco root rake in 2016 for $4,600 for the M59 TLB which has a 75" track width because I want the grapple to pick up everything in the tractors path so I don't run over what I want to remove. I scale at 10K+ lbs with loaded tires, grapple and backhoe.

I think your budget is light for a 105 gross hp tractor weighing somewhere between 5,700 to 7,700 lbs.

For gathering brush, debris, trash, you want the widest possible opening to grasp the greatest amount in am single bite, particularly with cleaning split wood of the ground. I've attached the Bradco spec below.

Second pic is Siberian Elm with my hand to give some idea of log size. Third is saw logs. Forth is mouth full of rocks. Last pic is moving tree tops. ps. I have no idea why images posted in reverse order.

 

[sd455dan]

My 2 cents, a flat bottom L grapple 65-70" wide. Fan of non tied tines, easier to penetrate a slash pile or do construction clean up. The flat bottoms allow wood or other material stacking.
I have a round tine model that the tines can be replaced or removed for picking up large square bales. Extensions can be slid over as well to increase the length so even more debris can be carried.
Also like that it is solid backed so nothing will be jammed into the Grille.


I Like the Faver grapples if I was looking for a slightly different grapple than what I have now.

 

[jwmorris]

I prefer a solid plate like in #7 if branches and such are on the "to do" list. More difficult for them to contact the tractor if they have to go through plate steel first.

 

[In.the.Piñons]

Thanks for all the replies, photos and suggestions.

My biggest problem right now is finding anyone that has one in stock. I'm expecting a call back on a MTL demolition/rock grapple tomorrow. It's a little narrower than I'd prefer (80 vs 84") but ordering anything is going to be a 6 week wait (which IME usually turns into a 12 week wait).

I'm not going to use this grapple to dig into the ground. I just want to be able to pickup stuff that's on the ground (firewood/uprooting sage brush/picking up windfall), in the same footprint of the tractor (7ft).

The MTL grapple I'm looking at is about 1000lbs and made from 1/2" thick 50,000psi steel (I believe, but will have to verify). Is that still too light duty for my Kubota M5?

 

[1 Old Man]

I have the Homestead Implements Pinnacle series root grapple with clam shell. It's a beast of a grapple that I use mostly for logging and cutting firewood and it works very well for that. I have carried some heftt logs out of the woods with it and then hold the logs at the splitter so I can cut to firewood size. I also use it to clear thick overgrowth around the property and it works amazing for rooting into the ground and digging stuff up. No regrets choosing his grapple.

Pinnacle Series Root Grapple - Rugged, American-Made Grapples

Discover the Pinnacle Series Root Grapples, perfect for clearing large limbs, dead trees, and boulders. Available in multiple sizes and colors for Cat-1 tractors. Order now for reliable land maintenance.

www.homesteadimplements.com

OP, at least look into Homestead grapples. I use a Pinnacle root grapple with a 73hp tractor
and it has held up really well. I've picked up tree trunks, pulled sticker vines out of trees,
moved logs vines and limbs into stacks to p/u with grapple. Dug out and pulled out a
few smaller whole trees.The more you use it the better operator you'll be.
Btw, Homestead delivered on time. It arrived the day they said it would be here. Delivered
to my farm. (you will need pallet forks to unload from truck). Good luck in your search.

 

[In.the.Piñons]

OP, at least look into Homestead grapples. I use a Pinnacle root grapple with a 73hp tractor
and it has held up really well. I've picked up tree trunks, pulled sticker vines out of trees,
moved logs vines and limbs into stacks to p/u with grapple. Dug out and pulled out a
few smaller whole trees.The more you use it the better operator you'll be.
Btw, Homestead delivered on time. It arrived the day they said it would be here. Delivered
to my farm. (you will need pallet forks to unload from truck). Good luck in your search.

I did take a look at them, but there are two issues, at least as far I can tell. Or am I missing something?

1) The tines are spaced too far apart for cleaning up that pile of bricks or "catching" sage brush like the video linked in my OP.

2) The tines are turned up at the end which, while better for digging, is supposed to make it more difficult to slide under stuff that's on the ground.

Good to know they deliver on time though!

 

[Torvy]

Here's where I got my CID. Great guy. They ship, but I chose to pick it up because it was only a few hours away and mine fit in my truck bed.

He probably has inventory in stock.

Lonestar Equipment, Denton, TX.