60" or 72" Grapple bucket Is the question

[Poopdeck Pappy]

I've got a stump grapple now. If I ever get a regular grapple (which I plan to do some day), I hope to buy a heavy duty 48" one rather than a lighter duty 60" or 72". I see no reason to go so wide on a grapple. 60" would be ok, but I wouldn't want a 72" one for sure.

 

[jcummins]

Had two different 48" grapples. I would not want it wider. In addition to the piles of stuff I've stacked up another pile which is 50% larger has been added since the picture was taken.

And... This android app is crashing when i add the pictures. Developers take note. Take me word for it..... Got a lot of big piles... And long logs to burn. All move with 48" grapple.

 

[jcummins]

Well app crashed but pictures took..... which i thought didn't. BTW still have about 40% more to go. Going to have quite the fire.

 

[Guesseral]

Curious ... why are 2 clamps needed? I have just a narrow one in the center. What superior function am I losing?

I only have one clamp but everyone with two say that you can clamp on an uneven item and each clamp will clamp to too different width things because the can operate independently. I really didn't think that would make any difference till after I had my single lid grapple, I don't have the problem with uneven things but if I want to pickup two different pieces of sectioned log I can't because they are never the same size and I can only clamp on one of them so I agree with this reasoning, because well because hind sight is 20/20!:ashamed: But I still love my grapple because any grapple is better than no grapple at all! Someday I will probably get a double lid but I will also keep my single lid because it is a rake grapple which is what I bought if for to begin with, it really wasn't meant for logs or fire wood but I just don't know how I ever lived without it before!

 

[EddieWalker]

Two independent clamps are going to offer more surface and gripping area. If you are picking up a pile of brush, you can hold more, and you wont drop as much with two clamps. If you are picking up a stump, it allows you to get one clamp over the root ball and the other over the trunk. With logs, they want to swing out when you hit a bump or something on the ground. Two clamps keep the log locked in place.

Unlike a bucket, you don't need the biggest grapple you can buy. 60 is plenty unless you have a ton of extra power. Most every load will hang outside the width of the grapple anyway

Eddie

 

[k0ua]

Sometimes you want a narrower grapple, as an example when stacking rocks on a wall, the narrower the better. Mine is 50 inches and works well.

 

[Rocky Hoffler]

Curious ... why are 2 clamps needed? I have just a narrow one in the center. What superior function am I losing?

A good question I have had both single clamp and dual. If you are picking up uneven material such as a tree with stump attached one clamp closes on stump and other on smaller trunk with the same force. also the clamps being spaced apart makes clamping surface wider. sorry these examples are probably clear as mud.

 

[SPYDERLK]

I only have one clamp but everyone with two say that you can clamp on an uneven item and each clamp will clamp to too different width things because the can operate independently. I really didn't think that would make any difference till after I had my single lid grapple, I don't have the problem with uneven things but if I want to pickup two different pieces of sectioned log I can't because they are never the same size and I can only clamp on one of them so I agree with this reasoning, because well because hind sight is 20/20!:ashamed: But I still love my grapple because any grapple is better than no grapple at all! Someday I will probably get a double lid but I will also keep my single lid because it is a rake grapple which is what I bought if for to begin with, it really wasn't meant for logs or fire wood but I just don't know how I ever lived without it before!

Yeah. ... I have never used a double clamp arrangement. From using a single I can see that double would offer some advantage in some circumstances. If I could make an extra clamp appear when beneficial I would love it. Due to the permanent overhead imposed by the 2 clamp arrangement I wouldnt install one tho. The added weight is always a factor, altho not much issue with the 7520. The main things to me are added control paraphernalia and the frequent times wide spread clamps would get in the way during a push or some other positioning maneuver, and an inattentive slip up would rack the structure. To me a grapples competence is the most complete when is more general than specific. For my work that means narrow and strong.
larry

 

[SPYDERLK]

A good question I have had both single clamp and dual. If you are picking up uneven material such as a tree with stump attached one clamp closes on stump and other on smaller trunk with the same force. also the clamps being spaced apart makes clamping surface wider. sorry these examples are probably clear as mud.

Quite clear. Certainly of some value in those cases.

 

[Raised on a Deere]

I spent a good deal of time researching grapples. had never seen one in operation. But have been around tractors and equipment all my life. Most of what I was reading was coming from some one point of view angle but all made sense so round and round I went and decided to go with a 60" because it would be a bit cheaper than 72 and based on comments such as 60 was good enough. Well this spring when I was ready to purchase I could not find anything that fit. I had dismissed 48 and 50 inch grapples altogether. Had to be a double lid etc. After the unique set of circumstances that prevented me from being able to get something in time to go to work this summer, I took the advice of what I thought would be "I like 48" because that is what I have" kinds of statements, out of desperation I ordered a NAI 48" and had it is a little over a week.

It has been a blast all summer. I have moved stump, brush, dug vines and briers and I bushhog on rough ground with it on. Only weighs 480 pounds. And I have been hard on it digging out slabs of rock, moving trees, brush, pushing over trees that have been partially cut. It is so rare that I have a situation where I say 60" would be good that the utility of the 48" overwhelms any desire to go bigger. I could sell mine tomorrow for what I paid and get a bigger one if inclined. Every Thing Attachments Wicked 60" was my choice and no doubt would have been excellent but their backorder situation forced me into the NAI 48".

I smile every day almost at the wisdom that says any grapple is a good grapple. Don't go too nuts over which one. But I wanted to add my bit that wider and double lid being a big deal is in many cases more fantasy than reality. I am sure I would be very happy with a 60" double lid but at the same time I realize I have poked my 48" into places and come out with gobs that the 60 would have been a problem.

Good luck on your decision. One of the few where you can't go very wrong.

BTW I use this grapple on the Yanmar LX490 49HP model.