Grapple Best Sized Grapple?

[Tshot]

I have a 68hp LS tractor that came with a 78" Bucket. I am shopping for a Grapple for it and leaning towards a rock grapple with teeth. I am wondering if I could go 60" or 66" without any problems? I am thinking the narrower beam would give me more maneuverability in the bush. And maybe I'd remove those partially/mostly embedded rocks with less strain on the machine? Thought???

 

[EddieWalker]

You'll be fine with either size. Grapples are not like buckets, you don't need to carry a lot of extra weight around with the biggest one possible.

 

[Shaneard]

I agree with what Eddie said BUT don't buy the cheapest made one either, you'll tear it up with a 68HP tractor.

 

[3Lfarms]

One day I want to get a Wicked 66 from EA for my LS6168. It would be a little overkill, but grapples mostly seem to come in under 60hp rating and 60-100hp rating. The smaller grapples will work fine, but you may tear it up if you aren’t careful.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Yeah, for Rocks, a narrow one would be great. When carrying trees and brush, the limiting factor is always the stuff you are trying to carry out, in between trees.

 

[Motorboatin]

I bought a 66" root grapple from EA and dont think I would be giving anything up if I bought a 60

Like it was pointed out above your limiting factor for moving logs is all the trees that are still standing

 

[oosik]

I have no brush, to speak of, on my 80 acres. I bought a HD 60" rock & root grapple. Land Pride SGC1560 @ 820 pounds. It's combined with a WR Long third function valve. I like it so well, use it so much - it's not been taken off since it was installed five years ago.

It's a perfect match for my 62hp Kubota M6040. AND as much as I use it - the only "damage" - - some of the powder coat is gone off the tips of the teeth.

BIG rocks & HEAVY chunks of Ponderosa pine - - that's my game. It's the ideal implement for moving dirt. Come straight down - close the jaws - rip out an enormous wad of dirt and move it wherever needed. The top lid with its teeth do a great job of back-grading, smoothing & leveling.

View attachment 602638View attachment 602639 If you add a grapple - consider modifying your OEM grill guard. Sticks, stobs, limbs etc can do grave damage to your radiator, grill & battery. The OEM grill guard will only stop stuff the size of a garbage can.

 

[Industrial Toys]

No offence, but I can' believe anyone would powder coat something like that. Something that is damage prone and subject to rust and weather, and then, no way to make touch ups. Or heaven help you, if you need to weld it.

 

[oosik]

When you get it from Land Pride, it's powder coated. At least that's the way it came five years ago. And, no offense taken, IT.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I used to paint stuff to match equipment, but find the Universal Black Enamel just works best. Looks appropriate for a tool and can be ground or wire wheeled off, then touched up with a rattle can.

 

[metalbender]

A smaller grapple will put less strain on the loader, thinking side loading. Built my own to match the loader width to keep forces in line with the arms. Handles branches well enough, digs rocks great.

 

[SteelMastiff]

I recently purchased the "EA 66 Inch Wicked Root Rake Grapple" for my 75hp tractor, and I would encourage you to take a close look at what they have to offer...I am not proclaiming to be an expert by any means, but I have to believe it's about the perfect width, and the srength to weight ratio shouldn't be ignored in your decision, especially considering what you are looking to do with it....

 

[Turbys_1700]

It really comes down to your budget. Lower cost grapples will use a lower grade steel. IMHO the difference in 60" versus 66" is minimal. I opted for a lightweight 72" grapple that was low in cost. At the time I used it with a 50 HP tractor. Later I traded the tractor in on a larger unit. No doubt in my mind that I could tear it up if I did not use it judiciously. The EA grapples IMHO are some of the best on the market.

I don't know the lift capacity of your tractor and FEL. There is a balance between weight of grapple and amount you can lift with the FEL. Lots of considerations. Keep us updated with your purchase. We love spending other folks money.

 

[Motorboatin]

No offence, but I can' believe anyone would powder coat something like that. Something that is damage prone and subject to rust and weather, and then, no way to make touch ups. Or heaven help you, if you need to weld it.

Every product we weld gets powder coated and when someone screws up and doesn't catch a mistake until after coating my guys fix it. Grinding and cleaning the weld zone isn't any harder on a powder coated part than a painted one

A powder coated part in JD green is the same color as a painted one so color matching isn't an issue. Kubota orange could be a problem but only because their paint fades so fast :laughing:

 

[thekkfan]

... find the Universal Black Enamel just works best. Looks appropriate for a tool and can be ground or wire wheeled off, then touched up with a rattle can.

Agree 100%.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I offered to repair a gate of a customer that a landscaper had mangled after the gate closed on his trailer. I didn't realize it was powder coated. What a problem dealing with the powder coat, for welding and trying to spray enamel back on to hide the repairs.

I have stuff sandblasted all the time and powder coat is again a terrible thing to run into. Either it comes off in large patches (why I call it Powder Scab) or is extremely hard to remove in other places.

 

[Shaneard]

I offered to repair a gate of a customer that a landscaper had mangled after the gate closed on his trailer. I didn't realize it was powder coated. What a problem dealing with the powder coat, for welding and trying to spray enamel back on to hide the repairs.

I have stuff sandblasted all the time and powder coat is again a terrible thing to run into. Either it comes off in large patches (why I call it Powder Scab) or is extremely hard to remove in other places.

The reason it comes off in large patches is from lack of prep work underneath, you see this a lot with stuff powdercoated overseas. If it's hard to get off then it was prepped right. I have everything I can powdercoated, a good friend owns a powdercoat business. Stick welder doesn't mind if powdercoat is on or not, mig is a different story even after trying to grind it clean for repairs.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I think that's only part of it. I believe the "shakey bakey" coating cracks and then the rust spreads underneith.

It bugs me, that this process was and is, promoted as some kind of a "superior" coating and finish, when in reality it's all environmentally driven. Kind of like water based paints which I won't touch.

I have had stuff sandblasted and then powder coated (before I learned the truth) and would be curious to know how well that lasted.

 

[Motorboatin]

I offered to repair a gate of a customer that a landscaper had mangled after the gate closed on his trailer. I didn't realize it was powder coated. What a problem dealing with the powder coat, for welding and trying to spray enamel back on to hide the repairs.

I have stuff sandblasted all the time and powder coat is again a terrible thing to run into. Either it comes off in large patches (why I call it Powder Scab) or is extremely hard to remove in other places.

Powder should be hard to remove in ALL places

Delamination...or scab...is caused by poor pretreatment. Coaters will tell you that it was the metal you gave them but it is almost always a coating issue. I have only seen a handful of times when it was a material problem and each time it was due to a chemical the fabricator used to clean the parts that wasn't water soluble

Caterpillar is one of our largest customers and when I visited their Peoria plant they showed be a couple acres of rejected parts due to delamination...none were ours

 

[Motorboatin]

I think that's only part of it. I believe the "shakey bakey" coating cracks and then the rust spreads underneith.

It bugs me, that this process was and is, promoted as some kind of a "superior" coating and finish, when in reality it's all environmentally driven. Kind of like water based paints which I won't touch.

I have had stuff sandblasted and then powder coated (before I learned the truth) and would be curious to know how well that lasted.

Coating cracks are 100% due to poor pretreatment

Coating a part that has been blasted will give you the best adhesion possible as long as the part is coated before rust starts to form. Nothing cleaner than a freshly blasted piece of metal