Brush Grapple Grabber Delay & Ballast

[Nature Girl]

I absolutely LOVE my grapple attachment, it's like another set of hands, and from the beginning the right claw has closed more slowly that the left. I just noticed the other day that the rod has a few more threads exposed on the right so maybe they designed it to lag behind. Does anyone else have this issue?

It has blessed me on many occasions when I wanted just one boulder from a stack. It looks like there is a way to adjust it by screwing the rod in further. I'm not sure if they are all designed this way or just this one.

Also I must ask a great deal of my tractor, I spend more time with the back wheels off the ground, or one wheel dangling. I certainly prefer the safe route so wonder if Kubota has extra weights I can add on the back or if that is a generic thing. I move through ditches to get to the brush so my blade would get stuck and the brush hog will limit my ability to maneuver. I also have fluid in the tires so that helps but I like stability too.

Thanks!

 

[davygp38]

As far as your grapple goes, the fact that one closes a little slower than the other could just be a function of how it is plumbed. Without pictures of the grapple, and the valve, it is hard to give an opinion. As far as adding weight to the back of your tractor, I would recommend getting something attached to the three point hitch before you use it again. You could use a box scrapper, or just about anything to get weight back there. You could even make a rear ballast box, out of a 30 gallon drum and a steel rod that fits your three point hitch. Mine is filled with concrete, but even a load of sand would work. You should post a little about what kind of tractor you are talking about, so we can give more detailed info.

 

[RoyJackson]

Nature Girl has a Kubota L3700 according to her profile.

Her current implements (a rotary cutter and a backblade) don't really lend themselves as good rear ballast being either too long (the cutter) or not really enough weight (the blade).
However, some sort of adequate rear ballast is a necessity. The standard ballast box (any brand or a home built) would work and would be the most compact solution. One of those 3PH carryalls with some weight on it would be a cheaper solution as well as more compact then the implements she has now.

As far as the grapple, I agree it's probably how it's plumbed. That would be a good question for the grapple manufacturer though.

 

[Nature Girl]

I believe I've seen one of those home made concrete set ups, I'm trying to figure out how to connect it to the 3 pt set up. Thanks for the ideas.

 

[k0ua]

I believe I've seen one of those home made concrete set ups, I'm trying to figure out how to connect it to the 3 pt set up. Thanks for the ideas.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/owning-operating/176394-rear-ballast-gentlemen-rear-ballast.html


Nature Girl, if you want you might read this old thread, I have posted several times in it, and there are many pictures of mine at the end. I use it on my L3400HST, nearly the same tractor as yours. It weights about 750lbs, and really is neccessary to hold the rear end down. My tires are loaded also, but it is not enough. It is compact and close in to the tractor, so it does not hurt your manueverability. Hope this helps.

James K0UA

 

[J_J]

As far as which side of the grapple extends first, it will be the grapple with the least resistance, for whatever reason, will go first.

 

[groundcover]

I made a rear weight out of an old water tank for my old 185TD Years ago. I had a hitch stick out of the back and left the concrete down 4" or so from full, made a handy spot to keep chains etc.