Compact Tractors W/ Grapple

[IndyIan]

I find the no extra hydraulics mechanical grapple and interesting idea.

I find for brush I just push stuff around with my bucket or even the back of the box blade, but I'm nearly never operating on grass around the house, so sliding stuff over the ground and scuffing it up isn't a big deal. I do have manure forks which do lift a bigger pile of brush, but most of the time now I cut the roots of the whole tree on one side with the bucket, push it over and scoop the stump up and push the whole thing into the woods or out of the way.
I guess if your place is more like a golf course, a gapple would be very nice. Mine is pretty natural, so just crunching a small tree down out of sight, or pushing a pile of brush 100' on the ground with the bucket seems pretty easy.
You'll find the loader bucket pretty useful and with the 4 bar linkage on the curl there is a big range of motion. This was a pesky tree in the middle of a hay field and I was pretty pleased with removing a tree like this without getting off the tractor. I cut some roots with the bucket, pushed and scooped the bottom out and I stuffed it behind another tree in the fence row. I then scooped a patch of sod from over there and dropped it in the small hole.

 

[paulsharvey]

So, if you have multiple tractors, none with loaders, I do think it would be a mistake to not get the standard loader bucket, and the grapple would be a fine addition as well. I've never used one, but there is a fan base on here for 4 in 1 buckets, that work fine as a standard bucket (although more money, need 3rd function or plumbed to a rear remote, and a bit heavier), and also give you the ability to grip and lift things, but not the root rake function.

If your getting the machine for the loader, I would skip the BX/JD1/JD2 series; and go to the JD3/L2501/CK2620/T2515/MF1825E or M series, to get to much more meaningful lift capacity and "shove" capacity. I have and like the CK2610, and R14 tires, but I would be happy with Ag tires too. If it's hard ground and loader work, R4 Industrials would be fine, if your using the other tractors for all of your ground engaging work. Even with the heavier/larger 25hp mentioned above, you will still need something on the back to get anywhere near the rated lift capacity.

 

[2manyrocks]

I didn't look a lot for price comparisons, but if the entirely mechanical grapple is $3,400, I'd rather spend $1,129 for the MTL hydraulic grapple and $650-$1000 for a third function valve for the ability to control the grapple's clamp at will.

Freshly cut tree trunks are quite heavy. Suggest you take a look at this weight chart estimator to estimate how much weight you plan to move so you don't undersize your equipment. Otherwise, you may end up cutting trees into much smaller sections in order to be able to move them. Green Log Weight Charts & Calculator | Sherrilltree

Another option besides a tractor would be a mini-ex with a hydraulic thumb or a stand on mini skid. agrotkindustrial

 

[Fxfymn413]

I had a third function installed on my L4060 and have regretted spending the money ever since. Why? Because the hydraulics are either on or off and feathering the valve to close the grapple slowly is impossible. I use the rear remote to control the grapple which allows a slow movement.

I know this is not everyone's experience and lots of folks like them, but I'd think about how you intend to use the grapple before you order a third function kit.

And yes I have installed a flow limiter on the third function, but it is still too fast for my uses.

 

[HamishMacCheap]

One of my reasons for considering a compact tractor such as a Series 2 John Deere is based on the fact that I transport my equipment to an adjacent county for food plot maintenance and food plot preparation. Old age has caught up with me and I am downsizing equipment to make life easier.

Thanks to all who provided such good information.

 

[tacticalturnip]

I find the no extra hydraulics mechanical grapple and interesting idea.

They're a cool idea, but they're bad with the JDQA; you can find a few threads on Green Tractor Talk, the mechanical grapple will bend and break the JDQA system over time. What's insane is Deere sells their own under the Frontier label.

The SSQA doesn't seem to have an issue.

View attachment 1712822

Nice Kioti.

 

[CoyPatton]

With a front end loader, ballast is a must. You have a few options, filled tires, wheel weight and implements or ballast on the 3PH. You can combine these if needed. Check your owners manual, there is a max recommended ballast.

 

[ericm979]

I had a third function installed on my L4060 and have regretted spending the money ever since. Why? Because the hydraulics are either on or off and feathering the valve to close the grapple slowly is impossible. I use the rear remote to control the grapple which allows a slow movement.

I use a rear remote to operate the grapple and I can't remember ever feathering it. I crush stuff until it stops moving, or at least enough to hold on to it.

My grapple is a dual lid, so it's got two cylinders. The lids move pretty slow if the tractor is idling. I have to raise the revs to get the grapple to move fast enough when I'm doing work with it.

Different tractor, maybe grapple and likely different material, so different results. I mostly use the grapple on logs and branches.

A diverter will allow you to use the tractor joystick's dump and curl functions to open and close the grapple, when a button on the knob is held down. That's the other common way to run a grapple and it lets you feather the grapple.

The downside is that you can't dump/curl and open/close the grapple at the same time.

 

[Seachaser]

You will definitely need a bucket eventually which usually comes standard. They’re not that expensive in the grand scheme of things. The grapple will add $3000 to $6000 to the final cost. I use a bucket for all kinds of thing.

 

[HamishMacCheap]

Do those who operate tractors with buckets find that they obstruct vision when using a PTO mounted implement? Is it harder to view forward when operating disc harrows, rotary cutters, etc? Or driving thru' restricted paths and such?