Decision on Grapple

svendawg · Dec 8, 2016

First off, I'm very new to tractoring and dealing with a large piece of property. I have a new Mahindra 4550 and plan on maintaining 60 acres, 30 of which is cleared. I don't intend on clearing any more, I just want to keep it maintained

I've been agonizing over which grapple to get. I think I have settled on a Everything Attachment 66" or 72' compact single lid grapple or either the 54", 73" compact utility grapple. The utility grapples are really over my budget so I am wondering if I need to step up to the utility line of grapples. The 73" utility grapple seems huge and the 54" seems too narrow since my front wheels are 6' wide.

The million dollar question is, is my tractor a compact tractor or a utility tractor. My tractors is 48 HP but a big heavy frame with a loader that has 2866 pounds lifting capacity and almost 5000 pounds breakout force. The high hydraulic pump flow is low at 8.7gpm of which 5gpm goes to steering is also a consideration.

I've read the entire post on the compact grapple post as well as the new post on the utility grapple post. There just aren't many post where someone has a grapple on the Mahindra 4500 size model tractor. Still can't decide.

I am the kind of guy that needs to see and touch the product before buying so this makes my decision ever harder. Is there a place near Salem, Arkansas where I can see these grapples in person.

sdef · Dec 8, 2016

Can't help you with the see or touch- sorry. My Kioti tractor is similar in size to yours. I used my grapple to help clear a home site from a forest. A quality grapple is made of heavy steel. The wider it is the heavier it is with resulting less lift capacity for the load. I chose a 48" rock grapple that weighs ~ 500# I seem to recall. I see no reason to get a wider one for grabbing and carrying large items such as tree parts and rocks. Even large amounts of brush can be carried in it. No regrets on my size after many hard hours of use. I find I can get the grapple into places I could not with a wider unit.
Most folks on TBN purchase wider units I believe.

adventure bob · Dec 8, 2016

Cant help you in AR, but it you fly out to CO, go skiing, stop by and Ill let you do some logging with my EA 72".

Wildfire · Dec 8, 2016

I have a Kubota L4060 HST. My grapple at 60" is just a bit narrower than the tires and I wouldn't want it to be any wider. Rick at EA talked me through this. I think the FEL bucket is 72".

Width reduces maneuverability and loader capacity. And there hasn't been anything I've picked up or pushed where the width would have helped to the job better or faster.

k0ua · Dec 8, 2016

Mine EA is 50 inches. I have never wanted it to be any wider. I have wished it to be narrower at times. Like when setting rocks on a rock wall. I suppose if you were stacking split wood chunks in a grapple you would want it to be wider, but I don't do that so color me in the "narrower is better" crowd.

txndncowboy · Dec 8, 2016

Do you have a bucket? If so I wouldn't go any wider than it. I tried a rock picker once that was wider than my bucket and it was just too much for the Massey that I had at the time.

adventure bob · Dec 8, 2016

I'm in the wider is better crowd but can see the argument for narrower. Root raking large areas is faster with wider. Additionally, I'm picking up 18-20 foot logs and processing them. I could see narrower as a around the house tool, but for outright logging and clearing I'd say wider.

Xfaxman · Dec 8, 2016

A wide grapple isn't needed for moving long logs or trees, just find the balance point.

This grapple is 44 inches wide, on a 6 foot wide V417:

svendawg · Dec 9, 2016

I think I have settled on getting the 54" grapple for the maneuverability since my tractor is large.The biggest thing I'm wrestling with now is do I need the bigger utility grapple EA just came out with or can I get by with the Wicked grapple. Is my tractor too big for the smaller grapple and will I be disappointed in the long run for not going big