First attachment advice

[gladehound]

I just upgraded to an LS R4047 and need some advice on a first attachment. We just bought 20 acres of mostly wooded acreage and I will be clearing some trees, skidding logs, clearing brush and maybe roughing in a driveway. I was thinking about pallet forks, landscape rake, rear grader/scraper blade and ratchet rake... I'm trying to figure out which one I would get the most use out of right away. The tractor purchase wiped out most of my reserve so I want to get the most out of the first attachment.

Grapples are awesome and I wish I had one. But to get the grapple I want and plumb the hydraulics the way I want it's going to run near $3,000. For that reason, I don't have a grapple. I've gradually picked up a variety of attachments and for what you're doing, here's my bang for the buck list...

1. Tooth bar ~$350; Makes your tractor dig twice as well, pull out brush twice as well and can even pick up some stuff with those fingers. Also reinforces the front lip of the standard bucket so you are less likely to bend it. Not nearly as useful as a grapple, but very high bang for the buck.
2. Forks (light duty $450 heavy duty $550) If you don't have a grapple, it is amazing how much stuff you can pick up with forks without leaving the tractor seat. I never thought I had any real need for forks. After getting my forks I seriously asked myself how I lived without them!
3. Something to grade that driveway you're putting in and smooth the ground after you clear brush. This one is tough for me to answer because I only have a back blade myself and don't have experience with rakes, box blades etc. I won't tell you what is better here because I don't know.... but I find my hydraulic angle rear blade is indispensable for grooming my driveway and grading the ground after I remove the brush and trees. At $1500 it is my most expensive attachment. you can get one for half that or easily pay twice that. It's all depends on how heavy and how many hydraulic functions.

Maybe someday I'll get that grapple. But I found a stump bucket ($500) and think it is really handy for digging holes for planting and uprooting trees. Plus it seems to put less stress on my loader for tough tasks by evenly distributing force between both loader arms, and unlike the standard bucket, the stump bucket seems nearly indestructible. I also have a 1 yard snow bucket ($650) because I didn't want to spend 4 grand a power angle V-plow and plumbing.

I guess if you add it all up I have gotten that grapple instead of all the attachments I have. But the grapple wont move pallets or snow. It wont dig nice holes for plantings, grade my driveway to a perfect crown or grade the landscape to redirect the water where I want it to go. Just because it can't do these things doesn't mean it's not the coolest attachment on earth! it is... we all know it. But I wouldn't put it first on a tight budget.

 

[/pine]

IMO...If there is no priority of what you need to accomplish...I suggest watching craigslist, auctions etc...you should be able to find both a landscape rake and a scrape blade and even possibly a (cheaper) box blade that's within your current budget...the latter having the biggest learning curve if you've never used one prior...

Again, IMO...a thumb grapple is one of the most labor saving attachments there is if you already have an FEL...

All that being said...there is NOTHING (IMO) that will make you a more efficient operator (when it comes to any type of grade work,with any type of attachment) than hydraulic top & tilt...

Since you already have a BH attachment...the expenses of the additional hydraulics should be reasonable...

Good luck...

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

I'd vote forks or box blade. But once you get a grapple you'll kick yourself for not prioritizing it. Having a loader without a grapple it like having a boxblade without a hydraulic top link.

 

[dirtymartini]

IMO...If there is no priority of what you need to accomplish...I suggest watching craigslist, auctions etc...you should be able to find both a landscape rake and a scrape blade and even possibly a (cheaper) box blade that's within your current budget...the latter having the biggest learning curve if you've never used one prior...

Again, IMO...a thumb grapple is one of the most labor saving attachments there is if you already have an FEL...

All that being said...there is NOTHING (IMO) that will make you a more efficient operator (when it comes to any type of grade work,with any type of attachment) than hydraulic top & tilt...

Since you already have a BH attachment...the expenses of the additional hydraulics should be reasonable...

Good luck...

Thanks. I do have two rear remotes, would that handle the hydraulic top and tilt? Does that allow hydraulic adjustment of angle?

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Thanks. I do have two rear remotes, would that handle the hydraulic top and tilt? Does that allow hydraulic adjustment of angle?

Top & tilt are great to have :thumbsup: :thumbsup:, but currently you are on a tight budget, so forget about them for now. If you bought them now, they would be worthless. :shocked: You wouldn't have any implements to use them with.

My other advise is save your $$$ and buy once. It does you no good to buy a lighter duty implement and just ruin it with in the first few times that you use it. You won't get much (nothing that will hold up)of any grading implement for the amount you are currently looking to spend.

For what you have to spend, get a tooth bar, for your bucket, at least with that you can do some grading and brush removal.

Good luck.

 

[dirtymartini]

Top & tilt are great to have :thumbsup: :thumbsup:, but currently you are on a tight budget, so forget about them for now. If you bought them now, they would be worthless. :shocked: You wouldn't have any implements to use them with.

My other advise is save your $$$ and buy once. It does you no good to buy a lighter duty implement and just ruin it with in the first few times that you use it. You won't get much (nothing that will hold up)of any grading implement for the amount you are currently looking to spend.

For what you have to spend, get a tooth bar, for your bucket, at least with that you can do some grading and brush removal.

Good luck.

Thanks. Would you go with a tooth bar or ratchet rake?

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Thanks. Would you go with a tooth bar or ratchet rake?

I personally would go with a tooth bar, but don't discount the ratchet rake. There are a lot of people that really like them.

 

[k0ua]

I used my forks to move brush, logs, and big rocks. Until I got my grapple. They work pretty well though. I now use the forks to move pallets. come to think of it, last time I can remember moving a pallet, was when the grapple came on a pallet.:laughing:

 

[MossRoad]

If you have a backhoe, you probably won't be skidding logs much with it on. If you're not inclined to remove it, I'd opt for forks. Cut the logs to 8' or 12' lengths and carry them out of the woods. You'll need a wider path, but it is much faster than skidding, it keeps the wood clean, and it reduces soil erosion vs dragging a log.

Forks are also very useful for pushing brush piles around.

You've got a FEL and a backhoe. You can rough in a driveway with that. Maybe a tooth bar would assist. It won't grade it perfectly, but by tipping the bucket down and back-dragging a tooth bar you can get some good results. And a tooth bar works much better at breaking up virgin soil VS the straight edge of a bucket.

But the most important thing to do is....

Take some pictures before, during and after!!! :laughing:

 

[dirtymartini]

Right now I'm thinking tooth bar or ratchet rake and pallet forks. I would really like a grapple but $3k is out of the question right now. I could see a box blade in the future.