Grapple arm for CK20 FEL: any experience???
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IslandTractor
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2005
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- 15,802
- Location
- Prudence Island, RI
- Tractor
- 2007 Kioti DK40se HST, Woods BH
Any idea what a dealer would charge for labor and parts to install one of the aftermarket grapple devices on a CK20? Or just an estimate of how many hours an experienced mechanic would need to do the installation. I could definitely use a grapple but don't have the experience to do the hydraulic modifications myself.
Ed
Ed
roller
Bronze Member
Do you have any idea if rhino sell world wide or to the UK,do you have there contact details ie web address??
VT_Kioti
Silver Member
I mounted a grapple on my CK30 this summer and would not be without it now. For the hydraulics I used "The electric hydraulic valve kit " from W R Long. I would think it would mount on the CK20. Very easy to mount. All hoses and connections are included in the kit. It only takes about 2 to 3 hours to mount. After it is on you only need to decide which grapple works best for you.
The grapple I used was purchased on Ebay. It is called " the Thumb". It is 18" wide and fit perfectly on my 54" bucket. You would have to have some one add strength to the top of the bucket but that should be do-able.
You can find my grapple project at Grapple
Good luck with your grapple. You will find it the most useful attachment you have.
Don't forget the pictures as you go.
Al
The grapple I used was purchased on Ebay. It is called " the Thumb". It is 18" wide and fit perfectly on my 54" bucket. You would have to have some one add strength to the top of the bucket but that should be do-able.
You can find my grapple project at Grapple
Good luck with your grapple. You will find it the most useful attachment you have.
Don't forget the pictures as you go.
Al
Highbeam
Super Member
Al,
Did you remount the control valve below deck? If not, how did you attach it to the loader arm? None of your pictures show the attachment. The kit came with all the hoses cut to length? That's great but seems like it limits you as to where you can mount the valve.
Do you think it would be beneficial to have another thumb like the skidsteer grapples do so you can grab things all across? I have the 60" bucket and would have big holes on each side.
Do you mind letting us know ballpark prices for valve kit and grapple?
Super cool. I guess I forgot about your thread even though I posted to it. Must have been before I was paying attention to Kioti specific things.
Did you remount the control valve below deck? If not, how did you attach it to the loader arm? None of your pictures show the attachment. The kit came with all the hoses cut to length? That's great but seems like it limits you as to where you can mount the valve.
Do you think it would be beneficial to have another thumb like the skidsteer grapples do so you can grab things all across? I have the 60" bucket and would have big holes on each side.
Do you mind letting us know ballpark prices for valve kit and grapple?
Super cool. I guess I forgot about your thread even though I posted to it. Must have been before I was paying attention to Kioti specific things.
VT_Kioti
Silver Member
Joe,
The kit is designed for the CK30 Kioti and unfortunately there is no room under the tractor for the valve. I would have liked to place it there or on the loader frame but could not find a protected place. The kit is designed to go on the loader arm by using the plate which is mounted with a U-bolt, It comes with a black wire loom to protect the paint on the arm. I happened to have some orange wire loom which matched the tractor paint so it does not show well in the pictures.
As to the length of the hoses, since there are limited places where the kit will mount and because of Kioti's use of banjo fittings requiring the hydraulics be installed after the loader control, I found everything in the kit to fit perfectly.
As for cost, I belive it was about $400.00 for the kit with the better handle. The knob end of the joystick is pressed on with some cheap glue. You should be able to twist it back and forth to get it off. Be careful though not to twist the joystick rod or there could be damage to the ball under the boot.
The grapple with only 2 teeth on the 54" bucket works quite well, however it would probably benefit from a third tooth. On a 60" bucket I would certainly go with 3 teeth. Pine Ridge can help with a fabricator how can build the grapple as you want.
Once installed you will wonder how you ever go along with out it.
Al
The kit is designed for the CK30 Kioti and unfortunately there is no room under the tractor for the valve. I would have liked to place it there or on the loader frame but could not find a protected place. The kit is designed to go on the loader arm by using the plate which is mounted with a U-bolt, It comes with a black wire loom to protect the paint on the arm. I happened to have some orange wire loom which matched the tractor paint so it does not show well in the pictures.
As to the length of the hoses, since there are limited places where the kit will mount and because of Kioti's use of banjo fittings requiring the hydraulics be installed after the loader control, I found everything in the kit to fit perfectly.
As for cost, I belive it was about $400.00 for the kit with the better handle. The knob end of the joystick is pressed on with some cheap glue. You should be able to twist it back and forth to get it off. Be careful though not to twist the joystick rod or there could be damage to the ball under the boot.
The grapple with only 2 teeth on the 54" bucket works quite well, however it would probably benefit from a third tooth. On a 60" bucket I would certainly go with 3 teeth. Pine Ridge can help with a fabricator how can build the grapple as you want.
Once installed you will wonder how you ever go along with out it.
Al
KevinMcD
Bronze Member
Al,
I'm pretty ignorant when it comes to hydraulics but I am looking to put a set of aux. hydraulics on the front of my CK30 HST for things like a grapple bucket. I have a Woods FEL and they told me it would cost about 500.00 worth of parts to convert my exsiting 2-spool valve to a 3-spool valve for aux. hydraulics. In the Kioti manual it shows 2 places behind the joystick control for aux. hydraulics. I see on your tractor two yellow-handled levers in those places. What are they for? Are they for the thumb? I was thinking that I could get from Kioti the control for this aux. and hook it up. But I don't know where.
Thanks,
Kevin McD.
I'm pretty ignorant when it comes to hydraulics but I am looking to put a set of aux. hydraulics on the front of my CK30 HST for things like a grapple bucket. I have a Woods FEL and they told me it would cost about 500.00 worth of parts to convert my exsiting 2-spool valve to a 3-spool valve for aux. hydraulics. In the Kioti manual it shows 2 places behind the joystick control for aux. hydraulics. I see on your tractor two yellow-handled levers in those places. What are they for? Are they for the thumb? I was thinking that I could get from Kioti the control for this aux. and hook it up. But I don't know where.
Thanks,
Kevin McD.
Highbeam
Super Member
Those aux hydraulic levers lead to the rear remotes that are optional on our machines. Some folks actually snake a long hose from the rear remote to the loader for the grapple control and that would work for a grapple. It would require you to take your hand down and operate the grapple from those levers though and the snaked hoses may get snagged.
KevinMcD
Bronze Member
Thanks for the input. I looked at Al's pictures from his project and this is going to sound like a dumb question but where do those hyd. lines originate? Does one set of lines going to FEL actually control 2 functions now (the thumb and the bucket)?
Kevin McD.
Kevin McD.
VT_Kioti
Silver Member
Kevin
That is just what the lines do. The line that is used to roll the bucket is disconnected from the loader arm and reconnected to the diverter valve body. Then two lines are run from the diverter valve, one back to the loader arm and the other to the front of the bucket. Then when the switch is pushed on the joystick the flow is diverted to the grapple. When released it defaults back to the bucket roll. I have used it extensively this summer and fall and the system works very well.
I used a valve kit from WR Long and replaced the knob on the joystick with it. This makes it a one handed operation and is very fast. The other two levers (yellow) you saw are the dual rear remotes as was mentioned.
Al
That is just what the lines do. The line that is used to roll the bucket is disconnected from the loader arm and reconnected to the diverter valve body. Then two lines are run from the diverter valve, one back to the loader arm and the other to the front of the bucket. Then when the switch is pushed on the joystick the flow is diverted to the grapple. When released it defaults back to the bucket roll. I have used it extensively this summer and fall and the system works very well.
I used a valve kit from WR Long and replaced the knob on the joystick with it. This makes it a one handed operation and is very fast. The other two levers (yellow) you saw are the dual rear remotes as was mentioned.
Al
