Grapple cylinders

[RJJR]

I'm looking for a light duty grapple. What are the advantages to a grapple with 2 hydraulic cylinders vs. just 1. Goint to be moving brush mostly.
Thanks

 

[massey990]

I'm looking for a light duty grapple. What are the advantages to a grapple with 2 hydraulic cylinders vs. just 1. Goint to be moving brush mostly.
Thanks

Personally I can't think of any but I'm sure someone will come up with an argument :laughing:

 

[jake98]

They clamp uneven loads. I won't say better, because I don't want to start anything..

This is not a light duty, it's actually a little too heavy. I just took the pic because I knew I could never do it twice.

 

[deere5105]

Use a 72" on a Bobcat S250. With the split jaws/clamps sometimes it allows me to reach "around" something when one in the middle may not. The example in mind is grabbing bushes next to a large tree that I can't get beyond to push out. I can curl forward and grab just with the teeth. I guess you might could do the same with a single, just would have to manuever differently. Will be curious to hear how this turns out.

 

[magicheater]

My preference is narrow. One vs. two cylinders has more to do with width. Get the one that fits your needs, there are countless variations out there. Weight has an effect as well, a #600 grapple can lift less than a #400 grapple on the same tractor. This is what I built, it weighs #100 and I have lifted 800-900 lb. rocks with it. I'm more then happy.

 

[RickB]

The issue is more about having a split grapple or single-piece than one or two cylinder, I would think. Obviously a split grapple would require two cylinders, but a single grapple could be designed using one or two. As I don't own either style, I'll stop here.

 

[jake98]

My preference is narrow. One vs. two cylinders has more to do with width. Get the one that fits your needs, there are countless variations out there. Weight has an effect as well, a #600 grapple can lift less than a #400 grapple on the same tractor. This is what I built, it weighs #100 and I have lifted 800-900 lb. rocks with it. I'm more then happy.

That is one beautiful grapple! I hope to be able to fab stuff like that one day.. my MIG unit is on the way.. :thumbsup:

 

[Redbug]

I have a grapple with two cylinders...one on each side. One difference, (I am theorizing, don't know for sure), between the one cylinder vs the two cylinder is the two cylinder may have more clamping force. I have not used a one cylinder to compare, though. It also depends on the sizes of the cylinders.

Having a lot of clamping force is good when grabbing heavy logs, etc.

 

[magicheater]

That is one beautiful grapple! I hope to be able to fab stuff like that one day.. my MIG unit is on the way.. :thumbsup:

Thanx! It also has detachable extension wings for handling loose material.

 

[jake98]

An 'Extend-a-Grapple'??

 

[magicheater]

yeah, width ways. Here some pics.

 

[jake98]

yeah, width ways. Here some pics.

That's the ticket! How much steel investment is there in something that size?

 

[IslandTractor]

I'm looking for a light duty grapple. What are the advantages to a grapple with 2 hydraulic cylinders vs. just 1. Goint to be moving brush mostly.
Thanks

Everybody likes whatever type of grapple they own. I've never heard of anyone on TBN deciding to "move up" to a wider grapple or one with two upper jaws instead of one. I take that to mean that virtually everybody with a light duty single jaw grapple finds that they do the trick.

You can set up specific tasks where one or two grapple jaws would be better but for practical purposes either will work fine.

IMO the only reason many guys buy the wider two grapple jaw types is because some grapple salesman has never used a grapple on a CUT and is used to selling to skidsteer operators. Skidsteers are a different kettle of fish and use grapples differently than most CUT owners. Someday the sales people will wise up.

 

[IslandTractor]

yeah, width ways. Here some pics.

Nice job. We discussed such a convertible grapple here about a year ago. Nice to see you have taken the initiative to put it into action. Looks like a very handy and capable grapple system.

 

[deere5105]

One other thing I forgot about, involving the double clamp on a Bobcat, is that with the double the clamp portion is out flush with the edge of the bottom. I have often used this to reach up and grab limbs close to the tree and pull them down. This avoids having to use a chainsaw from an elevated position. It may work the same with a single. By getting the "grip" close to where the limb attaches to the tree, most times it pops right off.

 

[kubotakid USA]

Its pretty simple, you need two cylinders for the grapple buckets that have the two independant clamping jaws, 1 cyl, for each jaw, dont confuse this with the 2 cylinder 1 jaw setup, the 1 jaw grapples are limited in the materials they can safely and effectivley handle, a 2 jaw is far superior, Ill give you a good example, imagine having all 4 of your fingers glued together, thats like a 1 jaw grapple works, OR, allow them to work independitly, Thats how a two jaw grapple works,:thumbsup: unless your picking up a suite case, theres a HUGE difference, Eric

 

[mjncad]

My preference is narrow. One vs. two cylinders has more to do with width. Get the one that fits your needs, there are countless variations out there. Weight has an effect as well, a #600 grapple can lift less than a #400 grapple on the same tractor. This is what I built, it weighs #100 and I have lifted 800-900 lb. rocks with it. I'm more then happy.

Nice job of design and fabrication!

 

[SLHawkins]

Naw, mrkubotakid is right on the money. I have used both single and dual jaw grapples. 'Better' is a relative term. So, I will say it this way. Dual jaws are more effective at handling multiple objects of different size, or a an object that is not of uniform dimensions. The single jaw will work great with brush and the like. However, when you start dealing with solid objects (stumps, logs, rocks, etc), you will quickly discover its limitations. I used my single jaw for a couple of years doing lot clean-up. It does the job. However, after the first couple of clean up jobs, I said the next one will be independent dual jaws. It is hands down a more effective tool.

Hawk

 

[Redbug]

It seems the dual jaws would take more thinking to use. It would be a extra valve to operate and an extra valve/remote to install. I don't know...I'm from the one jaw camp...

 

[SLHawkins]

It seems the dual jaws would take more thinking to use. It would be a extra valve to operate and an extra valve/remote to install. I don't know...I'm from the one jaw camp...

Extra valvle? Extra remote? How do you figure that? That is not a true statement. Both jaws operate off the same line and same switch/lever. No extra hoses, no extra valves, no extra lines. Other than the 3rd function valve required to open/close the grapple, there is not a 4th valve required to operate dual independent jaws vs a single jaw.

The will both open and close at the same rate until they hit a solid object. That is the beauty of the independent jaws. You can carry a 2-foot stump on one side and a 3-foot stump on the other. With a single jaw, once you close on the 3-foot stump that's it. Anything smaller is going to fall out.

But, if all you will be handling is brush, mulch, limbs, piles of hay and the like, then a single jaw grapple will suffice. When/if you start dealing with objects that are a little more solid and of various sizes, you quickly recognize the advantage of dual independent jaws.

Hawk