Grapple Failure

[k0ua]

I reached out to Wildkat via email and just ask them if the grapple is/was under-designed for my machine. If that were the case, it would have been preferable to know it before I purchased but I'd consider upgrading to more appropriate unit if they would apply my original purchase price as a credit to the new one. If not, then I'll just have to reinforce as required as many people offered very good suggestions on how to do so and my neighbor did agree to swap me his welding time for some tractor time. I probably could repair this cheaper than the shipping charges as well but my neighbor did say he felt a lot less comfortable trying to repairing this than he would welding on support pieces to reinforce a new one.

After this happened and I was looking around on the EA website at their new grapples, I did notice they gave a very specific HP range on their 48" model which would push me into the next size up if I were buying one of theirs. I appreciate that actually because we all want the appropriate tool for the job. Due to the reviews on this grapple (don't feel guilty, a good review is a good review), and the perceived lack of concern over the machine size when I purchased it, I truly believed I was doing just that. ~$1000 is a lot of money to spend on a tool and it never occurred to me that I was somehow skimping out. I still believe this is the appropriate size grapple for this size tractor, just not sure about the execution and design. Most of these Heavy-Duty grapples are very heavy and clearly designed for skid-steers or much larger tractors with much greater lift capacities.

Hi bhh, Your tractor itself weighs 1026 lbs less than my Kioti, and I have loaded tires and always have my ballast box on when using the grapple.. I point out these things, to assure you that even though your gross horsepower is 3 over EA's recommended 35 horsepower I believe in my best estimation that you would be well within the design limitations of the EA 50 inch single lid grapple.. I have not been able to tear up mine with a heavier larger tractor. BUT that said, I don't think there is anything wrong with the one you are going to be getting that an hour or two of welding and a little extra steel won't fix.

 

[allen in texas]

I find this kind of wining from the OP so typical of our failing modern society. Unfortunately, its prevalent on this site. The guy bought the economy grapple because he was too cheap to buy the beefy one. That's fine, I do the same thing all the time. He then latches onto something a little too big or heavy for the grapple and it bends a little bit. Sure, it happens, you bought the cheap one, you should expect it. The rest of the unit is working fine. Fix it yourself and move on. Instead of blaming himself for misusing it, he publicly shames the manufacturer of the grapple and guilt's them into giving him a new one to save face. Isn't that just great. I really hope you feel good about yourself. You know what, some people like me like a lighter weight grapple to work with. I'd rather use it carefully and have the extra lift capacity.

As I stated in one of the very early posts on this thread, you should not have to be easy on something you buy to work. The very design of this unit doomed it to failure. The cylinder would have destroyed this unit without any abuse from the user. That is unacceptable.This grapple, on ANY tractor with hydraulics sufficient to operate it, would have the same failure.

But as someone else said about you, "Pretty POOR third post."

even went so far as to badmouth the entire tractorbynet website

 

[IslandTractor]

I reached out to Wildkat via email and just ask them if the grapple is/was under-designed for my machine. If that were the case, it would have been preferable to know it before I purchased but I'd consider upgrading to more appropriate unit if they would apply my original purchase price as a credit to the new one. If not, then I'll just have to reinforce as required as many people offered very good suggestions on how to do so and my neighbor did agree to swap me his welding time for some tractor time. I probably could repair this cheaper than the shipping charges as well but my neighbor did say he felt a lot less comfortable trying to repairing this than he would welding on support pieces to reinforce a new one.

After this happened and I was looking around on the EA website at their new grapples, I did notice they gave a very specific HP range on their 48" model which would push me into the next size up if I were buying one of theirs. I appreciate that actually because we all want the appropriate tool for the job. Due to the reviews on this grapple (don't feel guilty, a good review is a good review), and the perceived lack of concern over the machine size when I purchased it, I truly believed I was doing just that. ~$1000 is a lot of money to spend on a tool and it never occurred to me that I was somehow skimping out. I still believe this is the appropriate size grapple for this size tractor, just not sure about the execution and design. Most of these Heavy-Duty grapples are very heavy and clearly designed for skid-steers or much larger tractors with much greater lift capacities.

The almost exact same grapple design works just fine on my 5000lb 41 HP DK40se. The major difference is, you guessed it, the use of 1/4" top tube. That same Millonzi grapple has been used by many people here and I've never seen a report of similar damage.

 

[ovrszd]

Since everyone here knows about it I don't think they would buy it now. I sure won't.

Just make sure you keep your "Ducks in a row" Murph.......

 

[murphy1244]

Just make sure you keep your "Ducks in a row" Murph.......

Yea they kind of fall out of place sometime.:laughing:

 

[CalG]

All this chatter about grapples has me wanting one.

My ideal set up would be to fit one to the Bolens HT =23. So I'm liking for the lightest grapple I can find, But stil as wide as the tractor so say 48 inchs
The bolens has front hydraulics, so that's a go.

I'm sure I don't want anything too beefy or the Bolens will just lift it's tail to the clouds.

Where can I find such a tool? Oh, inexpensive would be nice. I have NOT seen one on the several sites I've visited. (Brands mentioned in this forum)

TIA

Cal

 

[IslandTractor]

All this chatter about grapples has me wanting one. My ideal set up would be to fit one to the Bolens HT =23. So I'm liking for the lightest grapple I can find, But stil as wide as the tractor so say 48 inchs The bolens has front hydraulics, so that's a go. I'm sure I don't want anything too beefy or the Bolens will just lift it's tail to the clouds. Where can I find such a tool? Oh, inexpensive would be nice. I have NOT seen one on the several sites I've visited. (Brands mentioned in this forum) TIA Cal

I think the current best bet for a light duty grapple on a small tractor is the EA (Everything Attachments) 50". It might not be the absolute cheapest but it is very well designed and built and has a MAJOR advantage for small tractors with it's weight which is well below 300 lbs. I forget the exact weight but it sounds honest as the use 5/16 high strength steel rather than the more common 3/8" mild steel. I think Koua just posted the current price as $1399 which includes shipping within a thousand miles of North Carolina. You can also get removable intermediate tines for cheap money that would be very useful for moving rocks or split firewood.

 

[justme23005]

Have you sent the broken grapple back to Wildkat yet? I would be willing to pay a fair price for it. It would save you the shipping charges, and it would save them the trouble of fixing, and trying to re-sell it.

I reached out to Wildkat via email and just ask them if the grapple is/was under-designed for my machine. If that were the case, it would have been preferable to know it before I purchased but I'd consider upgrading to more appropriate unit if they would apply my original purchase price as a credit to the new one. If not, then I'll just have to reinforce as required as many people offered very good suggestions on how to do so and my neighbor did agree to swap me his welding time for some tractor time. I probably could repair this cheaper than the shipping charges as well but my neighbor did say he felt a lot less comfortable trying to repairing this than he would welding on support pieces to reinforce a new one.

After this happened and I was looking around on the EA website at their new grapples, I did notice they gave a very specific HP range on their 48" model which would push me into the next size up if I were buying one of theirs. I appreciate that actually because we all want the appropriate tool for the job. Due to the reviews on this grapple (don't feel guilty, a good review is a good review), and the perceived lack of concern over the machine size when I purchased it, I truly believed I was doing just that. ~$1000 is a lot of money to spend on a tool and it never occurred to me that I was somehow skimping out. I still believe this is the appropriate size grapple for this size tractor, just not sure about the execution and design. Most of these Heavy-Duty grapples are very heavy and clearly designed for skid-steers or much larger tractors with much greater lift capacities.

 

[k0ua]

I think the current best bet for a light duty grapple on a small tractor is the EA (Everything Attachments) 50". It might not be the absolute cheapest but it is very well designed and built and has a MAJOR advantage for small tractors with it's weight which is well below 300 lbs. I forget the exact weight but it sounds honest as the use 5/16 high strength steel rather than the more common 3/8" mild steel. I think Koua just posted the current price as $1399 which includes shipping within a thousand miles of North Carolina. You can also get removable intermediate tines for cheap money that would be very useful for moving rocks or split firewood.

I comes with the tines for now, they have threatened to make them an add on item, but so far they have all come with them. By the way the grapple weighs 274 lbs with the tines.
Another one you might want to look at since your tractor is small is the new landpride, it is made for the BX Kubota, and has a mount that fits the 25D machine.. You are going to have to do some work or someone is to make it fit.. the landpride is only 165 lbs.. it is light, light duty, made for an itty bitty tractor, but maybe that is what you want.. One of the members here said he picked up 3 railroad ties at one time with his. They seem to be holding up.
Of course the EA wicked 50 inch single lid like I have in my avatar is SSQA of course, but they will make a pin on one for $100 more. I think there was a list of various Kubota pin on's they would fit. Just talk to Travis at EA and see what he says.. Those folks are easy to deal with.

 

[Red Horse]

X2. In fact, I believe I am the one that originally introduced the WildKat 48 to this forum. I think I got an early prototype with two upper jaws and (for under $600) and I've had absoutely no problem with it at all. From my perspective, it was a great buy and I'm completely satisfied. If it were to fail as the OP's did, I'd just weld it up, no problem and still be satisfied.

Mo Pioneer- for sure you were an early supporter of this Wildkat product. Thx for the good advice. I've done a lot of work with mine in the two years I've owned it. If you saw my posts, damage was a result of "operator error" I knew better but this boulder was getting the better of me and I used a few more of my 60 horses than I should have- no big deal- all fixed in short order. BNy the way, in my case dsmage had nothing to do with hydraulics- just a matter op too much tractor weight, traction and HP