Grapple for Working in the Woods

[suburbanfarmer]

I can understand where EA grapples are preferred but at almost half the price at the cost of 100lb lift loss, I am thinking wouldnt the following be a better deal?
MTL Attachments John Deere Compact Tractor 48" Root/Rake Grapple Bucket — MTL Attachments

 

[bcs001]

I can understand where EA grapples are preferred but at almost half the price at the cost of 100lb lift loss, I am thinking wouldnt the following be a better deal?
MTL Attachments John Deere Compact Tractor 48" Root/Rake Grapple Bucket — MTL Attachments

I did look at and consider the MTL brand but when I made the choice to go with the rake style grapple with the short lower tines vs the log style with longer tines, it limited my choices.

The next biggest factors on my list is then weight followed by stiffness/strength of those lower tines since I plan to to drop it into the ground and push up small roots in the hard Georgia red clay we have around here. Some designs have short lower tines but they are not well braced right at the ground level. Those that are weight significantly more than the EA. I am a complete novice with tractors and attachments but as a mechanical engineer I understand the differences in steel strength and which design configurations are going to be stronger for my intended use.

I have no doubt many others here have the same level of knowledge as well as real life experience using the tools. That痴 why I知 here listening and learning.
Bruce.

 

[Gordon Gould]

If I were you I would check out very carefully your tractors ability to push a root rake below the surface to grub up roots. I know terrain, soils, vegetation type, and root mat very greatly and can't know what you have. But I could not do it here with my 5000 lb L3010 with what we have unless I used something else to break up the ground first. Just saying be conservative and make sure make so you won't be disappointed. I have a small 14,500 lb dozer with a root rake and it is hard work for that.

gg

 

[bcs001]

If I were you I would check out very carefully your tractors ability to push a root rake below the surface to grub up roots. I know terrain, soils, vegetation type, and root mat very greatly and can't know what you have. But I could not do it here with my 5000 lb L3010 with what we have unless I used something else to break up the ground first. Just saying be conservative and make sure make so you won't be disappointed. I have a small 14,500 lb dozer with a root rake and it is hard work for that.

gg

Great point and one I think will be a real possibility which is why I wanted something stiff so there would less chance of damage when I get hung on something too big to move. In addition to grubbing, I have so much surface vegetation, small brush and tree debris to contend with that I am pretty sure it will still be my Go-To implement along with an HD box blade with ripper teeth.

I can foresee renting or hiring a bulldozer to get some areas initially broken up enough that I can finish with my tools but that too may not work out the way I think. Looking forward to figuring it out though.
Bruce.

 

[buck12]

There are definite limits as to ground engaging work I can do with a grapple. I loose traction long before I bend my mild steel MTL grapple bends.

 

[suburbanfarmer]

There are definite limits as to ground engaging work I can do with a grapple. I loose traction long before I bend my mild steel MTL grapple bends.

Thats what I was thinking also. My tractor tires just start spinning and loose traction. For the the $1k diff in grapples pays for diverter kit.

 

[North to Alaska]

OP,

There are many smaller outfits that build grapples. Check Craig’s list and someone will have their products advertised.
My issue with EA is the lead time. I personally would not wait a year.
I tried to go with EA but I could not get anything from them in time.

 

[cjoffutt]

OP,

There are many smaller outfits that build grapples. Check Craig’s list and someone will have their products advertised.
My issue with EA is the lead time. I personally would not wait a year.
I tried to go with EA but I could not get anything from them in time.

A year? Lol.

Albeit, they do have a longer than standard lead time, it's never been anywhere close to a year. When I bought mine in the fall of 19 it was 6 weeks, received in 4. Pretty sure it's the same now.....

 

[Jstpssng]

A year? Lol.

Albeit, they do have a longer than standard lead time, it's never been anywhere close to a year. When I bought mine in the fall of 19 it was 6 weeks, received in 4. Pretty sure it's the same now.....

When I was looking they were a couple of months out. The 50% interest free loan to them was one reason I went with an MTL, and had it a week later. In ten years of working for myself I never had anybody pay me for work before I completed it, and never even considered asking.

 

[North to Alaska]

A year? Lol.

Albeit, they do have a longer than standard lead time, it's never been anywhere close to a year. When I bought mine in the fall of 19 it was 6 weeks, received in 4. Pretty sure it's the same now.....

Maybe I seen 12 weeks and not 12 months