grapple hydraulic setup 1026r

[J_J]

No, in fact it is a good idea, that way you can fix anything that goes wrong.

That price per hour is excessive.

Just get the fittings that match up to the hose.

Try here.

Field-Attachable (Reusable) Hose Fittings > Discount Hydraulic Hose.com

 

[kennyd]

I just got a call from the hydraulics shop after dropping off the tractor. They want $150/hr and think it will take 2-3 hours to make my hoses. I told them I didn't want the hoses installed yet, just made up and they wouldn't give me a price. I think that's a lot of money for what they are doing. I think i'm going to just buy stock hoses online, cut off one end of each hose, and use repair ends to plumb everything. Is this a bad idea?

Just make your own from scratch: Re-Usable Hydraulic Hose Fitting Tutorial - TractorByNet.com


That is a great project you have going on!

 

[swick1]

Thanks guys, I have my order ready for discount hydraulic hose.com now! I'll post a parts drawing and list for future reference...

25ft - R2-04 | 1/4" SAE 100R2AT Hydraulic Hose (by the foot)

8 - R2-04-604 | 1/4" Hose x 1/4" JIC Female (Steel)

2 - R2-04-504 | 1/4" Hose x 1/4" JIC Male (Steel)

1 - PTFE Thread Sealing Compound, 1/4 pint

10 - NPS-209 | 2.09" ID Nylon Protective Sleeve (by the foot)

6 - R2-04-104 | 1/4" Hose x 1/4" NPTF Male (Steel)

6 - 5405-06-04 | Extender/Enlarger, 3/8" NPTF Male x 1/4" NPTF Female (Steel)

6 - 6801-04-08 | 90ｰ Elbow, 1/4" JIC x #8 SAE/ORB (Steel)

2 - 5702-06-06 | 90ｰ Elbow, 3/8" NPTF Female x 3/8" NPTF Male Swivel (Steel)

 

[dstig1]

Solidworks user? Looks pretty good overall. Not sure about the way you did the front lower teeth, but if you have tried a similar design before and liked it, I can't argue with that.

I'm not sure if you have a SSQA mount or something else, but if you have the SSQA, make sure the whole face plate of the tractor mount has some contact with the grapple structure, either by hitting against a tine, or adding some reinforcement.

I also found adding expanded metal to the back of the grapple was a huge help in stopping sticks from poking my grill and hydraulic hoses and doesn't really hurt visibility. I used 3/4" x #9 flattened expanded.

 

[swick1]

I have Jd quick attach. I was planning on building the grapple first then deciding on how to attach it. I've built my own pallet fork carrier before so I know it's not too hard. I'll probably get some expanded steel from the scrap yard.

The more I think about the front rake arrangement I become more unsatisfied with the design. I'll have to think about it more.

 

[swick1]

I changed the lower teeth to provide more raking effect and added a saw profile to the back side for cutting roots. I tried a similar method on a backhoe root ripper that worked okay.

Ripper thread: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/220577-john-deere-260-backhoe-ripper.html

My plasma cut parts are going to be ready on Friday.

My order total at discounthydraulichose.com was $267.86. It should be here next week.

 

[swick1]

Unwrapping my pallet felt like christmas morning! Plasma cost: $416 including material.

Harbor Steel in Prichard, WV does great work. I was surprised they wrapped the pallet and deburred the parts for me.

 

[nickel plate]

I just got a call from the hydraulics shop after dropping off the tractor. They want $150/hr and think it will take 2-3 hours to make my hoses. I told them I didn't want the hoses installed yet, just made up and they wouldn't give me a price. I think that's a lot of money for what they are doing. I think i'm going to just buy stock hoses online, cut off one end of each hose, and use repair ends to plumb everything. Is this a bad idea?

Price the custom made up hoses at your local NAPA store for a comparison. Use an air hose or the like as a surrogate to measure each hose as you progress toward the grapple and add a foot, have each set of hoses made up only on the upstream end, take them home, plug them in and finish measure, take them back for the downstream pressing along with the measurements for the next set and repeat.
Having watched all four sets of my grapple hoses being built, each one didn't take more that 10 minutes per hose and I was charged flat fees for the fittings, hoses and pressings.
You will need bulkhead brackets to turn the 90 degree corners at the FEL and a straight through at the docking/disconnect area, in my case a total of three. I built them out of 1/4" angle stock.
I know it's a lot of time and work building the hoses this way but I only wanted to do this plumbing job once-that was over a year ago and so far no re-builds.

 

[swick1]

Well I've already ordered the hoses and fittings but I appreciate the advice. I will need a couple of elbows to make it to the crossbar. I have considered stopping short though since my crossbar is much lower than yours and I don't want my qc's in the dirt.

 

[dstig1]

Making hoses is a 5-min job for a hydraulic shop, unless something very weird is going on. Cut hose to length, Blow out saw debris, put fitting on end and place in crimper and hit it. 10-15 sec later the hydraulic crimper is done, and you repeat on the other end. I watched them make mine when I put together my 3rd function diverter valve. They are set up for it and it is easy for them.

Whoever told you 2-3 hours was either trying to stick it to you or make you go away.

 

[swick1]

I got the bottom half of the grapple put together today. It's getting hard to man handle now

 

[swick1]

Too many buckets

 

[swick1]

I made some more progress this morning. The plasma cutter made the holes about 0.050" undersize, so i had to drill them out, but they were hardened by the nitride layer that the plasma cutter makes and it was a pain in the butt. I started working on the top half and i'm getting ready to tack the hinges on this evening. It's just too hot to work in the daytime when I don't have any shade with our temperatures of 94 degrees and 70% humidity.

 

[Artisan]

I do not know how powerful your tractor is, but if shes a brute
I would be addin' some gussets swickster. Instead of a hole your
favorite superhero logo / whatnot is fun...

I bought my own hose maker. I am SO GLAD I did instead of being
at the mercy of the kid at NAPA I was able to make them my way
at my speed. I hooked up one end and hand fit it, then routed
the hose to the other end and measured.
Kinda comes out perfect that way.

 

[swick1]

Thanks artisan. I'm going to put some gussets on the horizontal tines like you suggest. The quick attach plates should stiffen the vertical tines.

 

[dstig1]

I don't think those gussets are really needed if you are already using 3/8" steel. Nobody seems to have lateral stability issues within the grapple itself. Now if you are considering more gusseting, I would suggest the joint at the bottom rear where the uprights and the horizontal tines join at the square tube. Deeper gussets there may be wise as that could affect the strength during digging/prying operations.

 

[swick1]

More progress today. The cylinder is interfering with the grapple when it is fully open because i drew a welded cylinder in my modeling software, but decided to buy a tierod cylinder. I guess it didn't save me $10 after all I will fabricate a new bracket for the rod end because my range of motion is still about an inch less than what I would like.

I decided to use bolts and washers from tractor supply because that's what the dingo grapple uses. I am going to get some longer bolts so only the smooth part under the head is taking the shear loads. I also put washers between the hinged parts so i could accommodate warping from the welding process. I figure it's easier to grind down a washer surface to get a nice fit than it is to grind my grapple.

 

[swick1]

I cut out a new bracket. Now everything fits! I am almost finished welding now! I decided to use grade 8 bolts as pins and cut down the threads so only the smooth unthreaded parts are actually rolling in the hinge.

 

[gumshu]

Nice job! I wish I knew something about welding. :thumbsup:

 

[swick1]

gumshu: Just pick up an angle grinder and an old AC stick welder from craigslist and you can be welding for about $300. I didn't know anything about stick welding until last fall when I started messing around with building attachments. So far I've built a ripper, boom pole, plow, trailer mover, and pallet forks. I think I've burned through about 10lbs of rod. I'm just now learning vertical up. I think edge prep is more important than technique, but of course, both are important.

This video will get you started: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWdgEaXWDxQ&feature=related

Here are the pictures from last night. I couldn't get them to upload yesterday.

old (top) and new (bottom) brackets