Grapple Grapple install

[buck12]

Picked up my new 48"econo Wild Kat grapple yesterday. And my WR Long valve kit was also delivered yesterday. My install will be a bit different in that I have to have pin plates fabricated and welded on because my loader is not a quick attach. I will keep the thread updated but my install may take some time. I can't even unload the grapple today because my daughter has ball games all day.

 

[SSdoxie]

I have a set of pin plates I took off my bucket to convert to QA. Will accept loader frame width 2 & 1/4", and 7/8" pin diameter. If interested, send PM.

 

[Rockgod]

Have you given any thought to ATI's Tach-all? This is the route I went and couldn't be happier. It's plug and play you don't even have to get your hands dirty.

ATI Corporation - Tach-All(tm) Quick Attach

 

[Cantoo]

I agree, it's better to switch over to quick attach as soon as you can. It's just so handy to be able to change attachments quickly. I have maybe dozen or more buckets and blades for mine.

 

[buck12]

I would love to go quick attach but between the grapple and WR long kit I have exceed my toy budget for a while. By the way I got the grapple unloaded today.

 

[buck12]

I said I would keep this thread updated which I haven't done. Well I finally got my grapple installed and functing. I'm looking forward to giving it a workout this weekend.

 

[HCJtractor]

Looks awesome. You will love the grapple. For what it's worth, I have the ATI quick attach and it is pretty nice. It has a few shortcomings, but is adequate. My Kubota was not skid steer QA either.

And a bit of advice. Before you get too carried away pretending you are a bulldozer playing with you new toy and start knocking down trees and wading into house sized piles of debris, make sure your grill is protected with a good screen or guard of some kind. You will damage something eventually if you don't. Found this out the hard way!!

 

[buck12]

Looks awesome. You will love the grapple. For what it's worth, I have the ATI quick attach and it is pretty nice. It has a few shortcomings, but is adequate. My Kubota was not skid steer QA either.

And a bit of advice. Before you get too carried away pretending you are a bulldozer playing with you new toy and start knocking down trees and wading into house sized piles of debris, make sure your grill is protected with a good screen or guard of some kind. You will damage something eventually if you don't. Found this out the hard way!!

I still have to take care of protecting the grill and I am not happy with the way the hoses run from the grapple to the loader arm. I plan to address the hoses before using the grapple.

 

[HCJtractor]

Yeah, I had same issue with hoses and have damaged them before by having one hang up on a bolt and then ripping them when going up and down. I bought some good sheathing material from a local hydraulic shop to encase to hoses to especially protect wear points, and used lots of large zip ties and elastic bungees to hold it in place but to allow some movement. I would advise having a buddy stand by watching the hoses in all degrees of FEL movement to see how they react and to make sure they are tied off and don't hang up or bind anywhere. Then check these periodically for breakage, as I noticed just yesterday my zip ties have broken and the hose almost hungup when I moved the FEL. I also would recommend having some spare hoses made up as it is inevitable you are going to damge one and if you are like me, breaking a hose would cost me a lost weekend of work. Also make sure you have spare fuses for the electric grapple control (I think you have a electric control for the thumb, if not, ignore this advise)

 

[deezler]

Glad to see this thread, as I just bought my first tractor - a Cub Cadet 7305, equivalent to the Mahindra 3015. And I see you have this wildkat econo grapple on your Mahindra 2615. For FELs as small as ours, to me this econo-grapple really seems like the only option. At ~500 lbs, its already taking around half the lift capacity! Then again, how much does the loader bucket weigh itself?

I would simply love to see more pics - of how you did the hydraulics and electric control, the non-quick attachment mounting points, and the tractor itself with the grapple mounted! Thanks!