Grapple Opinions Again

[AllDodge]

M9540 with skid steer attach

Looking at several and like the clam shell style. Many list as root rake but I'm not going to try and bend the FEL arms trying to do something like that. Skid Steer Attachment Depot has a 72 inch which looks like what I'm thinking about. just as a pic only of style. Do plan to call and ask some questions about their product

Skid Steer Tractor Loader Attachment - 72" Root Rake Clam Grapple - Ship $199 | eBay

Its a clam shell and is 600 pounds. Can get the extreme which weight is 900 or so pounds, but that also reduces the amount it can pick up.

The thing I'm looking for is the style. Want something to pick up brush, trees and some rocks, but no need for digging in the dirt, have other stuff to do that

 

[Rmart30]

Ive use both styles and went with the opposite style with the longer tines when I bought one for my own. I like it because it cradles the brush pile etc rather than having to crush it to hold it. Just slide up under it and drop the lids down tilt back and go. With the clam shell type if it was brush that was starting to get rotten when you went to hold it tight it left a lot of debris behind.

2�19 MTL Attachments HD 72 Skid Steer Root Grapple Twin Cylinder-Universal fit | eBay

 

[Xfaxman]

I also have owned both styles and for brush, trees and rocks, I recommend the dual lid, L bottom style, this one is called a rock bucket:

 

[jblac197]

Ive use both styles and went with the opposite style with the longer tines when I bought one for my own. I like it because it cradles the brush pile etc rather than having to crush it to hold it. Just slide up under it and drop the lids down tilt back and go. With the clam shell type if it was brush that was starting to get rotten when you went to hold it tight it left a lot of debris behind.

2�19 MTL Attachments HD 72 Skid Steer Root Grapple Twin Cylinder-Universal fit | eBay

I got the same one just smaller and single lid. I love it, they are built pretty stout and do a great job on brush clean up and log hauling.

 

[AllDodge]

Looks like most like the dual independent grabbers over the single clam dual cylinder, along with flat bottom. Another mentioned that using independent arms allows for a uneven load pick up better, but with the larger opening when closed, need to get a full bucket more so I guess

 

[Hozzie]

I have a smaller MX5800 and have the EA 55" dual lid wicked root grapple. It's really all personal preference of root vs long tines.

For your tractor, I would go with this. You can watch the video's at the bottom to see how he tests it.
Wicked Root Grapple For Large Utility Tractors

 

[Saitcho]

For log handling and brush hauling for me nothing beat a log grapple on a set of forks. I can pick up bigger bunch of brush than any grapple I have seen seen. I can go into a log pile sneak the forks in and grab the log I want, I have a longer reach to drop a log further away. I can move pallet around the place.It weight less than a full grapple, cost less. Sure I cant go into a debris pile and take big bite. You need to figure out how often you do specific job. You will haul way more log and brush than remove debris piles so look at all the job you have to do and the frequency of each one then pick the right tool.
Cotech

 

[AllDodge]

Both good points, and have not thought about a add on pallet folk. The one in my link has a solid plate across it, and having used one without a cover is more chance to get brush into the grill. Using one similar before without a plate made it a real concern. Do agree the thought of how often will it be used

 

[EddieWalker]

Mine has two lids that work great at uneven loads, stumps, and sometimes, just picking up something small that I'm too lazy to get off of the tractor to do by hand. Any grapple is better then no grapple. I've never had a single lid grapple, so I can't speak on how good or bad they are, but after having mine for ten years, there is no way that I would want one with a single lid.

If I ever buy another one, it will be with a solid bottom so I can move a little dirt without having to take off the grapple and put on my bucket. I take out a lot of trees on my land and the hole remaining always needs more dirt to fill it up. To me, this would be the ultimate grapple design. I'm not saying that I would buy this one, but this type of grapple is what I wish that I had bought.

Skid Steer Attachment 72" Dual Cylinder Solid Bottom Bucket Grapple - Free Ship! | eBay

 

[AllDodge]

Mine has two lids that work great at uneven loads, stumps, and sometimes, just picking up something small that I'm too lazy to get off of the tractor to do by hand. Any grapple is better then no grapple. I've never had a single lid grapple, so I can't speak on how good or bad they are, but after having mine for ten years, there is no way that I would want one with a single lid.

If I ever buy another one, it will be with a solid bottom so I can move a little dirt without having to take off the grapple and put on my bucket. I take out a lot of trees on my land and the hole remaining always needs more dirt to fill it up. To me, this would be the ultimate grapple design. I'm not saying that I would buy this one, but this type of grapple is what I wish that I had bought.

Skid Steer Attachment 72" Dual Cylinder Solid Bottom Bucket Grapple - Free Ship! | eBay

I kind of like that one also, need to look some more

 

[ch1ch2]

My grapple has bottom tines that are pipe with points. I have slide 2" pipe over the grapple pipes and made it into a fork lift if you will.
I had an 8x12 shed that I needed to move and it did the job. I did take of the lid off the grapple in order to get the shed on the pipe the farthest.

Another time a tree had fallen on that same shed and I had to replace the roof. Same thing I went in the front and took off the roof in one peace using 2 - 20' pipes

 

[AllDodge]

My grapple has bottom tines that are pipe with points. I have slide 2" pipe over the grapple pipes and made it into a fork lift if you will.
I had an 8x12 shed that I needed to move and it did the job. I did take of the lid off the grapple in order to get the shed on the pipe the farthest.

Another time a tree had fallen on that same shed and I had to replace the roof. Same thing I went in the front and took off the roof in one peace using 2 - 20' pipes

Sure do like multi purpose tools, and that worked out pretty good

 

[Geotech]

I have the clam shell type. Didn't plan to dig with it, but find myself digging the tines into the ground quite often to grub up roots. Running the rake through dirt isn't going to cause more stress to the loader arms than shoving a bucket in. The L style types will carry more stuff around on their flat bottom, but I think each type are pretty comparable in ability to grab and transport piles of cut brush.

 

[Xfaxman]

I have the clam shell type. Didn't plan to dig with it, but find myself digging the tines into the ground quite often to grub up roots. Running the rake through dirt isn't going to cause more stress to the loader arms than shoving a bucket in. The L style types will carry more stuff around on their flat bottom, but I think each type are pretty comparable in ability to grab and transport piles of cut brush.

Small cut brush piles, maybe but raked up dead brush not with mine. Once the clamshell compresses the pile, stuff falls out the bottom:

 

[oosik]

AllDodge - your FEL should be at least as strong as the one on my M6040. Look in your FEL 0P Manual at the lift charts. Don't go by what is listed for the capacity under the general info page. The CENTER of my grapple is 12" forward of the pivot pins. The "heavy position" lift chart shows I can lift 4300 pounds at a point 16" forward of the pivot pins and 8" off the ground. I have a HEAVY DUTY Land Pride SGC1560 grapple @ 820#. 4300# minus 820# equals 3480 pounds.

All of the general info on lift is at a position 24" or even 36" forward of the pivot pins and 30" off the ground. Makes a GREAT, HUGE difference. I'm 12" forward of the pivot pins and 4" off the ground when I do really heavy lifting.

I've easily lifted 3000# without any strain on the FEL system. I'm just super careful and get a load this heavy about 4" off the ground. Kind of like knuckle dragging. Anything above 3000# and I'm going to need more than the 1550# of Rim Guard & 1100# Rhino rear blade on the 3-point.

My "normal" load is 2500# or less. The heavy loads are chunks of gigantic Ponderosa pine or large boulders. I have developed weight charts for both pine and rock from research on the internet. So, I always know, within a hundred pound, what the load will weigh before I tackle it.


View attachment 588866

 

[ovrszd]

I built mine on a Bobcat LoPro bucket. Dual lid.

I greatly prefer a solid bottom. I very rarely use my FEL bucket.

 

[Bigpuddie]

To the OP, you dont want that grapple with a 9540...way too light. It has 3/8" steel. You want something with 1/2" steel and dual lids. I have a 78" Tomahawk. Best bang for the buck. Greasable hinges, 1/2"steel, very well built. I paid $1250 in Pa.

 

[ovrszd]

Good point. Don't make the mistake of trying to save weight and end up with a Grapple that your tractor will overpower. A tremendous amount of force is exerted in Grapple use.

 

[AllDodge]

good points, making me thing more head starting to hurt again

 

[ovrszd]

Here's an example of added force on the FEL.