Grapple Grapple Options

[merlintractor]

We'll need some pics when its all set up!

 

[93Mustang]

Well - I got the grapple today-very excited but...I have no way to put it on my loader! Uggg- don't know what type of hitch-if any will work with this-see below - sorry but is dark out so the pics may be a little hard to see. Let's just say it was an adventure getting it here as my driveway is not fun for delivery trucks. Luckily my neighbor has pallet forks. so I am hoping it is set up for a universal skid steer hitch that I can buy. There is a slot on the bottom but nothing apparent to attach to on the top. I am frustrated - the people at gator were very nice but I specified the JDQA to three people and even walked them to foggy's pictures on this post while i was on the phone. I have no ability to weld anything so hopefully this is an easy fix...let me know if you can tell by the pics. Nothing worse than getting something and not being able to use it!

 

[teg]

Do you have a receipt that had "...specified the JDQA..."??? or just words with someone?

PS... How much did the "W.R. valve installed" run ya? ballpark... I thought about going that route.

 

[93Mustang]

My receipt does not specify the JDQA. I got the receipt in the mail yesterday and the grapple today. The phone is the only way to viably get in touch with them. I hate to complain but I was really careful about this knowing that if it showed up without something correct, it would be problem as I don't have any easy way to move something like this beyond my tractor,nor frankly the time or machanical abilities. I used the advice on this post to order and was very specific about the connectors, two sets of extra tines, line size and JDQA. (Thank You to all). I literally showed them pictures from this site. I did get the correct fittings I believe but I will check that out tomorrow. It is what it is so I am hoping that it is set up for a quick hitch. I will call them tomorrow and see what they sent and go from there.

Not exactly sure what the total install cost for the diverter as I also had the 200 hour service and some other work done as well. Valve itself is $595 I think. Probably nearly double that with labor. Will at least hook the grapple up tomorrow to the hydraulics to test the valve and the hydraulics on the grapple.

 

[PHS79]

Yep it is setup for a skidsteer quicktach. Either you can buy a full quicktach and mount that on your tractor, thats what I did since I have alot of Bobcat attachments that I am going to use on my Kubota, or you can take the grapple to a welding shop and have them fab up the JD mounts onto the grapple.

 

[foggy1111]

My receipt does not specify the JDQA. I got the receipt in the mail yesterday and the grapple today. The phone is the only way to viably get in touch with them. I hate to complain but I was really careful about this knowing that if it showed up without something correct, it would be problem as I don't have any easy way to move something like this beyond my tractor,nor frankly the time or machanical abilities. I used the advice on this post to order and was very specific about the connectors, two sets of extra tines, line size and JDQA. (Thank You to all). I literally showed them pictures from this site. I did get the correct fittings I believe but I will check that out tomorrow. It is what it is so I am hoping that it is set up for a quick hitch. I will call them tomorrow and see what they sent and go from there.

Not exactly sure what the total install cost for the diverter as I also had the 200 hour service and some other work done as well. Valve itself is $595 I think. Probably nearly double that with labor. Will at least hook the grapple up tomorrow to the hydraulics to test the valve and the hydraulics on the grapple.

Geez...that's a shame they didn't sent you the right stuff. Those pics of yours are not the best, but it sure appears that they sent you the Skid Steer type mounts and not the JD. Did you pay ($100 extra) for the JD Mounts? Did they send Pioneer Couplers? I sure hope they make this right with you. What more can you do than show them a pic of what you want? :confused2:

 

[IslandTractor]

This sounds like an ordering mistake at Gator (ex-Markham) related to new staff unfamiliar with CUTs. The default mount is certainly skidsteer but Markham certainly used to fabricate the JD mounts as an option.

I've had JD mounts converted to universal by a local welder and going the other way is technically not a big deal if the welder has the specifications. I'd call Gator though as they might work out something. The cost of having the JD mount retrofitted by a local welder is likely to be two or three hundred if they need to come to your driveway and also spend time fabricating tabs and figuring out measurements.

 

[kennyd]

Yup, you sure got the standard SSQA and not the JDQA. Call them and make them fix it...no way is this your problem. This may be the first "test" of the new ownership.

 

[93Mustang]

I spoke to Gator this morning. They passed the customer service test with flying colors. They will ship another one with the correct JDQA and I will send this one back. They have been exceedingly nice. These things happen and in the grand scheme-no big deal.

 

[IslandTractor]

Good to hear they responded like that. It may cost them a few hundred in extra shipping but will go a long way towards convincing the TBN market that the new ownership will be just as responsive and fair as the last.

 

[teg]

I'm glad Gator did you right :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup: Instead of being eaten by them :licking:

 

[93Mustang]

I took the day off to do some work on the tractor work. My second grapple arrived at a shipping dock and long story short and a uhaul truck later it is at my house. Everything looks great. Thank you Gator!

Well I had two things to accomplish today. Pick up my grapple and connect a new CCM hydraulic toplink. I can only laugh at myself sometimes - spent the morning picking up the grapple. Then I made two trips to a local hydraulic store to get the top link in reasonable shape. Finally get around to hooking up the grapple - well the diverter valve couplers are smaller than the supplied pioneer couplers on the grapple! :ashamed: Can't believe I didn't at least try the grapple out when I got it home. I hope my local NAPA has what I need to make this work as by the time I figured this out, the hydraulic store was closed for the weekend! So I now have two grapples (one will be headed back) and can't use either one! Well, at least this appears to be a simple fix. Almost there!

 

[foggy1111]

I took the day off to do some work on the tractor work. My second grapple arrived at a shipping dock and long story short and a uhaul truck later it is at my house. Everything looks great. Thank you Gator!

Well I had two things to accomplish today. Pick up my grapple and connect a new CCM hydraulic toplink. I can only laugh at myself sometimes - spent the morning picking up the grapple. Then I made two trips to a local hydraulic store to get the top link in reasonable shape. Finally get around to hooking up the grapple - well the diverter valve couplers are smaller than the supplied pioneer couplers on the grapple! :ashamed: Can't believe I didn't at least try the grapple out when I got it home. I hope my local NAPA has what I need to make this work as by the time I figured this out, the hydraulic store was closed for the weekend! So I now have two grapples (one will be headed back) and can't use either one! Well, at least this appears to be a simple fix. Almost there!

It's kinda the way this stuff goes sometimes....especially when you don't work with these things everyday. There are three sizes of Pioneer couplers that JD uses on their products (1/4, 3/8, 1/2)....and the 3/8" and 1/2" look pretty similar to my eye too. (don't ask me how I know) You'll get 'er. :thumbsup:

 

[jgrreed]

Gator and I have had a few problems over the past few weeks as well. Christine and Nina have been great about making things right, but I have lost a lot of fall winter prep time in the process.

Christine, if you read this (I'm guessing you will), please let us help you out with the couplers/quik-tach styles for the different machines. Between all of us on here you'll be able to get the info needed to build a database of tractor info and make orders right the first go-round. Alternatively, you could build an order sheet that the customer can fill out with blanks for hose length, coupler style, coupler size, and quik-tach style.

Just throw out a thread or PM us and we can help. I don't know a lot of these things off the top of my head, but KennyD, SPJenkins, et al do!! I'm always willing to go out to my machine with a tape measure or calipers.

-Jer.

 

[93Mustang]

I must clarify that the coupler size has nothing to do with gator- i didn't realize the diverter had smaller couplers.

I do agree that if I had a form to fill out and fax or something maybe less chance things would go wrong. I also agree that honestly without the collective wisdom of this site, I would have had no idea what to order as well. Just sort of assumed that the make and model of tractor would dictate what I got but was very naive to the various options such as hose width, hitch type etc - not that this is gators problem but I can't be the only uneducated individual placing orders so more structure would be helpful for someone like me.

 

[93Mustang]

Grapple is up and running after a trip to the local Deere dealer to get the hydraulic connectors squared away. Thank you all for your help! Now to have some fun!

 

[foggy1111]

You cant have much fun with a small pic like that. :laughing: :laughing:We need some size to see those pics man! (nice grapple :thumbsup: )

OH....and I agree that some help for the folks at Markham / Gator would be a good thing. As I tell my kids....nobody is born knowing this stuff.

 

[IslandTractor]

Markham Welding is no longer....Melissa's been gone for about a month. Some "Gator" place now.

It is the same product and shop now under new management. Gator seems committed to keeping the same standards based in a couple of reports on TBN. The ownership transition actually occurred over a year ago.

 

[SWIMMER]

Markham was a treat to work with, made me a custom 48 inch grapple and had it to me all the way out on the left coast in under a week. Hope the new management can keep that going.

The hydraulic fitting thing was frustrating when i got my grapple, I finally just loaded the grapple in the truck with the hoses from WR long and went across the river to the hydraulic shop, they had me fixed up in 10 minutes. The guys at napa just gave me a blank look when I asked them.

 

[IslandTractor]

Markham never did seem to understand that most tractor owners used Pioneer style rather than skidsteer flat qc fittings. Maybe Gator will get that figured out.