Grapple or 4 way bucket? Which one?

[Rara Avis]

Yesterday I pulled 12 of those heavy duty metal fence posts out of the ground. It was a lot easier than my old method hack sawing them off.

T-Posts??

If you are taking T-posts...there are some very easy manual pulling devices...

Kencove Farm Fence Supplies - T Post Tools

If you are taking round posts sunk in concrete...then you get to buy yourself a BH...

 

[Westendorf-RR]

I recently bought an Kubota L48 TLB. I'm adding skid steer compatible quick disconnects to it and a 3rd spool option for the loader. I'm going to be getting a new bucket, pallet forks and a grapple of some kind.

I plan on using the grapple for some brush clean up as I clean fence rows out. I will use the bucket a lot for dirt work, like cleaning the barn out, loading manure, grading the drives, etc.

Since I have to get a new bucket (the factory bucket will not attach to the skid steer quick disconnects), I'm considering a 4 way bucket. I listed some of the options below. I would like to here everyone's thoughts on the different options and how they might work. I've never used a grapple before or a 4 way blade, so I might be missing some important points when trying to decide which to get.

Option 1: Get a 4 way bucket
Option 2: Get a "open type" grapple that dirt/small debree can fall through and a dedicated bucket
Option 3: Get a grapple with a solid bottom and a dedicated bucket
Option 4: Get a new dedicated bucket and modify my old to work on my quick disconnects and weld a grapple setup on it.

Does anyone sell a "kit" if I chose to do Option 4?

Front-End Loaders by Westendorf: loader for tractor, shade canopy, wagons, manure & landscaping equipment.

 

[candersen10]

If you want to move Brush, nothing beats a grapple.

 

[garth466]

They were T posts, but that tool would cost more time. I haven't even found an economic excuse to own a tractor yet. Let me put 5 minutes on it pulling a few posts.

The grapple might be the way to go with brush, but as long as I don't know any better, 4-in-1 works great. I'm actually trying to get my buddy that is going to buy the same tractor to get the grapple and some other implements that I don't have so we can swap stuff. Unfortunately he keeps coming up with reasons to step up. If he doesn't stop, he'll be up to the 4x20 series!

 

[IslandTractor]

If you want to move Brush, nothing beats a grapple.

Yep. Try this with a 4n1 (photos). 4n1 is a versatile tool to be sure but a grapple will outperform it in every way when dealing with brush or logs.

 

[daTeacha]

As a grapple on bucket owner and user, let me add the following: 1) A grapple makes a wonderful tool to grab T posts and lift them out of the ground. 2) A grapple is great for picking up stumps, large rocks, brush, etc. 3) A grapple will squash and puncture your wife's HD Rubbermaid plastic garden cart when you try to pick up the latter with the former. 4) What is needed here is a 4 in 1 with a grapple attached to the back of it and then we can have the best of both worlds!

 

[garth466]

Sign me up for that!

I could probably just get a grapple with my 4-in-1 set up and swap out the bucket, couldn't I? We'll see if I ever get to trying to actually save time with what I'm doing. Right now I can't find enough to do to put hours on her. I'm sure that will change after about 25 cedars come tumbling down.

 

[IslandTractor]

Sign me up for that!

I could probably just get a grapple with my 4-in-1 set up and swap out the bucket, couldn't I?

Just don't forget you'd then need two hydraulic remotes to control grapple and 4n1. It is certainly possible but to my knowledge no one on TBN has ever put a grapple on a 4n1.

 

[alchemysa]

Ok, this might sound like a crazy idea but what about putting some of those addon grapple arms on to the top of a 4 way bucket. Then you would have the best of both worlds and never have to change buckets.

Something like this



Anyone ever done this or am I completely crazy?

Some of you guys are dreaming about a '4in1 with a grapple attached' as if it would be the ultimate attachment. But if you look at the mechanics you'll see a grapple would be pretty useless on a 4in1 as it wouldnt pick up any more scrub than the claw alone - maybe even less. Nothing can match a dedicated grapple for collecting massive clumps of scrub, but a 4in1 is probably equal to many 'standard bucket plus grapple' setups. And the 4in1 will do a heck of a lot more as well.

 

[daTeacha]

One of the things that has most impressed me with my Add-a-Grapple on the bucket is the amount of sheep manure it enables me to pick up. I have a homemade toothbar with teeth extending about 6" from the cutting edge that I use with the grapple when cleaning out the barn. For those of you ignorant of the ways of sheep, the critters are very wasteful of hay so the manure has a lot of long fibers in it and sticks together a lot more than cow or horse manure. You basically can't pick up much at all with a bucket and cutting edge. The tooth bar helps get about 1/2 a bucket load if it doesn't fall back into the pile. With the grapple on there, I can get a mound of manure that is about 2 buckets full, rip it loose from the pile, and remove it.

I don't know how a 4 in 1 would deal with this particular material, but I think it would be tough to beat the grapple/toothbar/bucket combo. We need a contest in manure moving!!