IslandTractor
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2005
- Messages
- 15,802
- Location
- Prudence Island, RI
- Tractor
- 2007 Kioti DK40se HST, Woods BH
The open bottom grapple type or standard grapple is generally cheaper than the claw or grapple rake type. I have the standard type and it works very well with a tractor. It has the advantage that you can load stuff that is held in place mostly by gravity with the upper jaw just keeping material from falling out the front. The claw type is absolutely dependent on grapple clamping pressure. It may not seem like a big deal but I find it very useful to be able to sometimes throw stuff into the grapple at final clean up, when moving firewood or when culling rocks and can do that with the jaw open. I then close the jaw only for transport.
Another advantage of the standard type is that the bottom tines are longer and therefore can be used to dig under roots to pop up medium size trees.
The rake/claw style has an advantage in picking up smaller sized branches/debris as both top/bottom tines come together like a rake.
There is lots of reading on TBN about this subject. Bottom line is that virtually every grapple owner regardless of grapple type owned seems to really love the implement. I certainly fit into that category. I got a light duty standard 48 inch grapple for my CK20 which was extremely useful in clearing brush. When I sold that tractor I upgraded to a DK40se and just switched the grapple over. It continues to be my favorite implement and is still going strong 4 years later.
Another advantage of the standard type is that the bottom tines are longer and therefore can be used to dig under roots to pop up medium size trees.
The rake/claw style has an advantage in picking up smaller sized branches/debris as both top/bottom tines come together like a rake.
There is lots of reading on TBN about this subject. Bottom line is that virtually every grapple owner regardless of grapple type owned seems to really love the implement. I certainly fit into that category. I got a light duty standard 48 inch grapple for my CK20 which was extremely useful in clearing brush. When I sold that tractor I upgraded to a DK40se and just switched the grapple over. It continues to be my favorite implement and is still going strong 4 years later.