hi keeping it simple

[hdbikercouple]

after reading all the posts about a gapple hook & hydr. plumbing i came up with this. i'm going to plumb mine into my tilt cyclinder. for it to open when dumping & closeing(clamp) when rolling the forks & bucket back. as i can see i will want it to close when rolling back & open when dumping. & if i got to open it with the forkes tilted. by putting the loader arms on the ground the hydr. will go to the easies one first & raise the gapple hook before lifting the front of the tractor. also by adding either a pin to the hinge (like a snow plow to keep it from tripping) or ball values to the lines i can keep the hook open or closed .or am i mising something?

 

[MarkLeininger]

You forgot the attachment....

 

[ronjhall]

hdbikercouple
Welcome both of you to TBN. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
I don't think it will work for every job. Checkout my Pictures here on TBN. I use the grapple in both open closed positions, dumped and rolled back.

 

[Henro]

What you seem to be saying you will do is hook up the grapple cylinder in parallel with the existing bucket cylinders, but opposite, so that when the bucket cylinders retract, the grapple cylinder extends.

Then you seem to be considering putting a ball valve in series with the grapple cylinder, to cause it to lock in place, at whatever position the cylinder may be at the time the ball valve is closed.

I think in THEORY this would work. I don't know if it would be practical as far as use of the grapple goes though. You could try it, and if it was not really a workable solution for your needs/abilities, you cold add a control valve for the grapple cylinder later.

One problem you might run into, is some kind of unexpected affect on the bucket operation. One of those "Why didn't I see that in my mind before I did this?" kind of moments... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

One thing that would happen is the bucket movement would slow somewhat, since the the hydraulic fluid would be split three ways instead of the normal two.

If you are willing to go the whole nine yards and add the normal control valve for grapple operation later if needed, why not try your idea?

I think I would rather have the separate control of the grapple myself, like is normally done, but as they say, to each his own... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif