Grapple How do you control your hydraulic grapple?

[Rolando]

I have auxiliary hydraulic control for the grapple on a rocker switch on my joystick, but I wonder about how the controls are set. I got the grapple just recently and have only been able to use it for a few days so far.

As is the convention, I curl the bucket by moving the joystick to the left and dump to the right. But the auxiliary controls are set to close the grapple by moving the switch to the right and opening by moving the switch to the left. I reflexively tend to want to close the grapple by moving the switch to left (like grabbing dirt by moving joystick to the left) instead of to the right.

This switch setting is easy enough to change, since it's just an electrical connection, but I don't know if I'm thinking wrong about this.

You can learn anything with enough repetitions. Should I leave the controls the way they are and get used to it, or should I have the dealer reverse the way the rocker switch works?

I would appreciate any comments.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Get the switch switched. If you think about it, the switch is in backwards. Movement to the left is to hold a load and movement to the right releases or dumps the load. The switch should work in the same motion as the lever IMO.

Brian

 

[neverenough]

That is the way it is supposed to be, and really should be gotten used to. If you move the joystick to the left, the bucket cylinders RETRACT, causing the bucket to curl UP and hold a load. Move the aux switch to the left, and the grapple cylinder RETRACTS, causing the grapple to pull UP, away from the bucket. Going right is extend, or down for both.

 

[Willl]

Supposed to be or not, it's your tractor, change it.

Personally, mine will be to the left closes grapple.

 

[ovrszd]

Anytime something about a piece of equipment seems backwards, and it's changeable, change it right away. Rather than go thru the learning process to teach yourself to do something that seems backwards.

 

[dsgsr]

I've got thousands of hrs. in machinery, the one thing that is most common is if you pull a lever toward you, you bring the load toward you or pick it up. Like wise, you push a lever away you move the load away from you or dump it. Left to grab, right to dump assuming the loader lever is on the right

David

 

[JoeL4330]

my switch is mounted on the side so the rocker is fore and aft ...and, I can set it either way by connecting the hoses differently ...in fact, neither way seems natural all the time ...mine is a WR Long root rake and opens wayyyyyy wide and, depending how wide it is open and how high up it is, my instinctive motion changes ...but, you should arrange your so your instinctive moves are the right ones ...I agree, why go through a learning process that is counter intuitive ...even though you can learn, why?

 

[schmism]

so if your gonna mount a grapple on your existing bucket (weather you go home built or prefab) would go you electric diverter valve, or rear remote (if you had one)

 

[MadReferee]

so if your gonna mount a grapple on your existing bucket (weather you go home built or prefab) would go you electric diverter valve, or rear remote (if you had one)

I would go with the electric/hydraulic valve (aka third function). It's a little more expensive that the diverter setup but is more flexible.

I would always opt for the diverter over the rear remote simply for ease of use. You can operate the grapple and the loader with just the joystick instead of two handed with the remote lever and joystick.

 

[Willl]

would go you electric diverter valve, or rear remote (if you had one)

I'm about a 1/3 of the way done w/ my home made grapple and have been pondering the same question myself.
I have a 'power beyond' line for the BH so I could go either way.

I find myself leaning towards a diverter mostly for ease of installation and usage.

With a diverter, I end up with a 'small' push button switch on my FEL handle.

With a rear remote (like a LONG valve or standard hand operated valve), I've got either a god-awful huge knob on the FEL handle or a totally separate handle to try and find while operating the thing. (cause there is no way to mount another handle close to the joy stick)

 

[jinman]

As is the convention, I curl the bucket by moving the joystick to the left and dump to the right. But the auxiliary controls are set to close the grapple by moving the switch to the right and opening by moving the switch to the left. I reflexively tend to want to close the grapple by moving the switch to left (like grabbing dirt by moving joystick to the left) instead of to the right.

This switch setting is easy enough to change, since it's just an electrical connection, but I don't know if I'm thinking wrong about this.

Rolando, if I understand correctly, you are used to the normal bucket curl function, but your grapple is backwards. Do you have quick connects going to the grapple? If so, just swap them and you'll be in business. You can do it with non-quick connects too, but it just takes longer to swap the hoses. Maybe there is something I'm missing, but rewiring your switch seems like overkill.

 

[schmism]

Rolando, if I understand correctly, you are used to the normal bucket curl function, but your grapple is backwards. ... If so, just swap them

ahhh the simplicty of the "outside point of view"

could it get anymore simple?

(seriously great post, if its that simple)

 

[Willl]

Why couldn't ya just swap electrical leads going to the valve ?

 

[3RRL]

I have mine set when you push the switch to the left it closes the grapple, to the right opens it. If it were like yours, I'd switch it....but that's me.

 

[PineRidge]

I have auxiliary hydraulic control for the grapple on a rocker switch on my joystick, but I wonder about how the controls are set. I got the grapple just recently and have only been able to use it for a few days so far.

As is the convention, I curl the bucket by moving the joystick to the left and dump to the right. But the auxiliary controls are set to close the grapple by moving the switch to the right and opening by moving the switch to the left. I reflexively tend to want to close the grapple by moving the switch to left (like grabbing dirt by moving joystick to the left) instead of to the right.

This switch setting is easy enough to change, since it's just an electrical connection, but I don't know if I'm thinking wrong about this.

You can learn anything with enough repetitions. Should I leave the controls the way they are and get used to it, or should I have the dealer reverse the way the rocker switch works?

I would appreciate any comments.

Mine is set up to work with a button on the joystick. I move it left to close the grapple and right to open. If yours is reversed why not simply reverse the hydraulic lines at the QA connectors and leave the wiring the way that it is?

 

[IslandTractor]

As someone who uses the rear remote with separate lever, I gotta defend that set up as 1) far more economical, 2) less installation hassles and 3) perfectly adequate for operating a grapple jaw.

Open grapple....use FEL to position....drive into load....close grapple....reverse and deliver....open grapple....dump. What is the big deal that requires investing $500 or more in a diverter valve? If I were using a grapple 8 hours a day it might be different but the vast majority of folks on TBN are not using grapples that much or professionally. It might take me a half a second more per load than someone with a diverter or solonoid valve.

The point is that grapple opening and closing is not a delicate operation. Open or closed. Do you need to look down and hassle with the shift lever on your 4 on the floor auto transmission....you "learn" where it is and just reach naturally.

There is almost no downside to starting off using the rear remote if you have one (and frankly, if you have $500 to blow on a diverter valve you should invest in in rear remotes before adding a diverter). The only cost will be the length of hydraulic hoses and fittings necessary to make the hook up.

KISS

 

[mikim]

Rolando, if I understand correctly, you are used to the normal bucket curl function, but your grapple is backwards. Do you have quick connects going to the grapple? If so, just swap them and you'll be in business. You can do it with non-quick connects too, but it just takes longer to swap the hoses. Maybe there is something I'm missing, but rewiring your switch seems like overkill.

My grapple hoses are setup so that each side (tractor side vs. grapple side) has a male & female so they can't be switched. I like it that way cause I'd sure as heck hook 'em different every time if they could be.

 

[PineRidge]

As someone who uses the rear remote with separate lever, I gotta defend that set up as 1) far more economical, 2) less installation hassles and 3) perfectly adequate for operating a grapple jaw.

It's a personal choice at best. In my opinion, not having to take my hand from the joystick to work the grapple gives me quicker control. It's like trying to compare a HST to a gear tractor (they'll both get you to where you want to go).

Yesterday Leppo came to pick up a tree spade that we rented. They had dumped the extra BobCat bucket in the drive just in case I needed it. When the guy got ready to load it, I snapped it up with the grapple, drove up the inclined trailer and gently set it on the trailer deck. The driver said that the grapple was the slickest thing he had seen in a long time.

 

[IslandTractor]

It's a personal choice at best. In my opinion, not having to take my hand from the joystick to work the grapple gives me quicker control. It's like trying to compare a HST to a gear tractor (they'll both get you to where you want to go).

I agree. My point was that people seem to be recommending either the diverter or solonoid solutions which are more complex and expensive installations compared with the perfectly adequate (eg. gear transmission like) rear remote. If I used a grapple 8 hrs a day I'd probably want a solonoid switch on the FEL control but for homeowner grapple use the rear remote is perfectly adequate and might cost me a half a second per load extra. It would take a lot of loads to justify $500 so that I did not need to slide my hand back eight inches.

I can pick up anything that someone with a diverter/solonoid can pick up. I can feather the closure just as finely if necessary. Although it is a small point, there is also the advantage with rear remotes that I can put a constant "squeeze" on what I have in the grapple by leaving the controller on rather than in neutral after picking up a load. I don't often do that but with a big load of branches or brush that sometimes shifts a bit during travel I can set the grapple so it adjusts automatically to tighten up. Again, I don't want to oversell that advantage cause it isn't usually an issue.

I'd like to be clear that I don't have anything against the diverter/solonoid strategies. It should be clear to people considering adding a grapple that you can get more bang for your buck by using the rear remotes as an option. Also, if you don't already have at least one set of rear remotes, consider spending the money you'd put into the diverter/solonoid into a set of remotes. Lots of potential uses.

Bottom line: there is very little downside to starting off with the rear remote grapple control set up to see if it suits your needs. You can always add one of the other systems later if you choose.

 

[Rolando]

I appreciate all the comments. I have a Bobcat, so the connectors are different and I can't reverse the hoses to change the function. And likewise the auxiliary hydraulics are built in with the control already on the joystick.

So my only option to reverse the controls is to change the electrical leads. And it looks like the consensus is to close to the left, which also seems right to me, so I think I'll have the setup reversed.

Thanks again.