hydraulic electric diverter valve

[K man]

Hi all, I am seriously thinking of getting a 50" Grapple for my CK 30 HST and was wondering what would be best for an extra hydraulic line to the Grapple. I have seen a electronic diverter valve which hooks into the FEL lines and is operated by a control switch on the Joystick and a bit costly or a diverter that would run off the rear attachment lever. Any input from experienced users would be great.

Gilles

 

[kspring61]

You will probably get several answers on this, from using the rear remote, to an electronic valve, to a diverter.
I installed this
3rd function auxiliary hydraulic kits for all brands of tractors and loaders

Works great and I like the 3rd function switch right on the joystick

 

[Everhard]

Cheapest route is a couple long hydraulic lines hooked to your rear remotes. Downside to that is that if you had something hooked to those remotes you won't be able to use them at the same time. Second downside is it's much nicer pressing a button on the fel lever to operate the grapple vs letting go of the fel lever working the rear remote lever then back to the fel lever etc.

What Kspring61 posted up is a beautiful way to finish it up, potentially nice that you get to use all 3 functions at the same time.

I went with the electrical diverter which is the other common route - a press of the button on the fel lever switches between the bucket control and the grapple control. I love it, works really slick.

I built it up myself - I see you're from Ontario as well - I sourced most of what I needed from Princess Auto. The Hydraulic switch was from there, a bit over $200 for that. (You can find it on sale occasionally) I never did tally up the whole bill but for sure all the hydraulic adapters/fittings you have to buy add up to a surprising amount. (Hydraulic hose itself wasn't so bad! But the fittings...) A wild guess mine worked out close to $600 I think? That includes the grapple I made myself. That's Canadian dollars fyi. The biggest pain in the butt was getting home realising I'd got the wrong hydraulic fitting for something... Having to go back... swap out fittings... That happened more times then I care to admit! At least Princess Auto has no issues with returns. Lol!

E.

 

[K man]

Thanks everhard for the info. Wasn't sure if Princess auto still existed as I lived around the Kingston area before moving up here 15 years ago lol. The electric diverter is probably the best option for me instead of using the up down lever for the back hydraulics which seem to be pretty awkward to use. I had a price quote for the parts from my dealer on the 50" Grapple (1600) and electric diverter ( 550) this does not include installation which should not take more than 1 hour to install. So I think around 2500 for the grapple, diverter, labor and taxes is reasonable. They will come to my home to do the installation.

 

[LD1]

An electronic diverter is ~$200. You will have ~$100 in hoses and fittings. Then all you need is a push button for your joystick. I bought a suregrip controll for $40. Lot of ways to do it cheapest is electrical tape and a button. Have even seen some use shift knobs with a push button like what is used for nitrous.

 

[K man]

That is fine to go cheaper but I am not mechanically or electrically inclined so that options is out of the choices for me. I would rather have it done by a professional this way it guarantees me that it will be done right not mickey mouse job if you know what I mean. I also buy everything new and that is why the dealer can get me all new parts with warranties. That means alot to me. Thanks

 

[Everhard]

You'll be real happy with the grapple and the control on the stick vs rear remote. Since I got mine in operation it's seen a lot of use. I think this year I might make a brush bucket to go with the grapple instead of using the stock bucket. That will make picking up brush and logs easier and allow me to grab even more. Then again I also want a grapple on the backhoe now as well... Hmmmmm lol!

Enjoy! E.

 

[N2DFire]

That is fine to go cheaper but I am not mechanically or electrically inclined so that options is out of the choices for me. I would rather have it done by a professional this way it guarantees me that it will be done right not mickey mouse job if you know what I mean. I also buy everything new and that is why the dealer can get me all new parts with warranties. That means alot to me. Thanks

Don't sell yourself short. It's really not that hard if you break it down in sections. Although I don't know about part cost / availability for you in Canada.

Here's the write-up I did on building our 3rd function on a CK35. (I've already hit the "Learn the hard way" parts for you LOL)

www.tractorbynet.com/forums/customization/358086-kioti-ck-35-3rd-function.html

Best of luck whatever you do.

 

[Apsterbobed]

You'll be real happy with the grapple and the control on the stick vs rear remote. Since I got mine in operation it's seen a lot of use. I think this year I might make a brush bucket to go with the grapple instead of using the stock bucket. That will make picking up brush and logs easier and allow me to grab even more. Then again I also want a grapple on the backhoe now as well... Hmmmmm lol!

Enjoy! E.

I have a brush style grapple and wish that I had just got a tooth bar and a lid for my bucket. It seems like I'm always out back with the wrong attachment, head out to move some brush then I want to clean up the area when done but it's 20 minutes round trip....

 

[newbury]

I have a brush style grapple and wish that I had just got a tooth bar and a lid for my bucket. It seems like I'm always out back with the wrong attachment, head out to move some brush then I want to clean up the area when done but it's 20 minutes round trip....

You could always carry the other attachment on the back.

 

[ovrszd]

You could always carry the other attachment on the back.

That's a very good idea.

I expected that issue so I built my grapple on a Bobcat LoPro bucket. Best type for me.

 

[Apsterbobed]

I have the hoe out back most of the time, but what I end up doing is mounting the grapple then grabbing the bucket and just dropping it near where I'm working. Hindsight is 20 20, I may end up making a grapple bucket anyways...

 

[Sysop]

Pick up the bucket with the grapple and carry it like you would a log or anything else. Place it where you will be working, change as needed. Carry it home when done.

 

[ovrszd]

Pick up the bucket with the grapple and carry it like you would a log or anything else. Place it where you will be working, change as needed. Carry it home when done.

Sounds like that's what he's doing. Still a PITA. But best he can do under the circumstances.

 

[Sysop]

I've been into a thousand things and sidetracked. I was likely (slowly) composing mine as he was posting that.

 

[ovrszd]

I've been into a thousand things and sidetracked. I was likely (slowly) composing mine as he was posting that.

Sounds like an age thing to me.

 

[Sysop]

Unfortunately so...

 

[Apsterbobed]

Sounds like that's what he's doing. Still a PITA. But best he can do under the circumstances.

That is what I do, but it can be a pain switching back and forth. When I really want a combo bucket is when I'm digging rocks or stumps out of the trail. Use the bucket to clean the trail then switch to the grapple to carry off the rock or stump. It's still less of a pain to switch than to not have a grapple or tractor!

 

[ovrszd]

That is what I do, but it can be a pain switching back and forth. When I really want a combo bucket is when I'm digging rocks or stumps out of the trail. Use the bucket to clean the trail then switch to the grapple to carry off the rock or stump. It's still less of a pain to switch than to not have a grapple or tractor!

I agree.

 

[DieselBound]

That is fine to go cheaper but I am not mechanically or electrically inclined so that options is out of the choices for me. I would rather have it done by a professional this way it guarantees me that it will be done right not mickey mouse job if you know what I mean. I also buy everything new and that is why the dealer can get me all new parts with warranties. That means alot to me. Thanks

As LD1 states, don't sell yourself short.

If you have a tractor there's going to be times when you HAVE to do the work on it yourself. I think that learning to do things on an elective basis enables you to deal with the sure "fire" that you're eventually going to find yourself in.

I knew nothing about tractors six years ago. Had some mechanical and electrical skills, but nothing that was necessarily specific to tractors: no diesel background either- now I have (and maintain) many diesels. Not sure if you have the ability to transport your tractor to/from the dealer's, but if you don't then the transport charge can take a chunk out of your wallet. Not until a couple years ago did I have the ability to transport my B7800 (transporting my Kioti is NOT going to happen!). Came close once to having the B7800 picked up, but, fortunately, I figured out the problem: I was installing some work lights and had a bad wire connection that caused the tractor to not start- I'd even bought a new key switch but that wasn't the problem.

On my Kioti I've got the grapple running off of rear remotes, detent. I have yet to really use this set up (I need to repaint my torque tube after having a hose saver base plate welded to it), but the detent will allow me to just smack the control open or closed and get my hand back on the loader control stick (how one operates a log splitter); yes, I'll need to pop the valve back into neutral, and probably fairly quickly. I don't expect to be running the grapple for hours on end so I don't think that I'd miss a diverter set up: when one has never had any such ability one likely won't really miss it. If I didn't have three rear remotes I'd have gone the diverter route. NOTE: I have run excavators with thumb controls on the joystick, and here it's a total no-brainer as you're really looking to work things quickly; with a tractor and a big grapple you're not going to be operating as quickly (compare excavator bucket sizes to the size of a grapple and think about grabbing material and then dumping it- volume needs space, space to operate around, space to relocated material to, which means travel time between material grabs and dumps).