IslandTractor - Thanks for the comments. After using the grapple most of the summer I know it was a good choice for what I am using it for on my
M59 TLB.
Yes I could have chosen a light duty grapple as you say and that would have left me with more lift capacity. And I agree that bigger and heaver is not necessarily better. In some cases smaller may be easier to use and more convenient. And as you say there is another TBNer with a light duty grapple like yours on a
M59 and has no regrets. If you or anyone who has a light duty grapple on their CUT and are satisfied and happy then I say they made the right choice. Most of us don't have the opportunity to try out various sizes and models so we hope that what we are getting will be the "right" one. Input from fellow TBNers is a good source for information. So is your local dealer a good source of information, which by the way convinced me to change my original choice of grapples, I will explain later.
You do not have to worry about stirring up trouble, everyone is entitled to their opinions. I may not agree with you on some things but that is OK. I am a new member here, I'm not a farmer but I have owned tractors for 30+ years so I have some knowledge. I welcome comments from anyone, I was going to say you old timers, but I'm an old timer based on age, however if I think you are wrong I will tell you so.
That said, may I comment on some of your statements.
My original choice of grapples was a step down and lighter duty one than the one I have. My dealer had another
M59 owner with the lighter duty grapple and said he bent it, so he recommended the heaver duty one just to be on the safe side. I didn't ask how it happened but based on the tree and rock work I was going to do I agreed with him. I also talked to the manufacture and they also agreed. One thing I did not mention was that when I'm driving forward digging with the lower jaws to break up the sod, clean up roots or small surface rocks it covers the width of the tractor which is nice. However, if I hit something big I have close to 10,000lbs of tractor putting pressure on the grapple, so I go slow. What do you think would happen to your 300lb grapple with 5 tons pushing on it? Case in point, the grapple I have was NOT just designed for big skid steers, a
M59 CAN destroy a 300lb grapple, and the extra 700lbs, I guess that would be to make it a little bit more sturdy so you don't bend it.
Depending what you are using it for a narrower grapple may work as good or even better. However, I do like the ability to back rake with the upper jaw the width of the tractor. As I said in my original post I will be using it for the next several years to clear up branches and debris from delimbed trees and landscaping rock work. These trees are dead and the branches are big, dry and hard and they do not play nice with tires and they like to poke at the Big Orange. In my case your thinking that a narrower grapple is better just doesn't hold any water. There are times when I would like to have an even wider grapple, but there are trade offs and too wide is not good either. On the other side of the coin, if a narrower 48" is better, would a 24" be twice as good. No pun intended.
As I said you have your opinions and you are entitled to them. I will not go back and forth on a soap box trying to convince anyone which is better or what to buy. Everyone is different, the size of your tractor, location, long and short term usage, type of brush, trees, even the soil conditions all contribute to a decision.
In closing you asked "Can your rig really grapple more than this $600, 300lb 48 inch grapple?"
The answer...a simple YES.