Grapple Looking at a grapple for a B7800

Taiser · May 7, 2009

Hey guys,

I need a grapple for my my Kubota B7800. Nothing fancy, just a single cylinder two arm grapple to move piles of brush, cut trees around. Looking at some simple ones online that cost about 400-800 bucks (just for the grapple and cylinder).

What I'm trying to find out is how to install it. I'm sure someone on here has done it. I need to know where your routed the hydraulics from, valves etc.

I'd prefer, if possible, to have a separate line for the grapple so I can put on a quick disconnect fitting. I'm not sure if there is an auxiliary line available on the tractor though? Any thoughts would be great, pictures ideal. Thanks.

IslandTractor · May 7, 2009

Are you talking about a grapple attachment for your bucket (bucket grapple) or a stand alone grapple? For the price point you mention I'm thinking bucket grapple attachment would be more realistic.

There are several companies that manufacture kits that can be bolted on and allow you to remove the grapple in a few minutes. ATI and Add A Grapple are two well liked examples. Those set ups seem to cost about $700 or so for a single grapple (you really don't need double grapples IMO although there are others here who like the double grapple arrangement despite the added weight and cost).

You can do this more cheaply if you can weld or are willing to rig up some supports for your bucket top lip and bolt on a grapple arm. eBay, Dehner (?spelling) welding, "The Thumb" and perhaps a few others sell just the grapple arm and hydraulic cylinder which you can weld or bolt to your standard bucket. I imagine that route would save you $200-300 but you'll spend more time installing them and they don't come off nearly as quickly.

There are numerous threads here on TBN both in attachments and in they hydraulics subforms that discuss setting up the hydraulic power source and controls needed. You can also opt for a kit from WRLong which many people do.

Hill Farmer · May 7, 2009

Search Grapple or bucket grapple and you should get several threads about them. I was in the same boat a few months ago. You will have to have a 3rd function hydraulic loop to run it. You can run this loop from a rear remote or the power beyond port on your FIL valve. The power beyond option will require a valve to control it. I was able to run mine to ports in front of the cab on my tractor, but these ports just T from one of the rear remotes. I got my bucket grapple from GC Manufacturing on EBay. They had the best price shipped to me when I was looking, where very helpful on the phone, and they stand behind their products.

Here is mine. http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/141712-another-grapple-project.html

Another thread that helped me a lot. http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...king-bucket-reinforcement-advice-grapple.html

kody632 · May 8, 2009

I had a loop line installed at the rear of my 7800 for a log splitter. could this be used for the grapple? what would I need to control the operation?

thanks

IslandTractor · May 10, 2009

kody632 said:
I had a loop line installed at the rear of my 7800 for a log splitter. could this be used for the grapple? what would I need to control the operation?

thanks

I'm assuming a loop line is a power beyond circuit. The problem is that there is no valve to control the grapple so that would not be adequate. A set of rear remotes with the control level mounted near the FEL joystick would be the simplest option I'd think. Installing a set of rear remotes is not such a big job though it might require removing a rear tire in some cases. Not sure about the B7800. A fair number of people have done it themselves. I recall dealers get about two hours labor for installing a set of remotes and the parts cost about $300 in kits (again, not sure about Kubota).