Looking for my True (Tractor) Love

[LQPAPPY]

You might be able to use the fel to loosen up the driveway if you are not wanting to buy the box blade at this time. Just a thought.

 

[Gittyup]

The boxblade would be best to fix and maintain the driveway. I'll ask you again how you feel about the snow after this weekend.

R4 industrials are a good compromise and very tough. But, they aren't much better than turf tires in the mud. No free lunch. R4's are still your best bet, especially since you'll be going in the woods.

Craigslist and Searchtempest are great for finding used implements. Don't be afraid to drive a few miles to save a few hundred either. I picked up a chipper/shredder down in Christiansburg, VA (~300 miles away). I made the drive because I saved about $900 over the next lowest price. Paid $600 for a chipper that everyone else was selling for $1500 or more used. Also, drove 1.5 hours to pick up some telephone poles. Got 5 poles for $100, where 1 pole is worth that much. Found my father-in-law a Kioti CK20 with loader, backhoe, and bushhog, having only 250 hours on it for $8000. That tractor is easily worth $11K - $12K. Two hour drive one-way to pick it up. Beat the bushes and be patient. There are deals out there.

Oh yeah, and be careful digging into hard ground with a loader. It's a LOADER, not a bulldozer. You can do some digging with it. But, you have to careful or you can damage it, especially in front of a heavy tractor.

 

[Gittyup]

On lawn mowers, I hate belt drive systems. I swore off them years ago. Just too big a PITA. I have a JD425, which is shaft driven, both mower and drive train. There is one belt between the 3 blades supply power off the shaft-driven gearbox. That machine is going on its 17th season, ~1000 hours now. Still using the original belt on the mower deck. Shaft drive is the way go. But, it does come with a price....Worth every penny.

 

[Anianna]

I'll ask you again how you feel about the snow after this weekend.

Meh, it's not supposed to be anything like what we got just before Christmas and my truck managed it out of that. We're prepared to hunker down here if we have to, too.

On lawn mowers, I hate belt drive systems. I swore off them years ago. Just too big a PITA. I have a JD425, which is shaft driven, both mower and drive train. There is one belt between the 3 blades supply power off the shaft-driven gearbox. That machine is going on its 17th season, ~1000 hours now. Still using the original belt on the mower deck. Shaft drive is the way go. But, it does come with a price....Worth every penny.

I have to admit I had not heard of a shaft driven mower before, although I wonder if that's what the Gravely's were that I had to use for work many years ago. I do not recall belts on those. That is definitely something I want to look into. Thank you!

 

[pitt_md]

How do you spell GRAPPLE??

Removing debris from piles or moving scattered debris into piles is a common task for a new landowner. The need for an FEL is obvious for such a task but you also need to deal with how to clamp objects (rather than dirt) into a FEL bucket. There are a number of solutions depending on how much of this sort of work you will do and what your budget is.

Hands down the single best option is a detachable grapple. That can be purchased/delivered for about $1000. To attach the grapple you need what is called variously a QA (Quick Attach) or Skidsteer adapter or universal adapter (all synonyms for the same thing). Cost of the QA adapter depends on the tractor. Some companies (Kioti for example) provides them free with tractors 27hp and up. Dealers sell add on adapters for Kioti's smaller tractors (CK20) for about $350 or so. I don't know what such an adapter would cost for a Kubota or JD but I gotta believe someone is out there selling them.

If you don't want to deal with the QA adapter then there is another worthwhile option and that is to convert your standard bucket (part of the FEL package) into a "grapple bucket" by adding just the top arm of the grapple. This gives you a 2 in 1 tool (bucket and half grapple) that is very useful but not quite as flexible as a true grapple. Still, if your main use for a grapple is to clean up one major mess as you describe, that could be a very reasonable solution. You could either have the dealer install a grapple arm (arm costs about $350 or so, welding on to the bucket would probably cost a couple hours labor). Another option is a bolt on kit that you could easily install at home with a drill and a few wrenches. Those cost a bit more ($600 or so) but are flexible in that they allow you to remove the grapple part in a couple of minutes so it is not in the way when you don't need it. While less effective in moving brush and poles than a true grapple a bucket grapple is at least a thousand times better than trying to do that job with just a bucket and chain.

Whichever grapple type you choose, you'll need to run hydraulics to control the open/close of the upper grapple arm. The cheapest and perfectly satisfactory way to do this is to use the tractors rear remotes. That obviously requires rear remotes which dealers can install (parts about 350-500, probably a couple hours labor). Some tractors come standard with at least one rear remote. Once you have the rear remote you just need to get a hydraulic shop (or your dealer) to provide you with the appropriate length of hydraulic hose and matching fittings ($100-150) so you can run the hydraulic lines from the rear of your tractor (that is why they are called rear remotes) to the grapple. Lots of posts on TBN about the details of doing this. Takes about 20 minutes once you have the hoses/fittings etc. Again, dealer can do it for peanuts. Once you have everything set up you open and close the grapple from a lever that typically is just next to where your right hand will rest while sitting in the operator station. As my 7 yo daughter would say, easy peasy. There are other options for controling the grapple which involve tapping into the hydraulics that supply the FEL. Those options are all more expensive and might be worthwhile if you plan lots of grapple use but are definitely not the cost effective solution for occasional grapple use.

There are literally days of "what grapple" "what remote" "how to set up grapple controls" reading on TBN but the summary above should give you a pretty good idea of what is involved.

Pictures are of a grapple on a 20hp CUT. You don't need a huge tractor to use one of these effectively. There is a bucket grapple weldable arm and a bolt on kit shown too. Those (the bucket grapple types) can also be added to a SCUT without difficulty.

One option that IslandTractor did not point out is having the grapple built to fit your loader arms. The advantage is reduced cost of the QA and converting your bucket to use it and you save a little lift capacity because the QA 1 has weight and 2 extends the load on your FEL a few inches.. The down side is putting it on and off to suit your needs. It takes me about 15-30 minuets to change between the grapple and bucket.

 

[Gittyup]

Meh, it's not supposed to be anything like what we got just before Christmas and my truck managed it out of that. We're prepared to hunker down here if we have to, too.



I have to admit I had not heard of a shaft driven mower before, although I wonder if that's what the Gravely's were that I had to use for work many years ago. I do not recall belts on those. That is definitely something I want to look into. Thank you!

Yeah, we got hit by that xmas snow too. My little 425 plowed it with no problem. Shaft drive is the only way for me.

BTW, saw a nice bolens/Iseki little diesel tractor with hydraulic snow plow (angle and lift) and finish mower deck for sale pretty cheap on Craigslist. I think it was like $2800. Looked good. But, some are afraid of the reconstituted Japanese tractors. The plow setup alone is worth close to $1000. Would make for a nice mower and snow removal setup.

If you haven't already, you should check out tractorhouse.com and ironplanet.com. You can look at a lot of makes/models and see what they are selling for.

 

[IslandTractor]

One option that IslandTractor did not point out is having the grapple built to fit your loader arms. The advantage is reduced cost of the QA and converting your bucket to use it and you save a little lift capacity because the QA 1 has weight and 2 extends the load on your FEL a few inches.. The down side is putting it on and off to suit your needs. It takes me about 15-30 minuets to change between the grapple and bucket.

Yep. That is an option. It is not very popular mostly because you have to get the grapple maker to build a pin mount specifically and precisely for your brand of loader and that involves both research effort and a higher degree of precision manufacturing not all builders are willing to do. Still I agree with the advantages. One other disadvantage is that you cannot easily sell the grapple except to someone with the same loader pin mount (should you ever lose your marbles and consider life with no grapple). For someone who has a loader of limited lift capacity and who doesn't need to switch the grapple out every day or many times a day a pin mount grapple would be a fine solution. I think it would work especially well for loaders with less than 800-900lbs of lift capacity as you will save both the weight (70-100lbs or so) of the QA adapter and have the load closer to the lever point both of which increase net lift capacity.

 

[Anianna]

Yeah, we got hit by that xmas snow too. My little 425 plowed it with no problem. Shaft drive is the only way for me.

BTW, saw a nice bolens/Iseki little diesel tractor with hydraulic snow plow (angle and lift) and finish mower deck for sale pretty cheap on Craigslist. I think it was like $2800. Looked good. But, some are afraid of the reconstituted Japanese tractors. The plow setup alone is worth close to $1000. Would make for a nice mower and snow removal setup.

If you haven't already, you should check out tractorhouse.com and ironplanet.com. You can look at a lot of makes/models and see what they are selling for.

I didn't see that on the Richmond list. In which area is the Iseki listed?

I like Japanese cars, are their tractors comparable?

 

[IslandTractor]

I didn't see that on the Richmond list. In which area is the Iseki listed?

I like Japanese cars, are their tractors comparable?

In a word, yes.

 

[Gittyup]

I didn't see that on the Richmond list. In which area is the Iseki listed?

I like Japanese cars, are their tractors comparable?

It's on Baltimore's CL. And the correct price is $3150. They won't let you post links on here to CL or else I'd post the direct link.