Grapple Millonzi 60 inch Grapple

[R_Walter]

I just put on order the Millonzi 60 inch light duty root grapple. I will use it to clean up a bunch of dead and down pinon pine on my land. I've been cutting firewood out of it for 2 years and have many piles of slash all over. I plan to move the slash and other dead trees/downed logs and so on to fill in some larger arroyos on the land.

I know lots here have experience with the 48 inch Millonzi root grapple. Anyone have the 60 inch?

 

[R_Walter]

Well, it arrived yesterday and I picked it up today.

Here are some initial pics of the setup and install. I also took a picture of the first tryout of the grapple; picking up an 8 foot railroad tie. It wasn't much of a problem.

I will be using it to clear lots of dead and down trees.

I will get some pictures of it being used for some real work in a few days when I take the rig up to my ranch for the spring and summer.

 

[Chuck K.]

Looks great!! I am leaning toward the same grapple if/when the better half approves

 

[jimmysisson]

I got the 60 in January, modified it for my QA and really just started using it a bit since we've just ended mud season. I really like the chance to pick up and move everything from brush to logs without lots of hand labor. It'll rake the brush off the ground (after some practice) and pick up a big mouthful for transport. I like that it'll pick up logs and carry them without being clamped, as opposed to some root rakes. Visiblity is good. I got the 60 as the 48 wouldn't be quite wide enough for my loader arms/QA. I can see the edges of the grapple by leaning out the side, seems useful.
Only downside so far is it won't clamp down on smaller size loads. I think you just get used to how it works, like anything else. Very useful tool, one of the few I've bought (for the tractor) new. Very good experience with Millonzi, too.
Jim

 

[IslandTractor]

Nice looking grapple. They seem to have beefed up the outside tines by adding in an extra one.

Hope you have as good an experience with yours as I do with my 48. Mine is the original LD48 with "only" 3/8 inch tines (yours has half inch on the outside I believe) and my upper jaw has no protection and the upper teeth have less lateral support than current versions. I've used mine pretty aggressively on both a 20hp and now 41hp tractor and other than a few cosmetic blemishes, an occasional lost clip, one snagged hose and slightly splayed upper teeth, it is still going as strong as ever.

Here is something I dragged out of the earth a couple weeks ago with (unknowingly) only one upper tooth attached to the rock. That is how I slightly bent one of the teeth. Still works perfectly, just looks a little snaggletoothed now.

 

[pitt_md]

Nice looking grapple. They seem to have beefed up the outside tines by adding in an extra one.

Hope you have as good an experience with yours as I do with my 48. Mine is the original LD48 with "only" 3/8 inch tines (yours has half inch on the outside I believe) and my upper jaw has no protection and the upper teeth have less lateral support than current versions. I've used mine pretty aggressively on both a 20hp and now 41hp tractor and other than a few cosmetic blemishes, an occasional lost clip, one snagged hose and slightly splayed upper teeth, it is still going as strong as ever.

Here is something I dragged out of the earth a couple weeks ago with (unknowingly) only one upper tooth attached to the rock. That is how I slightly bent one of the teeth. Still works perfectly, just looks a little snaggletoothed now.

The 60" model now has the following features:

Our grapples are now manufactures with several new features

1. Protective louvers to the arms, greater support strength and cylinder protection

2. Front Mount cylinder guard to protect cylinder head

3. The Grapple arm support brace has been lengthened to add rigidity to the arms.

4. The outer tines on our 60.00" and larger sizes are in essence doubled to protect the end tines in prying and carrying long or off balanced loads

5. Outer arms are now 1/2" ASTM GR50 plate for great strength and rigidity on all models.

6. Cylinder pins now have enclosed greaseable fittings.

All other frame material except the louver (3/16") are 3/8"

I got a quote of $1554 + $120 kubota mount + $198 shipping.

BTW That is a beast of a rock you fished out of the dirt!

 

[pitt_md]

I forgot to ask, what operates the "jaws" of the unit. Can this be done with a standard joy stick control?

 

[RollTideRam]

You will have to have a third remote or a diverter to operate the grapple jaw. Your joystick should use two scv's, one to curl bucket and the other to raise the loader. JC

 

[IslandTractor]

BTW That is a beast of a rock you fished out of the dirt!

There was only a couple inches sticking out of the pasture but my flail had hit it last year so I decided to remove it. I jammed the grapple down "under" it and then lifted. It turned out I wasn't really under the rock just clamped onto the midsection and top. I had no idea how big it was until it came out of the earth. I was a bit stunned and got off to take a photo of my "catch". That is when I realized I had pulled it out with only one of the top jaw teeth attached. The rock is granite I think and was roughly 3x2x2ft. Heavy!

 

[R_Walter]

Nice looking grapple. They seem to have beefed up the outside tines by adding in an extra one.

Millonzi has added an extra 1/2 inch tine on the bottom outside to reinforce the ends when you're twiting and pulling with just one end or the other.

I'll be using it a lot in a few weeks. Still got some snow on the ground now.

 

[pitt_md]

Well, it arrived yesterday and I picked it up today.

Here are some initial pics of the setup and install. I also took a picture of the first tryout of the grapple; picking up an 8 foot railroad tie. It wasn't much of a problem.

I will be using it to clear lots of dead and down trees.

I will get some pictures of it being used for some real work in a few days when I take the rig up to my ranch for the spring and summer.

I am in the process of ordering a 60"LD Millonzi grapple to use on my MX5000/LA852. Looking at the pictures it appears that you have the same 4 pin attachment system that my loader uses. Did Millonzi send you a diagram to fill out the specs for your 4 pin attachment system? Looks like I have to make a trip back home and get a bunch of dimensions...
How do you like yours so far? Have you had a chance to use it very much?

 

[R_Walter]

Millonzi did not send me a diagram or anything. I just told them I have the Skid Steer-style Quick Attach on my 854 loader and that is all they need to know. The 60 inch grapple hooked up just fine. Took all of 10 minutes including attaching the hoses as well as mounting the grapple to the loader arms.

I used it some in the last couple of days. Probably cleared off most of the slash piled up on 2 acres or so. Got a whole bunch more to do.

I'm glad I got the 60 inch and not the 48 inch. The twin cylinder design is definitely preferable for my use. And, the extra 12 inches is nice to have for grabbing and holding more.

 

[IslandTractor]

I am in the process of ordering a 60"LD Millonzi grapple to use on my MX5000/LA852. Looking at the pictures it appears that you have the same 4 pin attachment system that my loader uses. Did Millonzi send you a diagram to fill out the specs for your 4 pin attachment system? Looks like I have to make a trip back home and get a bunch of dimensions...
How do you like yours so far? Have you had a chance to use it very much?

Is there some reason you do not want to use a quick attach system? They are more convenient if you intend to switch back and forth between the bucket and grapple. Takes about 3 minutes to change/hook up the grapple with universal (skid steer) quick attach versus about 15 minutes or so if you need to remove and line up the pin system. Having the QA also allows you to use other implements like forks and tree booms.

Having said that, the pin mount system costs about $100-150 more than the QA version but does save you the cost of the adapter (not sure what Kubota charges but third party QA adapters cost anywhere from $300-700). There is no difference functionally although the pin system does save you the added weight (and hence lowered lift capacity) of the QA adapter (usually about 80-100lbs).

 

[pitt_md]

Is there some reason you do not want to use a quick attach system? They are more convenient if you intend to switch back and forth between the bucket and grapple. Takes about 3 minutes to change/hook up the grapple with universal (skid steer) quick attach versus about 15 minutes or so if you need to remove and line up the pin system. Having the QA also allows you to use other implements like forks and tree booms.

Having said that, the pin mount system costs about $100-150 more than the QA version but does save you the cost of the adapter (not sure what Kubota charges but third party QA adapters cost anywhere from $300-700). There is no difference functionally although the pin system does save you the added weight (and hence lowered lift capacity) of the QA adapter (usually about 80-100lbs).

You have a good point IslandTractor. I didn't consider the cost of the adapter and I will be needing to use both a lot in the coming days. Hmm maybe I better call Millonzi and change that order...

 

[Charlesaf3]

get the quick attach for your tractor. Seriously. Its essential. You'll thank me. I think it should be the standard system.

 

[pitt_md]

get the quick attach for your tractor. Seriously. Its essential. You'll thank me. I think it should be the standard system.

I agree...I have the dealer trying to track one down for me as I type this. I just cringe at the amount of money required to set this up...If I was a bit younger I would forgo all this stuff and do things the hard way but I have a few to many miles on to even consider it. Just like my dad...when he had four sons living on his farm he had junk equipment that required everything to be done by hand. When we all left the nest he had really nice tractors with cabs and all the finer attachments...

 

[Charlesaf3]

I believe Kubota and ATI both make them - it wasn't actually all that much for me to have put on. A few hundred dollars. You'll save a bit of it in no special mount cost for the grapple (though your bucket may need to be altered with a blank)

And its so easy to use! One of the few items of tractor manipulation that involves no gruntwork on my part.

 

[IslandTractor]

I believe Millonzi makes a QA adapter too. Horst Welding in Canada makes a very nice unit too.

You might as well order a set of forks while your at it and save on shipping.

I just love spending other peoples money.

 

[pitt_md]

Well...after getting all the prices back to add on the quick attach to my loader and adapting the current bucket plus the remote valve I would be upwards of $2200. I think I will plan my work a little better and just use the existing pins. What a pain this is getting to be!

When I bought my tractor I had no idea I could have got it with a quick attach mounting for the loader. There should be a law against selling loaders without them. Guess I better make another palet on wheels...

I talked to John Millonzi and changed the order for the 3rd time. He was really good about it. He told me he had a lot of Kubota orange paint and would paint my grapple to match the tractor.

 

[Charlesaf3]

2200 sounds really high. I don't think I understand - are you getting a new remote for the grapple, or do you have one?

You might want to ask millonzi about their price for a QA.

I spent something like 850 for a QA and a remote, and another 100 to modify my bucket.