Thanks for all of the responses.
This is the type we are trying to address;
View attachment 670547
As the image shows, the individual stems are too small for the grip pad on the brush grubber to effectively grab.
The "skinned" section near the roots is where the weed wrench was able to grab multiple stems at once and you can see that the horizontal root structure adds to the force needed to extract at least most of the plant.
fwiw, I have tried wrapping the chain grabber multiple times without success... when it's tightened, the slippery surface causes the chain to slide up the stems. That said, I took another look at the chain after your post and I may try another way to wrap that might put more force in the grip.
"Post Rain" is a good reminder.
One of the nice things about forums is that simply the act of posting a problem forces the poster to think about possible solutions and that has happened this morning... I think I have a design to modify the pads on the brush grubber... will take a couple of days to scrounge parts, then cut and weld... will post in a week or so.
>> a cheap hydraulic unit not much more if you have 3rd function on FEL <<
Yikes... my pockets are not that deep ;-) ...and, assuming "3rd function on FEL" means hydraulic, more $$$ ...plus, my bucket (LS 20hp) is fixed. Here's hoping the little grey cells' suggestion works.
Thanks again,
Beverly Howard