Grapple Pics of my new Grapple!

[Brahmus]

Markham's description of "light duty" is based on them only building skid-steer implements for years. They are new in the tractor world...and don't fully realize that CUT loaders do not have the power of most SSL's, and most CUT owners do not abuse equipment like most SSL operators do. Light Duty to them is Heavy Duty to us!

Agreed! See my pile of concrete in my sig... the grapple is holding up fine.

 

[IslandTractor]

People are scared by the term "light duty" but really shouldn't be. A tractor FEL is not going to overpower a 3/8 inch steel grapple. I use a light duty 48 inch grapple on a FEL with 2700lbs lift capacity and it does a great job ripping up bushes, small trees, big logs and big rocks and concrete slabs. The WRLong grapples are very nice though I think Nelson tends to recommend slightly larger sizes for a given tractor than I would. No one should order a grapple the same size as their primary bucket (for a tractor). Think net lift capacity (always greater with a smaller grapple) and manuverability (always better too). What limits my lift capacity with the light duty grapple is almost always lack of sufficient counterweight on the back of the tractor even when I have a backhoe mounted. In the past 5 years of grapple ownership I have yet to find anything I could not pick up with my light duty single arm grapple that might have been picked up with a wider heavier dual arm grapple. Leave those to the guys with big skid steers.

I have the WRLong diverter valve set up. Works fine. If I were to do it again however I'd probably either splurge on their electric over hydraulic set up or just use a rear remote.

 

[Builder]

So would you guys recommend a 48" or 60" LD grapple for my little rig? It's 47HP and the FEL has 2500 lb lift capacity. Rear tires are filled and WR Long kit already installed:

 

[kennyd]

So would you guys recommend a 48" or 60" LD grapple for my little rig? It's 47HP and the FEL has 2500 lb lift capacity. Rear tires are filled and WR Long kit already installed:

The 60" would fit real nice It does have a SSQA doesn't it?

 

[IslandTractor]

That is a bit heavier than my DK40se but with similar lift capacity. As I've said, I have been perfectly happy with my light duty 48. If you wanted something heavier duty I'd suggest getting either WRLong (if they will do it) or Markham (they will) build you a 48 inch grapple with half inch steel. I don't personally think it is necessary if you are going to use the grapple as it is designed. If you torque a grapple (uneven lift load) then you can destroy even a $3000+ high tensile steel grapple so the point is to use it as designed.

 

[Builder]

The 60" would fit real nice It does have a SSQA doesn't it?

Yes it does. Currently I have a medium duty 72" 4/1 bucket.

 

[Brahmus]

I suggest the 48". I had Markham weld in some spacer tines to help prevent the smaller logs/rocks fall through. I've got 225hrs on my tractor I'd say 60% with the grapple and I have never asked for a wider grapple or another clamp. We just don't have the arse requiring a wider or stronger grapple.

 

[rcrcomputing]

I have tried, more than once to talk myself into a grapple. The stars just have not lined up I guess.
I'm trying to imagine what uses I could come up with.

Downsides:
Have to switch from bucket to grapple.
I'm aware of bucket grapples.


Things I can already do:
Move brush - I can pick it up with the BH and thumb and carry it or load on the dump bed.
Move rocks - Again, thumb and dump truck
(Keep in mind, I hardy EVER remove the backhoe, it's to useful)

Possible upside:
I could leave the backhoe off more often and hook up other 3pt implements on a whim. Though, it's not a real big deal to remove it. But it does give me lots of weight in the back which I like.


Sooo, what am I missing?

 

[IslandTractor]

Sooo, what am I missing?

I guess one thing you are missing is all the time you would save moving brush with a backhoe. A grapple would be easily 10 times as efficient. You can grapple much more than you can with a BH and you can move it where you want without all the futzing about changing seats etc. I love my BH but it is not the tool for moving brush.

You can also dig out small trees and bushes much more easily than with a regular bucket with toothbar. A 48 inch grapple allows you to concentrate your lifting and breakout force and the tines allow you to dig fairly selectively under lateral roots to break them.

Much easier and safer to move rocks, especially big ones with a grapple. You also have the rock clamped which means there is no risk of load shift (recent TBN thread on flipping a tractor when a big rock shifted in the bucket).