MChalkley
Elite Member
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2000
- Messages
- 3,198
- Location
- Eastern Virginia
- Tractor
- EarthForce EF-5 mini-TLB (2001)
Re: Wasabi\'s PowerTrac fixation
Charlie - (This message is sorta really to wasabi, but it's in response to Charlie's statements.)
<font color=blue>The 4 n 1 is allegedly better for digging and grading, and the grapple better for things like piles of brush. Bubenberg loves his grapple. MChalkley and others swear by 4 n 1's.</font color=blue>
I do in fact swear by 4-in-1 buckets, as Charlie says. I wouldn't own anything with a FEL without one. As far as I'm concerned, if the FEL is too small to handle a 4-in-1 it's not a FEL. A 4-in-1 is far more versatile than a grapple. A 4-in-1 with a toothbar will do almost anything a grapple will do, but it won't do the jobs a grapple excels at nearly as fast as a grapple will. On the other hand, most of the jobs a 4-in-1 will do, a grapple won't do at all. I don't have anything against grapples - in fact, I'm talking with D&E about making a custom one for me with three clamping arms, so I can also use it for picking up boulders in the middle instead of having to pick them up on one end or the other. But I wouldn't be interested in a grapple if I didn't already own a 4-in-1.
<font color=blue>Mark Chalkley can describe his experience before he decided in favor of his EF instead of the PT. He discussed a number of modifications with them.</font color=blue>
The PowerTrac folks generally gave me the idea that they weren't very interested in building any custom stuff. They, in general, seemed to feel that they already had most of the bases covered. And, in general, I'd have to say they're right. But, you're not going to find them the most receptive to custom work, unless they've changed quite a bit. I'd suggest you talk to Jim Allen at <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.demfg.com>D&E Mfg</A>. They do extremely good work at competitive prices. Chances are you can't think of anything they haven't already built. And if you do, Jim is extremely good at converting designs to finish product. If you've read my "Hello EarthForce, Goodbye Kubota" and "EF-5 Enhancements" threads, you've got too much time on your hands. No, what I meant to say was that if you've read those threads, you know that they built a 1.5 cu. yd. (struck) high-capacity bucket, 18" and 24" backhoe buckets, a ripper tooth, a bachoe thumb, an auger head backhoe quick-attach bracket, and a quick-attach system for the backhoe for my EF-500. There's a bunch of pics of their work in there, too. If they build it, it's going to be what you wanted and it's going to be right. They're that good.
Charlie - (This message is sorta really to wasabi, but it's in response to Charlie's statements.)
<font color=blue>The 4 n 1 is allegedly better for digging and grading, and the grapple better for things like piles of brush. Bubenberg loves his grapple. MChalkley and others swear by 4 n 1's.</font color=blue>
I do in fact swear by 4-in-1 buckets, as Charlie says. I wouldn't own anything with a FEL without one. As far as I'm concerned, if the FEL is too small to handle a 4-in-1 it's not a FEL. A 4-in-1 is far more versatile than a grapple. A 4-in-1 with a toothbar will do almost anything a grapple will do, but it won't do the jobs a grapple excels at nearly as fast as a grapple will. On the other hand, most of the jobs a 4-in-1 will do, a grapple won't do at all. I don't have anything against grapples - in fact, I'm talking with D&E about making a custom one for me with three clamping arms, so I can also use it for picking up boulders in the middle instead of having to pick them up on one end or the other. But I wouldn't be interested in a grapple if I didn't already own a 4-in-1.
<font color=blue>Mark Chalkley can describe his experience before he decided in favor of his EF instead of the PT. He discussed a number of modifications with them.</font color=blue>
The PowerTrac folks generally gave me the idea that they weren't very interested in building any custom stuff. They, in general, seemed to feel that they already had most of the bases covered. And, in general, I'd have to say they're right. But, you're not going to find them the most receptive to custom work, unless they've changed quite a bit. I'd suggest you talk to Jim Allen at <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.demfg.com>D&E Mfg</A>. They do extremely good work at competitive prices. Chances are you can't think of anything they haven't already built. And if you do, Jim is extremely good at converting designs to finish product. If you've read my "Hello EarthForce, Goodbye Kubota" and "EF-5 Enhancements" threads, you've got too much time on your hands. No, what I meant to say was that if you've read those threads, you know that they built a 1.5 cu. yd. (struck) high-capacity bucket, 18" and 24" backhoe buckets, a ripper tooth, a bachoe thumb, an auger head backhoe quick-attach bracket, and a quick-attach system for the backhoe for my EF-500. There's a bunch of pics of their work in there, too. If they build it, it's going to be what you wanted and it's going to be right. They're that good.
