PROJECT: Building a grapple bucket for the LS

[Guesseral]

LS HOMEMADE grapple 1 - YouTube

Very nice!

 

[Xfaxman]

Yes. But don't I need that power?

I would say no, but I don't know the diameter of your cylinder and didn't see what you were doing when it tore loose.

With mine I usually just close the lid lightly. It doesn't even take a lot of pressure to crush brush.

You have the base of the cylinder up a long way from the bucket, that means there is a lot of leverage there.

Notice the mounting points on this one, sitting on the skid from when I received it..


Cylinder fully retracted, lid open.


Cylinder fully extended lid down.

These tines go below the lower tines to be used as scarifiers for raking.

Close up of cylinder mount and lid attachment.


I haven't seen yours with the lid closed, so don't know if you can shorten the base mount any without raising the other end.

Good luck getting it fixed. :thumbsup:

 

[TSO]

 

[Xfaxman]

Looks like you have it fixed good enough to do some serious grappiln! :thumbsup:

 

[TSO]

Well, it WAS fixed good enough! I added some metal to brace the rear/top cylinder bracket (don't mind the messy welds in the pics, didn't clean them up yet)...








Went outside and tested it on this big stump I had sitting in the woods.



I picked it up several times until I heard a SNAP which I knew was metal and not wood. Turns out the rear/top bracket held just fine, but I managed to rip off the front bracket! So, I might cut the lid apart and redesign it a bit to better integrate the cylinder brackets into the whole design. I'll try to weld it up 1 more time as is, but after that, it's back towards the beginning.

 

[Xfaxman]

The last picture confirms it is too much force from the cylinder and not something like a log hanging out the front pushing up on the lid.

I don't know your cylinder size, but a 2", at 2000 lbs. of hydraulic pressure, has 6283 lbs. and at 2500 lbs., has 7854 lbs. straight pushing force, according to: Baum Hydraulics Corp :: Spec Calculator

If you can't strengthen the front mount enough, you can use a pressure relief valve, to reduce the pressure at the cylinder.

 

[TSO]

The last picture confirms it is too much force from the cylinder and not something like a log hanging out the front pushing up on the lid.

I don't know your cylinder size, but a 2", at 2000 lbs. of hydraulic pressure, has 6283 lbs. and at 2500 lbs., has 7854 lbs. straight pushing force, according to: Baum Hydraulics Corp :: Spec Calculator

If you can't strengthen the front mount enough, you can use a pressure relief valve, to reduce the pressure at the cylinder.

It's a 2" cylinder, 10" stroke... System operates at around 2500psi. I think the "column load" rating for this (from the MFG) is roughly 12,000 lbs !!!!

Where do I find a relief valve, and how does it attach?

 

[Xfaxman]

Well fellas last night I ordered a cylinder, it's 2.5" bore, 8" stroke, non ASAE, 2500psi, straight column load rating around 12500lbs. Should do the trick, now it just needs to get here. Luckily I have all the dimensions needed for the pin spacing so I should b able to fab up everything before it gets here.

QUESTION: is 3/8" hydraulic line Ok? They have 4000psi line in long lengths at my local store.

It's a 2" cylinder, 10" stroke... System operates at around 2500psi. I think the "column load" rating for this (from the MFG) is roughly 12,000 lbs !!!!

Where do I find a relief valve, and how does it attach?

I answered this earlier, but the site was down when I clicked Preview Post and lost it, so I will try again.

If it is the 2.5" cylinder, it has 12,272 pounds of force, so you could replace it with a 2".

If it is a 2", a pressure relief valve would be easier than a redesign. It would go in the extend hose at your rear remote, with a hose to a tee in the return line. Your Farm supply store or big hydraulic shop might have one.

Here is one online source: 1/2 NPT 16 GPM 1000-2500 PSI RELIEF VALVE

 

[TSO]

I answered this earlier, but the site was down when I clicked Preview Post and lost it, so I will try again.

If it is the 2.5" cylinder, it has 12,272 pounds of force, so you could replace it with a 2".

If it is a 2", a pressure relief valve would be easier than a redesign. It would go in the extend hose at your rear remote, with a hose to a tee in the return line. Your Farm supply store or big hydraulic shop might have one.

Here is one online source: 1/2 NPT 16 GPM 1000-2500 PSI RELIEF VALVE

Yeah you were right, I went with 2.5 inch, maybe I should order a 2 inch instead.


However, I did fix the bracket today
and added a support piece for the front, similar to the back. I did not get a chance to check it before work, so I'll see how it does tomorrow.

 

[Xfaxman]

Well now the front bracket looks strong enough to find the the next weakest thing! :laughing:

The cylinder doesn't reach maximum force until the lid stops moving, so don't hold the lever open any longer than necessary.

Use it some more and let us know how it is doing. :thumbsup: