Question about a grapple

[PineRidge]

We also made sure that the grapple closed with sufficient force that it will be able to hold anything that we use it to pick up.

We still have additional gussets to add, finish welding, hydraulic hoses to add, and finish painting.

While testing the grapple I'm thinking that it may be necessary to add restrictors as the cylinder moves pretty quickly on the TC-40D. I think we'll actually put it to use and test it in the field before we decide one way or the other for sure.

The cylinder is removed easily by pulling two pins. The main part of the grapple is then easily removed by pulling 3 additional pins and can easily be set aside to use the bucket without the grapple in place. I'm guessing the main part of the grapple to weigh about 80 to 90 pounds.

 

[PineRidge]

<font color="blue"> Is that elbow in the hydraulic line shown in the closeup rated for several thousand PSI? (It looks like the garden variety cast elbows that often have porosity.)
</font>

John I'm sorry that I didn't respond to your question sooner. The extra long hydraulic hoses were borrowed from my neighbor so that I might test the grapple. I picked the 3/8 inch black pipe fittings up at the local hardware. You are correct they are not rated for hydraulic use.

I'll be ordering the correct hoses and fittings from Discount Hydraulic Hose now that we are satisfied with the performance.

 

[Henro]

PineRidge,

Been wanting to comment on how nice a job you are doing and also on how great this thread is!

Also want to complain about the thread title! Should be "ANSWER about a grapple!" if you ask me.

Great job!

 

[PineRidge]

Bill thanks for the kind words, we enjoy reading all of your Kubota projects as well.

When this thread started is was purely for information purposes. Fact is I was intending of purchasing an ATI grapple and at the time I had issues with wanting to try a double piloted check valve on the lift cylinder.

More than one member here talked me out of that idea, see I'm flexible. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif Anyhow the thread went full circle into construction.

In all fairness I would also like to add that had I purchased Andy Tatro's grapple as it is sold at eBay it would have opened much wider than mine. He has been a great source of information on this project as well as a big help in using his CNC plasma to cut out the majority of our parts. As a matter of personal choice I wanted a grapple that was at least 36" wide and even originally shot for 48".I had a lot of input from Andy and he suggested to keep the grapple strong that I limit the width to 36" which we did.

The fact that we decided to use 2 X 3 tube positioned down on the top of the bucket and tilted backward to mate the bucket top for strength was a bit of a trade off on the wide open position. Frankly if I grabbed a downed tree with a diameter of the capacity of my jaw width I couldn't get it off the ground anyway so I'm happy with the end results.

I have posted a picture of Andy's 18" grapple next to our 36". Both in the full open position. Please judge for yourself on the differences.

BTW: If anyone needs any assistance with their own grapple project I suggest sending Andy a PM, TBN member htatro. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif He's has all the answers!

 

[sanman]

PineRidge
I like your grapple, you're doing a very good job, one that you should be proud of for years too come. I don't thank you'll have any problems as for as dropping or looseing a load because all you have to do is curl your bucket back a bit an allow the log or tree etc. to rest aganist the teeth an away you go. Once again, very nice work.
sanman

 

[PineRidge]

Sanman thanks for the tip on tilting the bucket to control the load.

Tomorrow I'm ordering the hydraulic hoses, and in the mean time we're adding a few more gussets to strengthen the whole grapple assembly a bit. Then I'll hit the whole grapple with a bit of satin black paint and post a few finished pictures.

Maybe I can go snatch a few trees to show how the grapple actually works out in the field, we're supposed to get a thaw here in the next few days.

Anyway it has been an enjoyable project, and I'm glad I could share.....

 

[Junkman]

24 hours have passed and no new pictures /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif.... you must be goofing off.... next thing, you will be telling us that you went to meet AndyM for lunch at Hoss's.... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Junkman]

It is now more than 48 hours and still no pictures... You find time to go for lunch, but you don't find time to post pictures. I got this picture of you outside of Hoss's having a smiling good time.....

 

[DaNag]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">(
The stout grapple cylinder arrived yesterday as we were visiting the Columbus, Ohio Power Show. )</font>

Been following this and other threads relating to Andy's grapple with interest...I had Andy send one of his standard eBay grapples to my dealer for installation on my new 3130.

However...the cylinder supplied doesn't meet my definition of "stout". The clevis ends are very cheap pot metal - I used mine for about 30 minutes, before one end snapped. I wasn't abusing the thing - just picking up a log, and had grabbed it with only one of the grapple arms. When I increased pressure on the ram, the clevis snapped - see attached picture.

In Andy's defense, he's handling this like one would expect from a first-rate dealer. He said he'd sold about 150 of these in the last year, and mine was the first to experience this breakage. Also, the cylinder is supplied elsewhere - the components made by Andy appear to be of top-notch quality. I just question the wisdom of including a relatively cheap cylinder, but perhaps mine is an isolated incident.

My local dealer could get me a beefier cylinder, with forged clevis ends, however it would be quite a bit more than the cylinders from Northern Tool supplied by Andy. For now, I'm swapping out the broken one for a like-kind replacement, and hoping I just got a lemon...

Attached is a photo of the piece that broke off...

 

[DaNag]

...and a photo of the cylinder showing where it broke.

 

[Junkman]

I would have expected both ears to brake off, rather than one. Could it be that the pin started to come out and that the cylinder clevis was loaded on only one side? That is a strange type of break and I don't believe that the cylinder is an inferior product. Glad to hear that a replacement is on the way. Did you send him a picture of the broken piece? Junk....

 

[DaNag]

Nope, pin and clip was still intact and in place through the grapple mount when it broke.

And yup...sent Andy pics, and as mentioned before, he's treating me right. He's standing behind his product, and is replacing the cylinder without hesitation.

 

[PineRidge]

Never heard anything bad said about Lion cylinders before. Quite possibly a fluke of sorts.

Here is the info that Northern supplies on the Lion cylinder:

Lion 2500 PSI Heavy-Duty Tie Rod Hydraulic Cylinder — 2in. Bore, 6in. Stroke
Built tough for agricultural and industrial applications. 2500 PSI model is designed to withstand shock loads of up to 5000 PSI. Durable ductile iron cast components. 90 durometer O-ring seals with antiextrusion rings for positive sealing throughout the cylinder. High tensile steel shaft is precision ground, polished and hard chrome-plated. 30-month limited warranty.

I'm thinking even if you didn't have a 30-month limited warranty on the cylinder that Andy would still help you out of a bad spot. He has worked diligently with me on my grapple project and I thank him for the assistance.

 

[Defective]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( ...and a photo of the cylinder showing where it broke. )</font>

I'd bet on a manufacturing defect rather than a material issue. If it were simply weak material, I'd have expected to see both sides broken off. Only way I've ever seen a break like that is after the pin came loose. (I take it that didn't happen here...)

I'd be after the manufacturer for a free replacement.

 

[jinman]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Nope, pin and clip was still intact and in place through the grapple mount when it broke.
)</font>

Okay, everyone else has given their best guess, so here is mine. If you are putting the pin through the clevis and there is a little tension, sometimes the pin will go through one side and then hit the other side. You can either wiggle the joint to get the pin to slip through freely, or you can pick up a hammer and smack the pin to drive it through. I'd bet that somewhere in the life of that clevis, someone did exactly that. That could have caused a crack, and by the time it was in use, it was only a matter of time until the weakened half of the clevis broke off.

...not saying this is what happened, just thinking of how it could have occurred.

 

[DaNag]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( ...or you can pick up a hammer and smack the pin to drive it through. I'd bet that somewhere in the life of that clevis, someone did exactly that.)</font>

That's certainly a possibility - I didn't install the ram so can't say. I know the shop that did the install had it on/off a number of times for fitting.

In thinking about this some more, perhaps it's a good thing the clevis is the weak link. If the pin does fall out down the road, I guess it's better that the clevis breaks rather than the support frame or grapple arm getting bent - the clyinder with tie-rod ends is pretty cheap and readily available.

 

[kubotabilly]

PR, Great job on the grapple attachment. Here's a little something that I think will make it work alot better.

Bill

 

[PineRidge]

Wow Kubota orange on the front of a New Holland. Naw that won't work... /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Junkman]

I believe that yellow and green would be a better combination with the blue..... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif He will probably paint it boring black.....

 

[kubotabilly]

Junkman,
Not only will he paint it black, It'll have to be satin black /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif. I thought satin was the sheen you put on your living room walls, not your tractor /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif. Is black really a color /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif. I think orange, yellow and green would be great!!!!!!!!!!!

Bill