Texas Grapple Shootout

[TomSeller]

The rake grapple with its wider opening did move a large pile of Yaupon easier with one large bite.
.

In feel so validated, I have been a fan of a large opening on a grapple for a long time. The large opening on a grapple does help grab bigger loads for sure, more so than extra width. I find it interesting that the larger opening of the Rake grapple offset the L bottom's larger lower teeth, allowing it to grab a bigger load. That Rake does have long lower teeth, more than some Rake grapples, which helps it tremendously.

What make and models are these grapples?

 

[txdon]

I also think the Faver design is nice. The lack of cross brace tube reminds me of my Wildkat Deep Penetration grapple. You can use the tips more effectively to penetrate into tree limbs, etc. when picking things up. Faver uses a high quality steel that allows them that long of a lower tine without as much danger of bending the tines which I think is the real reason mild steel grapples have the cross tube out front. I like their narrow 31" model. The upper tines cross over the lower tines in the attached image, making for a very small 12.5" holding area compared to most L bottom grapples.

Tom, I was thinking of going narrow before the shootout and nothing we did changed my mind own that. My Yaupon are the understory in the woods and are not as thick as we worked on. But 31", wow that is narrow I was at least thinking 48"-54". My quick attack is 48" wide it may not fit. What size tractor do you have?

 

[foreman Etexas]

My two major task,would be to move old hay piles to wash outs located at other areas on place and the other cleaning up behind my dozer. It would also be nice to remove yaupons and maybe pick up a 4x5 round bale.

 

[mikim]

Wow Don - that Faver is nice -- I really like the tines being so open ...I would definitely get the LT - the 3" doesn't sound like much but sure it would make a difference. This is a great joining of the 2 types we played with -- best of both worlds.

 

[dbaer78]

Those Faver grapples are sweet but awful heavy for a cut. My WR long grapple weighs around 500 I think and it's plenty heavy for my tractor. Now if I traded my MX in on a m7060 or m9960 or somethin the Faver would be at the top of my list!

 

[TomSeller]

Tom, I was thinking of going narrow before the shootout and nothing we did changed my mind own that. My Yaupon are the understory in the woods and are not as thick as we worked on. But 31", wow that is narrow I was at least thinking 48"-54". My quick attack is 48" wide it may not fit. What size tractor do you have?

I have 3 tractors that I run the grapples on, 52 HP, 60 HP and 85 HP. I already have 2 wide grapples, a 72" Rake and a 74" L bottom. I have a neighbor's 48" that he leaves at my place (he has one of my hay rakes so it is a trade right now). But he has been talking about borrowing it back. So I have the wide need covered, and would like something narrow for tree/rock removal if I don't have access to the 48". To me grapples are very handy tools.

 

[txdon]

What make and models are these grapples?

I'm not completely sure Mike will have to respond to this question.

 

[k0ua]

Don, Mike, and Ron, your grapple tests on grubbing up youpon are pretty specific. I'm thinking a complete test would be how easily you can pick up a log or felled tree with a stump. In most cases, you'll find yourself in the woods without a lot of maneuver room. Though both grapple types can grasp the center of the trunk, you may have serious problems moving the tree out of the woods because you are wider than most spacing between trees. By grabbing the end of the tree or stump end and dragging, you can maneuver through the woods to get to an open space. Of course, you can buck the tree into manageable lengths and get it out, but a bucket grapple can be slid under the tree's end and the jaws closed down to allow you to end skid the tree to a clear area. Clearly, the best grapple depends on the job. Buying for the 80% use is a wise decision.

Just the ramblings of an old man with no hair. . . who has no need for shampoo, a comb, or brush.

Jim, I skidded several logs just like you outlined a few days ago because I could not get them thru the trees due to the clearance issue. It worked well.

 

[bindian]

Don,
I like that Faver model. I would like to try the 72 inch one. It is heavy duty. But seems a little thin in the vertical supports. Also, remember that cross tube brace on the tines on other grapples allow them to float at a given depth. They won't dig deep. The one you linked will dig deep when a tire runs over a bump. The long 1 inch thick tines are massive. But they are long in the "tooth".

Just this morning I saw a massive 4WD logging "pay loader" with a 10 foot grapple on front with 1 inch tines. You guessed it.......one of the tines was bent 45 degrees. So you'll have to be careful turning with the tines contacting dirt, as one might catch on a root and over stress your loader arms, if not the grapple itself. Overall all........I give it a :thumbsup:.
hugs, Brandi

 

[txdon]

Brandi, that was a concern I also had. Even though the long tine ANBO could dig at a variable depths, would I need a cross bar to limit the depth, and what should that depth be?

 

[Xfaxman]

I had one of these, unusual to have two lids on a rake style, most just have one.


View of the attachment plate


Made by Vassar Equipment in Perkins, OK. Click the link to their Website: Page Title

 

[bindian]

Brandi, that was a concern I also had. Even though the long tine ANBO could dig at a variable depths, would I need a cross bar to limit the depth, and what should that depth be?

Don,
Mine has a depth of about 4-5 inches before I drag the cross bar into the dirt. I'm thinking 6 inches would be a nice length. Of course, it all depends on how deep you wanna rake. I have the backhoe if I wanna dig something big and deep out.
hugs, Brandi

 

[sd455dan]

My two major task,would be to move old hay piles to wash outs located at other areas on place and the other cleaning up behind my dozer. It would also be nice to remove yaupons and maybe pick up a 4x5 round bale.

For the old hay piles a unit like the Faver would work or even a round tine Grapple like this Melecio Tine Grapple Buckets which is similar to my grapple- although heavier duty, these open style grapples mimic a pitch fork which is hard to beat for moving hay... not sure how it would work for Yaupons


Melecio also has some neat rock buckets with close tine spacing , root rake grapples and others

 

[bindian]

For the old hay piles a unit like the Faver would work or even a round tine Grapple like this Melecio Tine Grapple Buckets which is similar to my grapple- although heavier duty, these open style grapples mimic a pitch fork which is hard to beat for moving hay... not sure how it would work for Yaupons


Melecio also has some neat rock buckets with close tine spacing , root rake grapples and others

That would be a construction grapple, not designed for digging anything. I have heard of folks using fork lift forks on a FEL to pop out roots. Guess that's why I have heard of bent and broken forks too. The right tool for the right job saves wear and tear on tools and equipment.
hugs, Brandi

 

[Deerherd]

Don,
Mine has a depth of about 4-5 inches before I drag the cross bar into the dirt. I'm thinking 6 inches would be a nice length. Of course, it all depends on how deep you wanna rake. I have the backhoe if I wanna dig something big and deep out.
hugs, Brandi

IMHO tooth design has more impact on digging ability than any other aspect. I went with a wider spade style with lots of horizontal "cutting edges" because most of the roots in my neck of the woods grow up and down.

I can sink the teeth up to the cross bar and dig up to 10 to 12" deep, but seems to work best 4-8" down with the cutting edges more perpendicular to the roots. In my wet clay soil if you're not careful you can move a lot of dirt! Dirt does build up on the spade style teeth and requires quite a bit of "grunt" to run effectively but it does a great job. Here's a picture of the grapple and one showing how the dirt builds up on the crossbar.





It is a dual lid rake style and this is what it looked like new.

 

[txdon]

Dave I do like the lid on your grapple - it opens wide and covers the entire grapple. On the grapples we were using the lid only came down very close to the grapple. I would like the lid to mesh through the grapple a bit to really grab the brush and pull out from the top the brush that I did not cut the roots completely.

 

[pacerron]

I would like the lid to mesh through the grapple a bit to really grab the brush and pull out from the top the brush that I did not cut the roots completely.

I have no grapple experience and am not familiar with your roots... but I can see uncut roots getting jammed between the upper and lower teeth if they meshed through and were very close to one another. Then a lot of wasted time getting the thing un-jammed.

 

[Xfaxman]

I have no grapple experience and am not familiar with your roots... but I can see uncut roots getting jammed between the upper and lower teeth if they meshed through and were very close to one another. Then a lot of wasted time getting the thing un-jammed.

No wasted time, just pull them up out of the ground and open the lid! :thumbsup:

These tines overlap a lot and are very close together.


There has been brush jammed between them, but it falls out when you drop the brush on the pile.

 

[txdon]

It appears that as long as there is no cross bar, in front of the crossover point of the lid, sticking brush would fall out easy or could be dislodged by back dragging.

Xfaxman, I like the way each of you tines has a matching lid tine.

A grapple like yours, about 50-54" with the tines 6-7" apart, a full lid with matching tines, and opening at least 45" or more - that would be my ideal grapple.

 

[mikim]

What make and models are these grapples?.....The one on the Kioti is a "worksaver" and was bought through the local Kioti dealer. The one on the NH is a "CID" ..??.. I bought it online several years ago and I think you can get the same one at palletforks.com now.