The WICKED GRAPPLE for UTILITY TRACTORS!!!!!!!

[vtsnowedin]

I have a cabbed 5055e that weights in at 11k when it's ready for work. I have the 72" standard wicked grapple. For your tractor I would consider the compact version like I have. However, get the 37" opening. I've maxed my tractor out with what I have and would want more lift capacity before a heavier grapple. This thing is plenty strong. When I upgrade to a 5100e I'm getting the utility version.


These are my feelings after doing a bunch of work with the grapple. The loader doesn't seem as strong as I was hoping but the grapple has handled everything great. If your just doing brush then go for the utility version but if messing with heavy logs, the lighter one helps. I had to cut logs down from 16' 6" to 14' so I could lift them. They were almost all the jaws wanted. Big wood!

Bottom line is you can't go wrong with EA and this product is designed for our tractors but we are on the small end.

Brett

Thank you for the response. Very good feed back.
I'm going out tomorrow to see if one of the JD's is still there and at a fair price. I hope EA will send me a quote on one that fits my tractor that makes it a hard decision between the local and the EA warranted just off the cutting table product.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

I have a cabbed 5055e that weights in at 11k when it's ready for work. I have the 72" standard wicked grapple. For your tractor I would consider the compact version like I have. However, get the 37" opening. I've maxed my tractor out with what I have and would want more lift capacity before a heavier grapple. This thing is plenty strong. When I upgrade to a 5100e I'm getting the utility version.

These are my feelings after doing a bunch of work with the grapple. The loader doesn't seem as strong as I was hoping but the grapple has handled everything great. If your just doing brush then go for the utility version but if messing with heavy logs, the lighter one helps. I had to cut logs down from 16' 6" to 14' so I could lift them. They were almost all the jaws wanted. Big wood!

Bottom line is you can't go wrong with EA and this product is designed for our tractors but we are on the small end.

Brett

Brett, unless you're looking at maximum payload of lighter material, the original wicked grapple in 72" size can take what your tractor is likely to dish out all day. The new version 2 version with the 37" opening is a definite improvement over the original's 30" opening, like I have.

An issue to consider is that with longer lower tines on the forthcoming larger utility grapple, you have less leverage for prying stuff up and out with your loader (a thing I do constantly), but you can physically carry more material in the larger utility grapple's longer tines and larger jaws.

Travis, Ted: I offered this suggestion in the original wicked root grapple thread as well, but I suggest not putting teeth on the tine support brackets because they will allow twiggy brush more places to hang onto the grapple when dumping material. I don't see the need for those particular teeth since those teeth will not be able to "saw" against any material and are not in the direct clamping portion for nabbing something like in my photo below and pinching it between the top lid teeth and the lower teeth cut into the top of each tine.

 

[lostcreekranch]

Brett, unless you're looking at maximum payload of lighter material, the original wicked grapple in 72" size can take what your tractor is likely to dish out all day. The new version 2 version with the 37" opening is a definite improvement over the original's 30" opening, like I have. An issue to consider is that with longer lower tines on the forthcoming larger utility grapple, you have less leverage for prying stuff up and out with your loader (a thing I do constantly), but you can physically carry more material in the larger utility grapple's longer tines and larger jaws. Travis, Ted: I offered this suggestion in the original wicked root grapple thread as well, but I suggest not putting teeth on the tine support brackets because they will allow twiggy brush more places to hang onto the grapple when dumping material. I don't see the need for those particular teeth since those teeth will not be able to "saw" against any material and are not in the direct clamping portion for nabbing something like in my photo below and pinching it between the top lid teeth and the lower teeth cut into the top of each tine.

Yep.




Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

 

[uphill]

Could the Wicked Grapple be configured to fit a Caterpillar 420E backhoe? The unit is not an IT model and the bucket would have to be unpinned/removed to attach a grapple. Also, could the curl function be diverted to operate the clamping portion of the grapple?

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

. . .

Travis, Ted: I offered this suggestion in the original wicked root grapple thread as well, but I suggest not putting teeth on the tine support brackets because they will allow twiggy brush more places to hang onto the grapple when dumping material. I don't see the need for those particular teeth since those teeth will not be able to "saw" against any material and are not in the direct clamping portion for nabbing something like in my photo below and pinching it between the top lid teeth and the lower teeth cut into the top of each tine.

. . . .

I agree. I wish my stump grapple didn't have those serrated "teeth" on the side plates. I suppose they serve a purpose on the stump grapple, but I find they impede dumping all the material sometimes, especially when I'm dumping into a tall pile and can't completely dump the grapple straight down.

 

[EverythingAttachments]

Could the Wicked Grapple be configured to fit a Caterpillar 420E backhoe? The unit is not an IT model and the bucket would have to be unpinned/removed to attach a grapple. Also, could the curl function be diverted to operate the clamping portion of the grapple?

I'm afraid the backhoe over the ratings of our grapples. Yes, a diverter setup would be the easiest and most cost effective. Unfortunately, we do not get into that for industrial machines.
Thanks for asking!
Travis

 

[EverythingAttachments]

I have a cabbed 5055e that weights in at 11k when it's ready for work. I have the 72" standard wicked grapple. For your tractor I would consider the compact version like I have. However, get the 37" opening. I've maxed my tractor out with what I have and would want more lift capacity before a heavier grapple. This thing is plenty strong. When I upgrade to a 5100e I'm getting the utility version.

These are my feelings after doing a bunch of work with the grapple. The loader doesn't seem as strong as I was hoping but the grapple has handled everything great. If your just doing brush then go for the utility version but if messing with heavy logs, the lighter one helps. I had to cut logs down from 16' 6" to 14' so I could lift them. They were almost all the jaws wanted. Big wood!

Bottom line is you can't go wrong with EA and this product is designed for our tractors but we are on the small end.

Brett

WoW, that's scary. Maxing out the lift capacity of a 11K Utility Tractor with a Wicked Grapple for Compact Tractors!

I can't wait to see the new Utility Version in action!
Travis

 

[EverythingAttachments]

We're getting closer! I'm told it should start going together in the next day or so!!

 

[EverythingAttachments]

The Wicked Utility Grapple will be black, but I added some color to the original drawing to dress it up a little!
Travis

 

[MinnesotaEric]

We're getting closer! I'm told it should start going together in the next day or so!!

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I really think the teeth cut in on the support brackets will cause problems with brush and twiggy material.

For customer lake shore clearing I bring a ground man to clear the grapple of twiggy material that hangs onto the existing grapple or my production falls to low. Low production is fine on my own project, but not when I'm billing $80 or $100 and hour.