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

[vtsnowedin]

Wicked Grapple Lovers, I have news for you. It turns out that the new design is heavier than anticipated. It is strong and Wicked, but it just is not ideal for the targeted machine. We're all about ideal, you know!

The new grapple does hit the mark for larger utility tractors(80-90hp+) and skid steers, considering the 73" weighs over 800 pounds.

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Now we are back to work on the Wicked Utility Grapple and will soon have two new grapples to test!!!

I do expect an "I told you so" from Eric! :laughing:
Travis

I don't know what your target tractor is but I don't think 800 lbs. is that far out of line. The bucket I'd take off to put it on weighs 475 and the JD version claims to weigh 700. With loaders with around 4000 lbs. lift capacity at the pins your still picking a half cord of wood with ease.
https://burlington.craigslist.org/grq/5156987981.html

 

[aeblank]

heavier than anticipated.

Aren't your material properties set up right in Solidworks?

 

[EverythingAttachments]

Aren't your material properties set up right in Solidworks?

Yes. I should have said heavier than originally anticipated.
Travis

 

[Grateful11]

Wicked Grapple Lovers, I have news for you. It turns out that the new design is heavier than anticipated. It is strong and Wicked, but it just is not ideal for the targeted machine. We're all about ideal, you know!

The new grapple does hit the mark for larger utility tractors(80-90hp+) and skid steers, considering the 73" weighs over 800 pounds.

Now we are back to work on the Wicked Utility Grapple and will soon have two new grapples to test!!!

Travis

Is that weight with or without the cylinders?

 

[EverythingAttachments]

Is that weight with or without the cylinders?

I haven't weighed it with cylinders or without a pallet, but it'll probably net out at around 825.

It's going to be a great skid steer/large utility tractor grapple, but the tubing, hinges, lids, gusseting and about everything else about it is overkill for the mega compacts and smaller utility tractors.
The grapple that he modeled it after is over 1,200 pounds, which is overkill for many skid steers and larger utility tractors.

These two new models are gonna hit the sweet spot for the machine categories that were missing from our lineup!
Travis

 

[EverythingAttachments]

We transformed the 1,200 pound grapple into a manageable 800 pounds. The transformation to make it 600 pounds just didn't make sense, so Ted went with his gut, which said "when in doubt, build it stout"!

Now we'll transform our 400 pound Wicked Grapple into around 600 pounds. Some areas will be beefed up, but the geometry to increase the capacity and opening will be the main change.
Also, we'll keep our original Wicked tine design to keep it easier to push through the ground, which will be better for the mega compact tractors.
Like this:

 

[lostcreekranch]

Any news on the new grapple? It's been quiet for almost a month. Have you guys established pricing yet?

Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

 

[EverythingAttachments]

Any news on the new grapple? It's been quiet for almost a month. Have you guys established pricing yet?

Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

The past month or so is generally referred to as the "dead" of summer. Well, for us, it hasn't been so dead so the grapple build has been neglected.
Ted promises that we'll be back on it very soon!!
Travis

 

[EverythingAttachments]

The new grapple parts should be cut out today!!

 

[EverythingAttachments]

I know this will be well received!!