What is needed hydraulically for a grapple?

   / What is needed hydraulically for a grapple? #1  

montelatici

Platinum Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2007
Messages
630
Location
Croom, Maryland
Tractor
Kubota B2601 and L3560 HSTC LE
I have a BX24 and an L3700 and would like to fit a grapple on one of them. I am thinking that a quick connect grapple for the L3700 might be the most practical route, rather than an attachment for the bucket on either tractor. What needs to be done hydraulic wise to get the grapple function to work. I guess you need another function beyond the FEL controls, but I am not sure. Thanks.
 
   / What is needed hydraulically for a grapple? #3  
Rear remotes are the easiest and cheapest way to go. Diverter valves and electric over hydraulic valves are nice too but more $$$.

I've used both rear remotes and a diverter valve. There are differences but I don't strongly prefer one over the other. Electric over hydraulic is the best but also most expensive.
 
   / What is needed hydraulically for a grapple? #5  
I'm glad you asked this as I'm thinking of making a grapple. From what i understand you'll need to add at least one remote. I'm assuming that it doesn't need the "float" feature some of the spool valves have. I'll probably add two valves so I can also add a top and tilt. I'm not sure where you would tie into the hydraulic system though.

Here are some of the questions I have. When people are saying they use a rear remote I assume that they just run long hadraulic lines from front to back, if so where do you route the lines? Couldn't you just make a tee and have quck connects at both the rear of the tractor and one set near where the FEL connects. How do you run the hydraulic lines down the loader arm? Do you just wrap them around the other lines or did you make a braket to hold them but is easy to remove the lines when the grapple comes off?

I haven't priced it out yet but I'm thinking of justifying buying a plasma cutter to cut the steel needed for a grapple. I haven't seen one in person since deciding to do this so I'm not sure how think of steel, how many arms, one or two cylinders, and how big it should be. If I could do it with enough savings to cover part of the cost of a plasma cutter I'll probably do it next spring.
 
   / What is needed hydraulically for a grapple? #6  
I don't think my L3700 SU has rear remotes.

If you can think of ever needing remote hydraulics it is worth the cost to do rear remotes and run a good hose down under the tractor to the front...

And yes you can have a QD at both ends if you like but you can also just unplug the under lines and use the rear QD, then replug the lines when you need the front system, leaving the hoses running to the underside supported along the frame and/or transmission...
If you feel you will never need rear hydraulics an electric splitter for the loader valve will do what you want and cost less than installing rears... KennyV
 
   / What is needed hydraulically for a grapple? #8  
Just to be clear, installing a diverter valve or electric over hydraulic is almost always more money than installing a rear remote.

No doubt the cheapest solution is if you already have a rear remote and just running 1/4 inch or 3/8 inch line from the remote forward over the rear axle, under the operator station, up the left FEL mounting post and down the FEL arm to the torque bar where you make a QC connection to the grapple. Takes about 20-30 minutes and a bunch of zipties to set that up.

Installing a rear remote if you don't have one can be fairly straightforward and many guys have done it in a couple of hours even without prior hydraulic experience. It does depend a lot on what the tractor manufacturer charges for the kit. I only am familiar with Kioti who make a kit for about $350. Several posts with photos on installing that in the Kioti section. Other manufacturers charge more and I recall NH has an outrageous fee. One point about the rear remote: make sure the control lever is conveniently located on your tractor: it should be possible to drop your hand off the FEL controller and reach the rear remote without looking....think 4 on the floor shifter or something natural like that. You don't want to have to look or put your hand in an awkward position to rear the controller.

Diverter valve kits are available from WRLong for something around $500 which come with instructions. WRLong only sells through dealers but any dealer can get you either the kit or can install it for you for 2-3 hours of labor. That is probably the middle ground in terms of expense unless you are brave and want to just source all the components yourself in which case you can probably save $100-150 by getting similar stuff from Surplus Supply and save more by doing your own labor.

Electric over hydraulic is the Cadillac of solutions. Figure about $1000 for a WRLong kit plus dealer installation.

If you don't have a rear remote consider this as an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. A rear remote is very useful for operating a hydraulic topping lift and can also power other devices such as a log splitter. If you do driveway maintenance consider putting in two so you can do top and tilt.

Regarding which is best, no one seems unhappy with any of the three methods for controlling a grapple. I have personal experience with rear remotes and diverter valve. I think they are about the same. Electric over hydraulic would be nice but I'd rather use the extra cash to have an extra implement than the slight additional benefit that valve provides.
 
   / What is needed hydraulically for a grapple? #9  
Rear remotes are about $750 from kubota. And that's not installed. I just added another single spool valve under my fel joystick. I piped the pressure line from the tractor to the inlet on my new valve. Then from the new outlet into the pressure inlet on my fel valve. Both valves are open center so you can just add a valve inline. A universal valve from prince or cross is about $120. I have a total of about $250 including my homemade bracket, fittings, quick connects and hoses all the way to the front.
 

Tractor & Equipment Auctions

2022 ATRO 53FT DRY VAN TRAILER (A43005)
2022 ATRO 53FT DRY...
TOFT 04G Hyd Rotating Grapple (A47809)
TOFT 04G Hyd...
2018 VOLVO VNL 670 DOUBLE BUNK SLEEPER (A43005)
2018 VOLVO VNL 670...
Kubota L185 Tractor (A47809)
Kubota L185...
2007 Cherrolet Impala Sedan (A44572)
2007 Cherrolet...
2020 INTERNATIONAL MV607 (A45046)
2020 INTERNATIONAL...
 
Top