Which grapple? Landpride vs EA vs MTL for Kubota L3560LE

[ScottHam]

After much research including reading dozens of threads on TBN, I'm about ready to pull the trigger on my first tractor -- a Kubota L2501 HST. Since one of the primary uses will being clearing cedar brush (here in the Texas hill country we refer to juniper as "cedar"), I am strongly considering adding a grapple. I will use it for moving and stacking piles of logs/branches/limbs/brush, as well as digging out smaller saplings and bushes. I imagine a grapple would also be helpful in pulling out old stumps and other miscellaneous tasks. The ground at my place is rocky, hilly and uneven, and the brush is thick. Based on my research, it seems that Landpride, EA and MTL all make great products that will get the job done. My question is regarding the style -- the claw type like the Landpride SGC06 with short bottom tines, or the root type like the EA Wicked Root or the MTL RG7 with longer bottom tines. It seems like the longer bottom tines would be more versatile and allow carrying of a wider variety of materials without crushing it, but the shorter bottom tines may be better for digging up bushes. I appreciate any thoughts you all have. Thank you.

 

[mike0000]

First of all, great decision to get a grapple. I recently bought a L3901 and the landpride grapple. Its My first grapple, I didn’t know I needed one so much until I got it. I can’t give much input on which grapple you should buy, however at times I can see how longer lower tines could be useful. For small starter trees and roots I like the smaller tines. I’m still learning how to best use the grapple, but like 4 wheel assist and a front end loader I don’t plan to have a tractor without one in the future.

Mike

 

[Gee Ray]

I have a L2501 HST. Love the tractor. I had a 2005 Massey 1528 with the Add A Grapple from Precision Manufacturing. I transferred it to the new L2501 in 2018. Much cheaper then a true grapple and it is so useful. It can be easily removed from the bucket but I never take it off. Truly the best money I ever spent on my tractor.

 

[2manyrocks]

I have a L2501 with the MTL 48" compact grapple. BLACK Compact Tractor 48" / 54" / 60" HD Root Grapple Hydraulic - quick attach — MTL Attachments. It weighs 350 lbs.

The MTL RG7 60" apparently weighs 530 lbs. The Landpride SGC06 weighs 247 pounds.

Personally, I wouldn't want to add any more weight than could be avoided. The Landpride weighs less than my MTL, but the 48" MTL was less expensive to buy and uses 3/8 steel.

My personal experience is that I have to tilt my MTL grapple to get the front tines under material laying on the ground. There is also a round metal tube near the front tines that is intended to prevent the grapple from digging in and bending the cylinder rods. The cylinder rods are more exposed to bending when they are extended.

We have hard ground in the summer and trees with deep tap roots. For me, I don't try to dig anything with my L2501 FEL and MTL grapple. In fact, one of the reasons I picked the MTL was so that I wouldn't be tempted to try to dig with it and tear up either the FEL and/or the hydraulic system. It's a $22k tractor....not a $95k compact track loader with 4"x10" loader arms.

I've pulled some small stumps (when the ground was wet and loose) with a chain attached to the drawbar and a wheel for extra leverage, but I wouldn't try pulling them with the grapple.

I think it's fine for picking up a reasonable mount of already loose debris provided that I don't overload the FEL and provided that I keep the weight centered in the grapple.

You're going to at least need a brush guard for your radiator. You may also want some guards for the hydraulic and transmission filters under the tractor.

 

[ScottHam]

Thank you all for your input. This is very helpful. I just looked up the Add-a-Grapple, that it seems very interesting and convenient (and would also reduce temptation to dig with grapple tines....). I may not be any closer to deciding which route to go, but I have additional interesting information to consider

 

[2manyrocks]

If your primary goal is pulling juniper trees within reason, you might consider a tree puller. Smokeydog posted this thread about his using a Kubota B26 with a Danuser Intimdator tree puller (not cheap). Front-End Loader - Danuser Intimdator

There are also rear mounted tree pullers. Tree Puller?

Or you can pull trees for a lot less money with a chain attached to the drawbar and a wheel or pipe at the tree end of things. Not so great an option if rattlesnakes are present.

Once a tree gets to a certain size, for me about 3", I'm not sure that a small tractor is the right tool to pull it. And then, I want to pull it in the late winter or early spring when the ground is still moist and easier to work.

The tree pullers I've seen appear to cost more than a grapple, and expectations have to be set in light of what can be accomplished with a particular size tractor without damaging the tractor.

If you have a lot of trees that are beyond pulling, then perhaps a chainsaw or polesaw plus a gapple to move them makes sense. Or maybe a forestry mulcher or other method.

 

[Rmart30]

Im on year 4 with my MTL. Its done just fine for me.

 

[oosik]

I have a Land Pride rock and root grapple. I would never consider pulling stumps or trees with my grapple. I move large rocks - chunks of pine tree trunk - dig up Buck brush - gather up pine tree limbs. Along with the WR Long 3rd function valve - I've had this grapple nine+ years. It's a VERY HD grapple and I've never had any problems with it or the 3rd function valve.

This grapple weighs 820# and with careful movements I'm able to collect and move rocks and pine tree trunks up to 3200#. I have weight charts for rocks and pine tree trunks. So I'm pretty sure what any load will weigh. I NEVER lift a really heavy load over 6" off the ground when making a move. This is why I'm able to lift such heavy loads. Check your weight lift graphs in your FEL owners manual. This will give more accurate lift information.
My Land Pride SGC 1560 grapple....

 

[oosik]

BTW - you would be well to consider modifying your grill guard also. Limbs, sticks and stobs have a nasty way of damaging your radiator - grill - battery. I had a local welding shop add this expanded metal to my OEM grill guard.

 

[2manyrocks]

Could you please explain the weight charts you mentioned? I could easily see underestimating the weight of a tree or rock. Do you have a laminated chart that you keep with you on your tractor?

 

[CoolTech]

After much research including reading dozens of threads on TBN, I'm about ready to pull the trigger on my first tractor -- a Kubota L2501 HST. Since one of the primary uses will being clearing cedar brush (here in the Texas hill country we refer to juniper as "cedar"), I am strongly considering adding a grapple.

I too am in the market for a grapple and learning a lot from the replies in this thread.

My first tractor was a L2501. I liked it a lot but I also learned more about what was important to me. I'll share - maybe my concerns/issues are not at all applicable to you - but maybe some are.

Can't help but comment on the treadle pedal. It is easy enough to operate if you are sitting upright and facing forward. But, there will be many occasions when you are twisted around in your seat (connecting or disconnecting an implement, for example) and trying to operate the treadle pedal in these scenarios was very difficult for me. Try to simulate this next chance you get to sit on the 2501. Maybe it is not a big problem for others?

I found the exhaust exit on the 2501 to be positioned such that I was always breathing the fumes. Perhaps not a deal killer but this was a real nuisance.

Finally, the biggest lesson learned on the 2501. It has relatively weak FEL lifting capacity - perhaps especially when compared to other brands. A common mistake is to dismiss this - thinking that you do not have applications where you need the extra capacity... but you do. When you are using the bucket to scoop up heavier material (sand, rock, road base, etc) the technique is to slowly drive into the material and then lift/curl the bucket as it fills. If you have piles of this material enabling you to get nice full buckets - you will find that limited lift/curl capacity may often require you to stop or even back up a little before you can lift. I found this to be a little annoying (but I am admittedly spoiled by the almost unlimited capability of my Case 580M).

Anyway, my intent is not to bash the 2501 - as it is a very fine tractor. In my case, I moved on after 1-year to a tractor that had much higher FEL lift capacity, no treadle pedal, and no exhaust fumes in my face. It was really no harm/no foul because with Kubota's excellent resale value I pretty much got what I paid for it when I traded up.

 

[ScottHam]

Thank you all for the very helpful input. I truly appreciate all of the experience and insight you are sharing. FYI -- I just watched a Youtube video by Homestead Bandwagon where he does the same activities with each of a root rake grapple and a rock rake grapple. It was very enlightening.

 

[coobie]

After much research including reading dozens of threads on TBN, I'm about ready to pull the trigger on my first tractor -- a Kubota L2501 HST. Since one of the primary uses will being clearing cedar brush (here in the Texas hill country we refer to juniper as "cedar"), I am strongly considering adding a grapple. I will use it for moving and stacking piles of logs/branches/limbs/brush, as well as digging out smaller saplings and bushes. I imagine a grapple would also be helpful in pulling out old stumps and other miscellaneous tasks. The ground at my place is rocky, hilly and uneven, and the brush is thick. Based on my research, it seems that Landpride, EA and MTL all make great products that will get the job done. My question is regarding the style -- the claw type like the Landpride SGC06 with short bottom tines, or the root type like the EA Wicked Root or the MTL RG7 with longer bottom tines. It seems like the longer bottom tines would be more versatile and allow carrying of a wider variety of materials without crushing it, but the shorter bottom tines may be better for digging up bushes. I appreciate any thoughts you all have. Thank you.

I am very happy with my MTL grapple.Very stout heavy duty grapple.

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[coobie]

BTW - you would be well to consider modifying your grill guard also. Limbs, sticks and stobs have a nasty way of damaging your radiator - grill - battery. I had a local welding shop add this expanded metal to my OEM grill guard.
View attachment 753570

Yes sir, good addition ..Front grill guard

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[2manyrocks]

Thank you all for the very helpful input. I truly appreciate all of the experience and insight you are sharing. FYI -- I just watched a Youtube video by Homestead Bandwagon where he does the same activities with each of a root rake grapple and a rock rake grapple. It was very enlightening.

Homestead Bandwagon mentions the potential danger of digging with exposed cylinder rods at 25:50 in that video. You can also watch how the cylinder rods are extended on the two different grapple styles he compares by watching the segments at 9 minutes and 19:08 minutes.

 

[oosik]

My weight charts - yes. I went on the internet and simply typed in - "log weight chart" and "rock weight chart". Up came these charts. Both give weight based upon several parameters. Log - type of tree - averaged diameter - length. Rock - type of rock - cubic feet of rock. For me it is simple. The only type of tree I have here - Ponderosa pine. 100% of all my rock is basaltic lava.

For the trees - you need the average diameter and length. I've gone even simpler. Any trees 24" in diameter or less are cut to ten foot length. Anything over 24" are cut to five feet long. That way anything I want to move is less than 2300#.

Rocks require that you calculate the cubic feet - length x width x depth. No need for the chart here. I have Alkaline basaltic rock here and it weighs - on the average - 235# per cubic foot.

So........ this rock weighs close to or at 3000#. It was an error on my part to move this. I had to move it a tad over half a mile. Kept it low - knuckle dragging and it took me 3/4 of an hour to make the move. If I ever get involved with something like this again - I will drag it. It is 4 feet wide - 2.5 feet high and 2 feet deep.

 

[2manyrocks]

I've read that the traditional method of moving large rocks was something called a stone boat or essentially a very strong wooden sled on runners. It's still a good method when the situation calls for it.

Red oak seems to be about the heaviest species of wood I'll be moving. Maybe I can paint some width & length reference marks on my grapple to estimate a safe load based on those charts.

 

[servmgr64]

For my needs I bought the EA 60" Grapple & the MTL tree/post puller. One to move the brush & the other pulls the stumps or even the whole tree. I use them with my L3560 & a box blade for counterbalance & find them both to be very capable attachments.

 

[2manyrocks]

FWIW, I had to pick up some limbs today that blew down in a recent storm. Made these pictures to show the amount of cylinder rod extension on my L2501. The cylinder rods are extended 13 1/8 inches in the first picture.

I personally wouldn't recommend trying to use this style of grapple with the upward teeth as a root rake to dig in the dirt with the cylinder rods extended.

In my limited experience so far, the upward teeth help hold material in the grapple, but make it a little harder to dump the material.

I have never used a clamshell/root rake grapple myself. I suspect there would be less cylinder rod extension, but I also suspect the clamshell/root rake design is more dependent on the grapple lid holding the material in the grapple.

 

[ScottHam]

The pics showing the rod extension is enlightening. Thank you. Regardless of which grapple I get, I plan to be very careful engaging the ground (if at all) after reading all these helpful comments. Seems like a stump bucket or something similar would be better for digging things out.....