WHICH ROOT RAKE/GRAPPLE ?

[oosik]

This is my Land Pride SGC1560 grapple with WRLong third function. It's probably more than you want/need. It shows one style of root/rock grapple. View attachment 630798View attachment 630799

It is extremely HD (820#) and didn't come cheap - $3175. Five years of extensive use and no problems so far.

 

[fried1765]

This is my Land Pride SGC1560 grapple with WRLong third function. It's probably more than you want/need. It shows one style of root/rock grapple. View attachment 630798View attachment 630799

It is extremely HD (820#) and didn't come cheap - $3175. Five years of extensive use and no problems so far.

That is truly a magnificent looking piece of equipment, but serious overkill for my needs.
I have zero rocks.
My 48HP Kubota backhoe will eat any roots, and stumps.

 

[4570Man]

You bought the L48 just for a toy. Now is buying a nice grapple going to hurt anyone?

 

[Xfaxman]

fried1765 this is what you need to add to a grapple, "My Wicked Grapple bush grabber attachment". By James K0UA: https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums...y-wicked-grapple-bush-grabber.html?highlight=

 

[fried1765]

You bought the L48 just for a toy. Now is buying a nice grapple going to hurt anyone?

"Now is buying a nice grapple going to hurt anyone"?
Not really sure what is meant by that.

I hope to be able to find a grapple that will do a very specific relatively light duty job for me.
Apparently many here think because they have a king kong capable grapple, that I should also have a king kong capable grapple.
For my needs, if my little Ford 1920 loader had QA and a 3rd function, I would be quite happy with a full width 60" single lid grapple on that.

 

[fried1765]

fried1765 this is what you need to add to a grapple, "My Wicked Grapple bush grabber attachment". By James K0UA: https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums...y-wicked-grapple-bush-grabber.html?highlight=

View attachment 630812

That would likely do a great job breaking the holly tree branches.

 

[TractorGuy]

Before ordering I will ask MS about ordering that exact design direct from them.
Perhaps I could also pay MS to use bronze bushings, or pivot bolts with zerks.

I have also thought that I might just tack weld each pivot bolt, and put a zerk in each cylinder end fitting.

I have never seen a bronze bushing used on any tractor loader or equipment pivot. All I have seen is steel on steel with grease fittings.

It would be much less trouble and expense to just replace or modify the pins to be greasable.

 

[4570Man]

"Now is buying a nice grapple going to hurt anyone"?
Not really sure what is meant by that.

I hope to be able to find a grapple that will do a very specific relatively light duty job for me.
Apparently many here think because they have a king kong capable grapple, that I should also have a king kong capable grapple.
For my needs, if my little Ford 1920 loader had QA and a 3rd function, I would be quite happy with a full width 60" single lid grapple on that.

Well I remembered for years what a piece of crap my Titan grapple was. And then I had to patch it up a half a dozen times. It doesn’t sting anymore that the Favor was nearly $3000. And then I’ve got a piece of crap wood splitter. I wish I’d have paid more for a nicer one. There’s a big difference on buying a King Kong grapple that really have no business on tractors and buying a quality grapple.

 

[fried1765]

Well I remembered for years what a piece of crap my Titan grapple was. And then I had to patch it up a half a dozen times. It doesn’t doesn’t sting anymore that the Favor was nearly $3000. And then I’ve got a piece of crap wood splitter. I wish I’d have paid more for a nicer one. There’s a big difference on buying a King Kong grapple that really have no business on tractors and buying a quality grapple.

I think in my case it really comes down to tooth design, and length of teeth.
It is about what I believe will best snag a bunch of nasty tangled vines winding deeply within branches and thick foliage, but will do minimal damage to the branches and foliage.
ANY grapple design with cross members welded between bottom teeth, will simply destroy the branches.
I do note that your Faver does NOT have those bottom teeth cross members.

 

[fried1765]

I have never seen a bronze bushing used on any tractor loader or equipment pivot. All I have seen is steel on steel with grease fittings.

It would be much less trouble and expense to just replace or modify the pins to be greasable.

I think bronze bushings could work, but as you suggest, I think I would/will/may be able to modify the pins to accept grease.

 

[hks003]

What about a landscape rake for the 3 ph? Back in, push in the Holly bushes, drop the rake on the vines, pull out. By far your cheapest option.
LR16 Series Landscape Rakes* | Land Pride

 

[fried1765]

What about a landscape rake for the 3 ph? Back in, push in the Holly bushes, drop the rake on the vines, pull out. By far your cheapest option.
LR16 Series Landscape Rakes* | Land Pride

That might seem like a good idea, but it really is not.
The best way to snag the multiple bittersweet vines is about 6'-8' above the ground where they are usually in a twisted mass, almost like a giant bird nest at times.
At ground level they are many individual small vines, that grow mostly vertical for several feet.
The vines would slip between the landscape rake tines at ground level.

Something like a landscape rake on the end of my 11' backhoe could work great, but that something would need to be custom made.
A grapple with the right teeth seems like the next best idea to me.

 

[goeduck]

That might seem like a good idea, but it really is not.
The best way to snag the multiple bittersweet vines is about 6'-8' above the ground where they are usually in a twisted mass, almost like a giant bird nest at times.
At ground level they are many individual small vines, that grow mostly vertical for several feet..

That sounds like you could go in with a deep tine (no cross members up front) L bottom Grapple, get the bottom teeth to the twisted mass, then lift up to pull them out. The taller tractor with higher lift, the better. See 4570Man post #47 for deep tine grapple.

Or even a set of forks. Or a Silage/Manure Rake Grapple

218 Titan Implement Compact Tractor Manure Fork Grapple for sale in Denham Springs, LA. 4-H Equipment, LLC Denham Springs, LA (225) 664-436

 

[fried1765]

That sounds like you could go in with a deep tine (no cross members up front) L bottom Grapple, get the bottom teeth to the twisted mass, then lift up to pull them out. The taller tractor with higher lift, the better. See 4570Man post #47 for deep tine grapple.

Or even a set of forks. Or a Silage/Manure Rake Grapple

Yup..... a deep tine grapple with no cross members in front is exactly what I am thinking I need.
The "Faver" grapple recommended by 4570Man is the style I think will work best for me, and there are several manufacturers of that grapple design.
Regular forks (I have EA forks) will not do a satisfactory job, because there are only two forks.

 

[Notforhire]

HKS003 may have hit upon something here.
I built a SSQA to 3 point hitch converter several years ago. This allows me (among other things) to attach my york rake to my FEL. I haven't used it for vines in a tree, but I have raked out shrubbery and such from stream banks and cleaned out ditches.
Because of the curve of the teeth I can see how it may work. Once the vines are dragged to the ground they could be picked up for disposal with about any grapple. If this would be the only use for the rake, It could simply be welded directly to a SSQA plate and the 3PH converter would be unnecessary. You wouldn't need a high quality rake for this application and teeth could be removed if desired to increase the spaces between them. Reach would be about 14ft, I'd guess.

Thoughts?

OP,if you want to see what it looks like, I would be happy to connect it together and submit a photo.

What about a landscape rake for the 3 ph? Back in, push in the Holly bushes, drop the rake on the vines, pull out. By far your cheapest option.
LR16 Series Landscape Rakes* | Land Pride

 

[fried1765]

HKS003 may have hit upon something here.
I built a SSQA to 3 point hitch converter several years ago. This allows me (among other things) to attach my york rake to my FEL. I haven't used it for vines in a tree, but I have raked out shrubbery and such from stream banks and cleaned out ditches.
Because of the curve of the teeth I can see how it may work. Once the vines are dragged to the ground they could be picked up for disposal with about any grapple. If this would be the only use for the rake, It could simply be welded directly to a SSQA plate and the 3PH converter would be unnecessary. You wouldn't need a high quality rake for this application and teeth could be removed if desired to increase the spaces between them. Reach would be about 14ft, I'd guess.

Thoughts?

OP,if you want to see what it looks like, I would be happy to connect it together and submit a photo.

If you have time, I would love to see a photo of that setup.

 

[Notforhire]

I'll take care of that, weather permitting.:thumbsup:

If you have time, I would love to see a photo of that setup.

 

[Xfaxman]

------------- I would love to see a photo of that setup.

Lots of photos here: ssqa 3 point adapter - Image Search

This is mine. It has extra rollback built in: 3 point implement hitch adapter Heavy Duty

With the 6' box blade on the adapter:

 

[Xfaxman]

------------------------ I would love to see a photo of that setup.

Found the photos of my 6' landscape rake on the 3 point adapter:

 

[fried1765]

Found the photos of my 6' landscape rake on the 3 point adapter:

View attachment 631014 View attachment 631015

Interesting use of a rake, but that would surely take my holly branches out as well as the daxx bittersweet.
I still think it's gotta be a long/wide open tooth grapple of some sort for me.