Remotes for Grapple Use

[Lunk]

Just don't wrap the long hoses around your neck and I think you'll do just fine.

You have probably already thought it through but you do need to be careful routing the hoses from the rear remote up to the grapple. I suppose there are alternatives but this is what I did: from rear remote down and over the left rear axle, under the operator station (lots of zipties to keep the hose tight against the bottom so they don't snag anything), then up the left FEL post and forward along the left loader arm to the torque tube. If you are neat you will weld a mount for the hose/fitting on the torque tube. If you are a slob like me you will use zipties to hold the hose to the torque tube.

I used a lawn hose to do a dry run to make sure I left enough for gentle bends without having too much extra hose. Once you have that measurement you just need the fittings and couplers and you're RTR.

Great minds must think alike, for I've already got the garden hose chosen for my mock-up, thawing out in the basement.

I am a slob, so therefore zip-ties will be the order of the day (for now). They will be the "highest-quality" zip-ties that money can buy though...Or maybe I'll look into those hose clamps with the rubber on the inside that someone in another thread was talking about....

Thanks for all the help.

Lunk

 

[IslandTractor]

Lovely heated discussion here....

Actually I think it has been pretty civilized. Go to the oil and lubricants section if you want "heated". Ironhorse is taking a different point of view but I don't see the discussion turning sour at all.

 

[IslandTractor]

I am a slob, so therefore zip-ties will be the order of the day (for now).

I also used zip ties temporarily for about two years (and then I traded the tractor in). I got tired of cutting zipties when I changed implements so I eventually used nylon cord and just tied the hoses to the torque tube. Talk about being a slob... Worked perfectly though and had the advantage that if I ever snagged a hose the zip ties would break rather than busting the hose.

I've attached one photo. I have others of the whole set up but am too embarrassed to show them. Let's just say that duct tape played a crucial role as a chafe protector and that I never got around to trimming the zip tie ends. However, it worked like a charm for two years and that the installation time was less than 20 minutes.

 

[Steve_Miller]

A piece of 3/16" flat bar and a couple of fittings. first pic was my CK20, second is my CK30.

Steve

 

[IslandTractor]

A piece of 3/16" flat bar and a couple of fittings. first pic was my CK20, second is my CK30.

Steve

Neatnik. Your mother probably never had to hound you to clean up your room, right?

Nice simple solution. I kept waiting to find the perfect bracket to weld into place. When the loader cracking issue surfaced I didn't want to touch the torque tube so stuck with my temp solution.

 

[srs]

A piece of 3/16" flat bar and a couple of fittings. first pic was my CK20, second is my CK30.

Steve

Steve, I was just wondering how much extra hose you need to allow the loader to be lifting to its maximum height without kinking or stretching the hose? Is this ever an issue with your setup, which by the way looks very impressive.

 

[IslandTractor]

Steve, I was just wondering how much extra hose you need to allow the loader to be lifting to its maximum height without kinking or stretching the hose? Is this ever an issue with your setup, which by the way looks very impressive.

Lifting doesn't take extra hose. Dumping is what stretches the hose the most. Make sure the grapple side has the extra hose. I keep mine out of the way by looping it with a bungee cord so it stays out of harms way when slack but can stretch easily to allow the grapple to close when in the full dump position.

 

[srs]

Lifting doesn't take extra hose. Dumping is what stretches the hose the most.

Steve, thanks for the info.

 

[Steve_Miller]

Steve, I was just wondering how much extra hose you need to allow the loader to be lifting to its maximum height without kinking or stretching the hose? Is this ever an issue with your setup, which by the way looks very impressive.

I think my hoses were either 36" or 39" long. They haven't broke yet so I guess there long enough and haven't snagged on anything. They just dangle around (knock on wood) and I haven't tore them off. I also use the outlets for the front mounted blade I geared up.

Steve

 

[IslandTractor]

I think my hoses were either 36" or 39" long. They haven't broke yet so I guess there long enough and haven't snagged on anything. They just dangle around (knock on wood) and I haven't tore them off. I also use the outlets for the front mounted blade I geared up.

Steve

It is a good idea to have the couplers on the torque tube mount face forwards rather than sideways. That means if you ever do yank the lines by snagging on something that the couplers will more likely disengage rather than tearing or bending the hose fitting.

 

[Lunk]

The 60" Markham LD Grapple I ordered is supposed to come with the short hoses included. I never asked how long they'd be...Anyone know how long the "included" hoses are???

My grapple's supposed to arrive sometime next week...

Thanks,

Lunk

 

[IslandTractor]

The 60" Markham LD Grapple I ordered is supposed to come with the short hoses included. I never asked how long they'd be...Anyone know how long the "included" hoses are???

I assume Markham has a good amount of experience with this and that the "short" hoses will be adequate to reach your FEL torque tube with enough length to allow full function. If not, give them a call and I'm sure they will trade them out for longer ones.

Usually one line needs to be a little longer than the other (front of grapple cylinder and back of grapple cylinder to torque tube) but often you get two that are the same size. No biggie just make sure that the lines are controlled so that they don't get snagged when in the shortest distance to torque tube (curled, grapple open). Most of us put the lines into a nylon sleeve which can be purchased at any hydraulic store. You can then test it out and if the sleeve is flopping around too much just rig a bungee cord to the middle of the sleeve to keep it out of harms way but still allows it to stretch to full length.

 

[Lunk]

Thanks!

One less thing to worry about...

BTW - Your use of cord, and zip-ties, is considered "art" in some areas around these parts

 

[IslandTractor]

BTW - Your use of cord, and zip-ties, is considered "art" in some areas around these parts

We just need to balance out the nudnicks who spend time seeking perfect order in all things when they could be getting some serious seat time.

 

[Lunk]

Nothing nicer than a neat/tidy installation, but every one I've done has ended up FUBAR because I tend to have these runs of bad luck...I want to bolt on a piece of flat stock and have it look pretty too, but that almost guarantees that a freakish limb will somehow collide with the rigid mount, and render it bent to h***.

We'll see what happens when the grapple arrives. I wish I could post pics. I don't even own a digital camera...

Thanks again,

Lunk

 

[kennyd]

The 60" Markham LD Grapple I ordered is supposed to come with the short hoses included. I never asked how long they'd be...Anyone know how long the "included" hoses are???

My grapple's supposed to arrive sometime next week...

Thanks,

Lunk

That is one reason why I told Melissa NOT to include hoses with mine, I wanted to measure and get ones that fit perfect-I also sleeved then together.

 

[IslandTractor]

That is one reason why I told Melissa NOT to include hoses with mine, I wanted to measure and get ones that fit perfect-I also sleeved then together.

To get a perfect fit you are correct but I'd imagine you spent about $30-50 extra on hose and fittings at a local hydraulic shop that you could have had gratis. Seems to me unless they knock of some cost it would be reasonable to take the freebies and see if they fit (or if you can live with them) and at the very least you will have a spare set in case you bust one some day. I found these hoses to be the most vulnerable so it is nice to have a spare set.

 

[kennyd]

To get a perfect fit you are correct but I'd imagine you spent about $30-50 extra on hose and fittings at a local hydraulic shop that you could have had gratis. Seems to me unless they knock of some cost it would be reasonable to take the freebies and see if they fit (or if you can live with them) and at the very least you will have a spare set in case you bust one some day. I found these hoses to be the most vulnerable so it is nice to have a spare set.

Markham (Melissa) deducted $50 NOT to include hoses and QD's(SS style-couldn't use them anyway), nothing gratis! I probably did pay more...but it's worth it to have the proper fit.

 

[IslandTractor]

Markham (Melissa) deducted $50 NOT to include hoses and QD's(SS style-couldn't use them anyway),.

That's fair.

Not sure why Markham continues to provide SS flat style quick connects though when most almost all tractors use the other style.

 

[kennyd]

That's fair.

Not sure why Markham continues to provide SS flat style quick connects though when most almost all tractors use the other style.

I talked to Mellisa about this type thing for almost an hour on day...plus numerous emails. We discussed the JDQA setup as well as the SSQA-and why she/they did NOT want to get into the pin-on style attachment due to the numerous styles and types. We also talked about the weight thing like was being discussed at length before when she was on this site.

They are a skid-steer attachment company,peroid. That is thier bread and butter and that's all they know. CUT's are a VERY small part of the business and also a very small percentage-they build to one set of standards to keep cost's down and quaility up...

There are also quite a few different style QD's as you know...so I am sure they don't want to stock all the styles and have to deal with returns when people don't know what they want or need.

PS...Those are pictures of MY grapple on their website: Markham Welding