Need help with Grapple 101...

[MRSDOUGLAS]

What is the smallest tractor you can put a grapple on? I think I understand that it is an attachment you put on the front end of a tractor that already has a front end loader and that it needs an extra/third hydraulic hookup.

We have 46 acres that we just purchased and plan to visit on weekends until we get ready to build and move. There is a K-line trailer there for storage so I'm wanting to get a small tractor I can use to help do some of the clean up chores we have but I want it to fit into the K-line that has a 90" opening. We don't really want to buy the JD5085M that my beloved is coveting until we are on the property full time and have a barn built to store it in. I was looking at a kubota BX2360 with a FEL and small brush hog but then the other half said it would be nice to have a grapple. We don't want to move anything huge, just brush piles and maybe a 4" diameter tree we cut down off the dam.

Any thoughts or suggestions welcome.

Thanks,
dawn

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Dawn, I'm pretty certain that the JD5085m will just fit in your container. You will need to fold the ROPS down, but that is no big deal. Now if you were planning on getting a cab, then it will not fit. Other than that, I think that I would forget about the BX and step up to something in the 40-50HP range. At the bare minimum a tractor that uses 60" wide implements.

Good luck.

 

[MRSDOUGLAS]

LOL, yeah, he wants full cab with HVAC. I was hoping I could get something small to tide us over for a couple of years.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I think that with your open land, that the BX is just going to be to small to get much of anything done. JMO, but I really would be looking in the 40-50HP range. Something that handles 6' wide implements with little to no problems.

 

[Red Horse]

I have a 4720 Deere (cab) and a 48" Wildkat which does a good job. One of my kids hs a 2520 Deere and he has been using my Wildkat with much success. He can't pick up the weight I do but he has been doing a lot of clean up with that combo. I think a 2520 is about 27 HP.

 

[gumshu]

Been there, done that. I have a BX and I can tell you that it is WAY too small to do any work on acreage. Do it right the first time... tractors are expensive. I'd just wait until you're ready to be there before investing, but then again, that's just my 2 cents. Good luck with your decision. Oh, by the way... a BX is way too small for a grapple and you'd be better suited with a larger tractor that has the skid steer quick attachment for easy on, easy off.

 

[buck12]

I use a grapple on a Mahindra 2615. It is only 26 hp but is significantly larger than a bx series. More weight would make many tasks easier but I have accomplished a lot with the grapple. With that said IMHO the BX does not have the ground clearance or weight to accomplish much with a grapple.

 

[IslandTractor]

I would agree with those who say to stay away from the Kubota BX or sub compact class of tractors. Those are really designed for work around lawns in the suburbs or on estates and not for field work.

I was very happy with a Kioti CK20 which is only 21hp and would easily fit in a container. Mahindra makes equivalent models that are also excellent. I would personally look at those two brands if you want to do grapple work as their small tractors tend to have stronger loaders than the equivalent horsepower and size Kubotas and JDs. There may be exceptions so check out the spec sheets. The little Kioti can lift about 1070lbs to full height as measured at the pivot pins. Subtract the weight of a grapple for net lift capacity (this is why you should not even consider any grapple wider than 48" with a small tractor) and you can lift about 700lbs to full height. That is a really big load of brush. Assuming you don't actually need to lift heavy loads to full height and then you still have a very impressive lift capacity of close to 1000lbs for lifting logs, rocks, brush and transporting it with the loader held off the ground. I did a lot of clearing with my CK20 which could carry more brush than I could see around, could lift rocks that two men could not lift and could carry an entire tree (8-10" diameter). With 46 acres you will soon learn how much bigger tractor you need or if a 20-25hp tractor that fits in the container is good enough. Depends mostly on just what and how much work you are doing. If you are clearing 46 acres of brush and want it done in your lifetime you will need much bigger equipment eventually. However a CK20 or Mahindra 2615 or Max sized tractor is perfectly capable of doing pretty much all the work you would need to build a homestead other than dig a basement foundation.

 

[MRSDOUGLAS]

Thanks guys, I get that the BX is out. I'll look at some of the other tractors suggested. Preciate the input.

 

[pat32rf]

Will you be farming your whole property or just planting a garden and doing " grounds maintenance " and other similar jobs? I have 80 acres of hardwood bush around our house, plus 300 yds of driveway to Plow in the winter. Four/ five bush cords of logs to cut, haul and split with a 3 pth splitter. I find that a 30 hp JD (with JD QA bucket, forks, etc) does a pretty good job.
Had my unit about ten yrs/4500 hrs but never bothered to build a grapple as it probably wouldn't be installed during the few times it would be needed....

 

[PapaPerk]

What is the smallest tractor you can put a grapple on? I think I understand that it is an attachment you put on the front end of a tractor that already has a front end loader and that it needs an extra/third hydraulic hookup.

We have 46 acres that we just purchased and plan to visit on weekends until we get ready to build and move. There is a K-line trailer there for storage so I'm wanting to get a small tractor I can use to help do some of the clean up chores we have but I want it to fit into the K-line that has a 90" opening. We don't really want to buy the JD5085M that my beloved is coveting until we are on the property full time and have a barn built to store it in. I was looking at a kubota BX2360 with a FEL and small brush hog but then the other half said it would be nice to have a grapple. We don't want to move anything huge, just brush piles and maybe a 4" diameter tree we cut down off the dam.

Any thoughts or suggestions welcome.

Thanks,
dawn

The BX is too small for 46 acres. Get a bigger tractor that will fit in your storage unit and be done with it. Then later you can buy another even larger tractor when the need arises. Once you start working you will quickly have larger and larger equipment needs.

Check out the JD that someone mentioned above and the Kubota MX5100 4wd HST with Loader. Either would probably be a perfect first tractor for 46 acres. Kubota has great 0% financing deals.

Also a set of quick attach pallet forks may work well for you instead of the grapple. It's amazing how much brush you can move with pallet forks. Basically like a giant pitch fork. Plus they are handy for moving all sorts of stuff around the farm. And with the quick attach you can switch from bucket to forks in about 30 seconds.

Good luck! :thumbsup:

 

[IslandTractor]

.
Also a set of quick attach pallet forks may work well for you instead of the grapple. It's amazing how much brush you can move with pallet forks. Basically like a giant pitch fork.

Pallet forks are great for a number of tasks but they really don't hold a candle to grapples when moving or ripping out brush. I own both. No comparison.

 

[ENG18LT]

An MX5100 would be a good starter machine for that property. Try to find a used one for now and then when you get settled sometime down the road it won't hurt as much when you trade up to a cab model. Good luck to you.

 

[daschluck]

I don't post a lot, but when I saw yours I just had to add my .02. I own a new Kioti CK20HST. I just bought it this spring. Not a big tractor for sure, but it is a beast. I bought it from Michigan Iron and Equipment in Morrice Michigan (Great people!) They also build implements there, and I bought a quick attach grapple that they built. I love it so much that I have yet to put the bucket on it. The grapple has been on it all summer. I live on 10 acres of woods, so I have hauled a lot of downed trees with it. The largest was probably 40 feet long and 8-10 inches in diameter. Hauled it around the property like it was a popsicle stick. Needless to say I am very impressed with this little tracor's power. Disclaimer: I do have the backhoe on it, which makes a great counter weight. I have torn out a bunch of brush, lifted large stumps and hauled them away. It is 48 inches wide. MIE builds them right in their little factory. They also build a pretty mean snow blade which I just got. I would recommend them highly. Here is a picture. Here is there website

Michigan Iron and Equipment, Kioti Tractors, Kioti Implements, Kodiak Attachments, Befco, Hound Dog Attachments, Dk Series Tractors, Central Michigan

 

[PhysAssist]

Pallet forks are great for a number of tasks but they really don't hold a candle to grapples when moving or ripping out brush. I own both. No comparison.

As may be so, but pallet forks, while still able to pick up brush piles that are too big to see around, are also versatile for lifting MANY other things.

Grapples are good for grappling, i.e., grasping/ lifting logs, brushpiles, stumps and rock, but NOT pallets, plows, mower decks, etc,etc,etc.

I would very much like to have a grapple for our place, but given the number of ti es we have used our forks to move very large sized and amounts of logs, brush, pallets full of soil, rocks, our splitter, our mower, and various other things around our place, I would never trade the forks ($149 delivered from Yankee Warehouse) for a $1300- 1500 Grapple...

BTW, unless the OP (Ms. Dawn) plans to till and farm their entire acerage, the ability to:

1) fit the tractor in the trailer
2) fit the tractor into tight spaces between trees and in other tight areas
3) buy a reliable easy to find replacement filters, etc for tractor
4) buy serviceable, but relatively low priced implements to perform a variety of functions

All support buying a compact tractor with loader, and our Kubota B2320 would be a great choice, escpecially for a noob with no prior tractorchops.

It has low fuel demands, serviceable specs and is easy to fit in close spaces like our small garage, tightly forested woods, and between the variuos closely spaced trees scattered throughout our cleared areas.

JMHO as a compact (not subcompact) tractor owner on a mostly wooded, hilly, cut up lot...

Thomas
No matter where you go; there you are...

 

[MRSDOUGLAS]

Thomas, you hit the nail on the head. We will not be farming the land, we are going for the forested look. I want to be able to move brush and not have to break my back doing it.

As may be so, but pallet forks, while still able to pick up brush piles that are too big to see around, are also versatile for lifting MANY other things.

Grapples are good for grappling, i.e., grasping/ lifting logs, brushpiles, stumps and rock, but NOT pallets, plows, mower decks, etc,etc,etc.

I would very much like to have a grapple for our place, but given the number of ti es we have used our forks to move very large sized and amounts of logs, brush, pallets full of soil, rocks, our splitter, our mower, and various other things around our place, I would never trade the forks ($149 delivered from Yankee Warehouse) for a $1300- 1500 Grapple...

BTW, unless the OP (Ms. Dawn) plans to till and farm their entire acerage, the ability to:

1) fit the tractor in the trailer
2) fit the tractor into tight spaces between trees and in other tight areas
3) buy a reliable easy to find replacement filters, etc for tractor
4) buy serviceable, but relatively low priced implements to perform a variety of functions

All support buying a compact tractor with loader, and our Kubota B2320 would be a great choice, escpecially for a noob with no prior tractorchops.

It has low fuel demands, serviceable specs and is easy to fit in close spaces like our small garage, tightly forested woods, and between the variuos closely spaced trees scattered throughout our cleared areas.

JMHO as a compact (not subcompact) tractor owner on a mostly wooded, hilly, cut up lot...

Thomas
No matter where you go; there you are...

 

[PhysAssist]

Thomas, you hit the nail on the head. We will not be farming the land, we are going for the forested look. I want to be able to move brush and not have to break my back doing it.

Us too, and the tractor we picked and forks we bought were decided on only after reading and re-reading all the relavent posts I could find on TBN, OTT, and MTF, comparing prices, capabilities, and specs, asking many questions, and searching prices in as many locations, on and off line as I could find.

Ditto our 48"Gannon roll-over boxblade.

The only purchase we regret was the 2nd implement we bought (not counting the mower, FEL, and ballast box we got in the package from the dealer)- the Paumco multi-spade, which in my opinion is really designed either for a skid steer or a seriously big tractor.

We had to cut slots into the stake mounts (for load controlling upright 2x4's) on the Yankee Warehouse Heavy Duty Chain-on forks to mount it over our newest attachment, the BX-Panded Piranha Toothbar, but both were seriously worth every sheckel and any extra work.

Sure, every so often we wish for a bigger or more powerful machine, but then we have to get it to fit between some trees or into another tight spot, and we thank G-D and Kubota for our little orange monster.

Thomas
No matter where you go; there you are...

 

[PapaPerk]

Thomas, you hit the nail on the head. We will not be farming the land, we are going for the forested look. I want to be able to move brush and not have to break my back doing it.

Then look at the Grand L40 series tractors (L3240) or a used Grand L30 series. (L3130). They are compact but still large enough to manage duties on a 46 acre property. A BX is still too small in my opinion. Especially small in ground clearance.... which is a problem in woods. As mentioned above a B2360 maybe a good option... or one of the B series machines.... but they are still pretty small for 46 acres! I think the Grand L would be a perfect fit. Also Kubota has some cheaper L series tractors that may also work well for you.

Good luck! :thumbsup:

 

[PapaPerk]

Then look at the Grand L40 series tractors (L3240) or a used Grand L30 series. (L3130). They are compact but still large enough to manage duties on a 46 acre property. A BX is still too small in my opinion. Especially small in ground clearance.... which is a problem in woods. As mentioned above a B2360 maybe a good option... or one of the B series machines.... but they are still pretty small for 46 acres! I think the Grand L would be a perfect fit. Also Kubota has some cheaper L series tractors that may also work well for you.

Good luck! :thumbsup:

Also... get a set of QA pallet forks and try them for moving the brush... you may decide they are sufficient and don't need to spend the extra bucks on a grapple....

 

[IslandTractor]

Also... get a set of QA pallet forks and try them for moving the brush... you may decide they are sufficient and don't need to spend the extra bucks on a grapple....

Decent set of QA pallet forks costs $500-600 and is marginal for brush. Decent lightweight 48" grapple costs $900 and is the ideal tool for brush removal. Pallets are great for what they are designed for which ain't brush. Sure they can lift brush and if you balance everything just right and curl it will stay in place unless you hit bumps but pallet forks clearly cannot handle large brush piles which need to be clamped in position to travel. Pallet forks might well be fine for moving logs in a yard but again, if you drive over uneven or bumpy ground you are going to want to secure those logs with the upper grapple arm. I've seen pallet forks married to a grapple arm and that would work much better but then you have about the same cost as a regular grapple. Using the human hand as an analogous device, imagine piling objects onto your fingers and palm and carrying those around like a waiter carries plates. It works if you maintain perfect balance. Now imagine the same load in your hand but hold it in place with your thumb. Much better (which is one reason we have thumbs). You can also reverse your hand and pickup objects with your palm down so long as you use your thumb. That is what a grapple can do, either scoop (palm up) and clamp or "finger/thumb" pinch grasp objects. Forks are limited to straight open palm type lifting. Great for plates (and pallets), not so good for irregular or loose objects.