Bucket Grapple Project Deere 2320

94BULLITT · Dec 3, 2012

Looking good:thumbsup:

swick1 · Dec 4, 2012

Nice!

BIG DOOLEY · Dec 6, 2012

BIG DOOLEY said:
Homemade greasable pivot pins.
View attachment 291245 View attachment 291246 View attachment 291247

I finished one of the greasable pivot pins.
It is protected from damage now.

ljohnson778 · Dec 6, 2012

Wow, nice work!

BIG DOOLEY · Dec 6, 2012

Thanks !

I showed the wrong side/view of the pin in my photo's

BIG DOOLEY · Dec 13, 2012

Just ordered all the hoses and fittings from Surplus Center tonight.
Hopefully I didn't miss anything.
I even ordered extra fittings and couplers for spare parts.
Prices seemed very reasonable at Surplus Center.

BIG DOOLEY · Dec 19, 2012

BIG DOOLEY said:
Just ordered all the hoses and fittings from Surplus Center tonight.
Hopefully I didn't miss anything.
I even ordered extra fittings and couplers for spare parts.
Prices seemed very reasonable at Surplus Center.

Parts should arrive tomorrow.
Fabricated a new mount for the front hydraulic outlets.

swick1 · Dec 20, 2012

That looks good. When I did my grapple I was surprised how Long it took to get the hydraulics sorted out. Merry Christmas! Maybe you'll use that grapple to take the Christmas tree to the burn pile!

BIG DOOLEY · Dec 20, 2012

Thanks.
I took a couple of weeks vacation and will have some time to tinker with the hydraulics.
X-mas tree?
That would be another good use!
Always looking for reasons to fire up the tractor.
Just loaded my large Argon tank in the back of the truck with the FEL.
Darn I will probably have to fire it up again when I get home and unload the full tank.
Merry Christmas!

BIG DOOLEY · Dec 20, 2012

Well my order arrived today but it was goofed up a little.
I accidentally ordered some SAE 8 fittings instead of SAE 6.
They accidentally sent me some SAE 4 fittings instead of SAE 6.
Well once we sorted out the order David @ Surplus Center is putting a rush on my new order with the correct items and paying for shipping both ways.
Could not ask for better service than that.
I did have some parts to work with and will be doing what i can until the rest of the order gets here.
I need to fabricate a bracket to hold the quick connectors near the bucket and will start on that next.

94BULLITT · Dec 20, 2012

Looks like you are getting close to a functioning grapple.

avc8130 · Dec 21, 2012

I have to admit, your hydraulic connections and hose routing scares the heck out of me along the right side like that. Is there a guard or something to protect them? I just see one of those evil sticks grabbing a hold of one of the hoses while your drive by.

ac

BIG DOOLEY · Dec 21, 2012

avc8130 said:
I have to admit, your hydraulic connections and hose routing scares the heck out of me along the right side like that. Is there a guard or something to protect them? I just see one of those evil sticks grabbing a hold of one of the hoses while your drive by.

ac

That is the factory location.
I just made a new bracket to replace the old that would accomodate two more couplers.
I didn't like the location myself and the original lines are hardlined from the scv.
Once I run the the lines for the grapple quick connects from the new scv I plan to make a support bracket and guard in front of the tire behind the lines.
I have been pondering a deflector bar underneath the hoses also?
I just made a bracket for the front disconnects but I am waitng for the rest of my order.
No fittings no work right now.

BIG DOOLEY · Dec 21, 2012

I have to admit, your hydraulic connections and hose routing scares the heck out of me along the right side like that. Is there a guard or something to protect them? I just see one of those evil sticks grabbing a hold of one of the hoses while your drive by.

The hoses aren't in the loom either.
The hoses need to be pulled up and put in the loom to reduce the sag and exposure.

94BULLITT · Dec 21, 2012

You can get a hose jacket which would protect you if one would explode. Could you add another holder to hold them up higher?

BIG DOOLEY · Dec 21, 2012

94BULLITT said:
You can get a hose jacket which would protect you if one would explode. Could you add another holder to hold them up higher?

They are not in the lower holder right now.
I think another holder in a better location than the factory one is something that should be done.
The floor boards are plastic and finding a spot to mount things is rough.
There is not alot of metal thats free from linkage etc.
I may just make a heavy stainless sheet metal guard that encloses the hoses and is removable.
As far as the jackets I did almost order hose jacket and I still might.
The hose is rated for 4000 psi which is almost twice the pressure the tractor produces, but accidents can happen.
I'll have to look into what a 50' roll would cost. Putting jacket on is easy enough to do after things are running.
We have 4-5 shops around here that make and sell hoses, jackets, fittings...
I'll just have to cut some zip ties to install them and I have plenty of those.
Also
I thought about putting a tee in the lines for the grapple front couplers and adding a second pair of outlets in the rear.
When i'm not using the grapple, I could have 2 useable pairs of outlets in the rear.

94BULLITT · Dec 21, 2012

You would not need a tee to run them to the rear. You could unhook the ones going to the FEL and hook up the set to the rear. I have thought about doing this is I would ever need a extra set of hydraulic outlets on the back of the tractor.

BIG DOOLEY · Dec 21, 2012

94BULLITT said:
You would not need a tee to run them to the rear. You could unhook the ones going to the FEL and hook up the set to the rear. I have thought about doing this is I would ever need a extra set of hydraulic outlets on the back of the tractor.

I was going to put a JIC X NPTM X JIC (tee) connector on one set of the rear couplers.
From that set of couplers run lines to the front set of couplers.

BIG DOOLEY · Dec 23, 2012

94BULLITT said:
You can get a hose jacket which would protect you if one would explode. Could you add another holder to hold them up higher?

After read some info on the hose covers on the Surplus Center web site, it sounds like they are made for organization purposes.
A nylon mesh cover to group hoses together.
"Nylon mesh" will do about as much to protect you from stored hydraulic energy as a pair of panty hose would.
True having the mesh cover "might" stop a branch from snaging a group of hoses but I don't think you are gaining much protection as much as you are gaining a better appearance .
Unless there is something else out there beside nylon I dont see any advantage.
The hoses are already coated with a fire protective coating.
Using plastic ty-wraps to hold the hoses together is probably going to give the same amount of snag protection.
If you know of something different could you send some info in a link.

94BULLITT · Dec 23, 2012

BIG DOOLEY said:
After read some info on the hose covers on the Surplus Center web site, it sounds like they are made for organization purposes.
A nylon mesh cover to group hoses together.
"Nylon mesh" will do about as much to protect you from stored hydraulic energy as a pair of panty hose would.
True having the mesh cover "might" stop a branch from snaging a group of hoses but I don't think you are gaining much protection as much as you are gaining a better appearance .
Unless there is something else out there beside nylon I dont see any advantage.
The hoses are already coated with a fire protective coating.
Using plastic ty-wraps to hold the hoses together is probably going to give the same amount of snag protection.
If you know of something different could you send some info in a link.

Here is a link to Gates website on their hose sleeve.