NEW GRAPPLE PHOTOS

[rwork]

Well I have been looking at a grapple, ATVXPRESS on Ebay has the 48" unit for $925 and the 72" for $1250 both are shipping included. I bought my skid steer forks from them and they were real good heavy duty so I know they do sell good stuff.
I just don't know which size to get the 4' only weighs 400lbs and the 6' weighs in at 600 lbs that's only a 200 lbs difference but can you really pick up that much more with the 6' than you can the 4'?
I don't want to sacrifice a larger unit over $325 if it would be a huge advantage, but I also don't want to waist $325 if it really doesn't give me that much advantage!
So what do the experts have to say?

Go to the "Attachments" forum, and there are a ton of post regarding the subject of size of grapples. A large majority agree that smaller is better. In my case, the 48" is perfect. I could have gotten the 60" for less than $200 more, but the 48 will give you more concentrated digging force, get into tighter areas, and will carry just a much as the larger one. I really don't think the slight weight difference will matter that much, unless you're really maxing out your lift capacity.

Randy

 

[J_J]

J.J., I just used the rear remotes for the time being. I will be looking at other options in the near future, as I do want to get one of your top n tilt kits for my box blade. That will make me one set of remotes short.

Randy

I believe those tilt kits are made by MtnViewRanch. Contact him for help and installation.

 

[rwork]

I believe those tilt kits are made by MtnViewRanch. Contact him for help and installation.

Your right J_J, I realized that just as I posted. You do seem to be the guru of hydraulics, though!

Randy

 

[IslandTractor]

Your right J_J, I realized that just as I posted. You do seem to be the guru of hydraulics, though!

Randy

J_J is definitely the go to guy on hydraulics around here.

 

[BlackDogTx]

That is really cool!

 

[DavidVT]

Did that come from the Craig's listing or direct from palletforks.com?

The Craig's list seems to be the same product. A search on that phone number in the CL listing shows a history of related attachment products.

Thoughts anyone?

 

[rwork]

Did that come from the Craig's listing or direct from palletforks.com?

The Craig's list seems to be the same product. A search on that phone number in the CL listing shows a history of related attachment products.

Thoughts anyone?

If you are asking me, no, I called palletforks.com, and ordered from Todd. Very helpful, answered all of my questions, and delivered the next day.
Randy

Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

 

[mangus580]

So now that several months has passed... How are you liking it now? Still happy with your choice? Would you have preferred the 60"? I am getting close to purchasing mine.

 

[rwork]

So now that several months has passed... How are you liking it now? Still happy with your choice? Would you have preferred the 60"? I am getting close to purchasing mine.

Yes Mangus, i'm very satisfied with my 48" grapple. I've got a buddy at work who ended up getting the same grapple for his JD, and he loves his as well. His is green, and has the JD pin on attachment. If there was anything I'd change, it would be to add a center tooth. Sometimes, if I'm picking up smaller sticks, they will tend to fall out while tiped down. Now that I've got a new welder, I may do just that. Personally, i would not go any wider than the 48.

 

[mangus580]

thanks for the info. I will probably purchase the same one then.

I am heavily considering buying a diverter valve from Surplus Center to operate it with. I figure the valve can be mounted close to the right hand loader upright, and I can 'split' the factory hose there.

Surplus Center - 12 VDC 13.2 GPM SAE 8 DOUBLE SELECTOR VALVE

 

[jinmared]

How much does your grapple weigh? And what is your loader lift capacity?

 

[mangus580]

Grapple: 500#
Lift Capacity: 2250#

 

[rwork]

Mangus, there are tons of opinions here, as to grapple size, but the majority says stay small, which I did, and am glad. The narrower grapple is less resistance when pushing into the ground, will get in tighter spaces to dig things out, and will grab as big a pile of brush as a wider grapple. Take a look at some of my pics at the beginning of this thread.
I simply connected mine to the rear remotes, and it works fine, but down the road, I am going to look at diverter valve, in case I want to add
TnT.

 

[IslandTractor]

Mangus, there are tons of opinions here, as to grapple size, but the majority says stay small, which I did, and am glad. The narrower grapple is less resistance when pushing into the ground, will get in tighter spaces to dig things out, and will grab as big a pile of brush as a wider grapple. Take a look at some of my pics at the beginning of this thread.
I simply connected mine to the rear remotes, and it works fine, but down the road, I am going to look at diverter valve, in case I want to add
TnT.

Diverter valves are a bit over hyped. I have used both rear remotes and a diverter. Not much difference though I actually prefer the rear remote. If I were doing it over, I'd go back to rear remote. If you already have a rear remote, it is very inexpensive to buy the simple hose and fittings to run the grapple and see how you like it before investing $600-800 or so for a dealer installed diverter setup. If you don't have a rear remote then the money budgeted for diverter would be better spent on a couple of rear remotes which have multiple uses besides controlling a grapple. If you decide to switch to diverter later you can salvage the fittings and have the hoses recut. The only real caveat is that the rear remote control lever needs to be within easy reach.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

thanks for the info. I will probably purchase the same one then.

I am heavily considering buying a diverter valve from Surplus Center to operate it with. I figure the valve can be mounted close to the right hand loader upright, and I can 'split' the factory hose there.

Surplus Center - 12 VDC 13.2 GPM SAE 8 DOUBLE SELECTOR VALVE

When you say "split" the hoses, you know that all you need to do is unplug the hoses for the curl function and plumb everything from there. Very very easy install. The hardest thing is mounting the diverter valve.

 

[mangus580]

When you say "split" the hoses, you know that all you need to do is unplug the hoses for the curl function and plumb everything from there. Very very easy install. The hardest thing is mounting the diverter valve.

With where I intend to mount the valve, the ideal way to do it, would be literally to cut the existing hoses in half and put fittings on the ends (or buy short hoses to replace them)

I almost wonder if I should just buy 2 valves at once, stack them, and have 2 sets of remotes :-D

 

[mangus580]

Diverter valves are a bit over hyped. I have used both rear remotes and a diverter. Not much difference though I actually prefer the rear remote. If I were doing it over, I'd go back to rear remote. If you already have a rear remote, it is very inexpensive to buy the simple hose and fittings to run the grapple and see how you like it before investing $600-800 or so for a dealer installed diverter setup. If you don't have a rear remote then the money budgeted for diverter would be better spent on a couple of rear remotes which have multiple uses besides controlling a grapple. If you decide to switch to diverter later you can salvage the fittings and have the hoses recut. The only real caveat is that the rear remote control lever needs to be within easy reach.

If you look at the valve I linked, you will see that I no way intend to spend $500-$600 on the diverter. Honestly, Its possible it will cost about the same as using the rear remotes, by not having to run all that extra hose.

 

[IslandTractor]

If you look at the valve I linked, you will see that I no way intend to spend $500-$600 on the diverter. Honestly, Its possible it will cost about the same as using the rear remotes, by not having to run all that extra hose.

I do appreciate that using Surplus Supply fittings can significantly drop the cost but i doubt it is as cheap as twenty or thirty bucks for an extra couple lengths of hose.

Diverters clearly work, I have one, but they don't increase speed or accuracy. In fact when I am working quickly with my joystick mounted diverter switch is exactly when I have problems i never experienced with the rear remote setup. As open/close and dump/curl are the exact same joystick motion plus or minus depressing the thumb switch to activate the diverter, I do occasionally get out of sync when working quickly and either not press the diverter switch fast enough, or, I keep my thumb on the switch a little too long. In either case it disrupts work by dumping or opening the grapple inadvertently. Never happens with rear remotes as your hand is removed from the joystick while opening or closing the grapple. Would also be less likely with a true third function switch operated by an always active toggle. Not a huge deal, but something that happens enough to be annoying. There are also electric wires that need to be carefully routed to the joystick (need to protect from brush etc) and the diverter valve needs to be attached somewhere safe. Mine is mounted on top of the FEL arm which is safe enough but butt ugly. Bottom line for me is that the diverter added complexity without providing any significant benefit.

 

[Bladehauler]

I mounted my diverter valve ( from surplus center) to the line clamp closest to the qd's on my loader ( Ls R4047 )took the steel lines for the dump cylinders off and replaced with hoses, made short hoses from the qd's to the diverter valve, and hoses down to the cross bar for the grapple. I used a small momentary switch on the joystick ran through a relay for the valve.I did it this way because if I need to revert to stock for any reason, i just reverse the process. have the steel lines sitting in my shop.

 

[LittleBlueTractor]

I do appreciate that using Surplus Supply fittings can significantly drop the cost but i doubt it is as cheap as twenty or thirty bucks for an extra couple lengths of hose.

Diverters clearly work, I have one, but they don't increase speed or accuracy. In fact when I am working quickly with my joystick mounted diverter switch is exactly when I have problems i never experienced with the rear remote setup. As open/close and dump/curl are the exact same joystick motion plus or minus depressing the thumb switch to activate the diverter, I do occasionally get out of sync when working quickly and either not press the diverter switch fast enough, or, I keep my thumb on the switch a little too long. In either case it disrupts work by dumping or opening the grapple inadvertently. Never happens with rear remotes as your hand is removed from the joystick while opening or closing the grapple. Would also be less likely with a true third function switch operated by an always active toggle. Not a huge deal, but something that happens enough to be annoying. There are also electric wires that need to be carefully routed to the joystick (need to protect from brush etc) and the diverter valve needs to be attached somewhere safe. Mine is mounted on top of the FEL arm which is safe enough but butt ugly. Bottom line for me is that the diverter added complexity without providing any significant benefit.

Your opinion about all things grapple carries a lot of weight with me, but I have to disagree with you here. I find the diverter VERY helpful when doing detailed work like snatching a fallen tree or log, uprooting brush, etc.... I often find I need to do very small dump/curl adjustments at the same time as I'm operating the grapple. I agree with you if most of what one does is push into piles of debris and the clamp down on stuff. And yeah, there is always the potential risk of an out-of-sync button operation (and I too have had that happen on many occasions), but it's really not that big of a deal for me. It is true that the lever for my rear remote is NOT in a real convenient spot -- under the seat.