Grapple Which type of grapple is best suited for...

Xfaxman · Jul 6, 2013

TSO said:
I have watched video after video of both in action and I prefer the single lid. I'm already convinced. Don't want the dual lid.

How about this style? It was mentioned earlier in the thread by Dingo Man,post #122, but you didn't comment on it.

Single lid and narrow.

Ranch Rake | Grapple Rake | M&M Engineered Products

Furu · Jul 6, 2013

There are a lot of good quality grapples out there. Yes the price goes up with quality but that is because they are worth it. DO NOT undersized your grapple for whatever purpose you plan. I do not have familiarity with your specific tractor but many of the grapples bought and used by the folks that are commenting frequently are for small lightweight low strength tractors. Their tractors are not big enough to hurt these lightweight grapples. If you have a larger tractor get the stouter built grapples.

IslandTractor · Jul 6, 2013

Furu said:
There are a lot of good quality grapples out there. Yes the price goes up with quality but that is because they are worth it. DO NOT undersized your grapple for whatever purpose you plan. I do not have familiarity with your specific tractor but many of the grapples bought and used by the folks that are commenting frequently are for small lightweight low strength tractors. Their tractors are not big enough to hurt these lightweight grapples. If you have a larger tractor get the stouter built grapples.

Where do you get your expertise on sizing grapples? What is your experience?

IMO, the "heavy duty" grapples are designed for skid steers which are a different animal altogether from a CUT. They are not only a huge waste of money when mounted on CUTs, but give less lift capacity and are not as maneuverable.

94BULLITT · Jul 6, 2013

Furu said:
There are a lot of good quality grapples out there. Yes the price goes up with quality but that is because they are worth it. DO NOT undersized your grapple for whatever purpose you plan. I do not have familiarity with your specific tractor but many of the grapples bought and used by the folks that are commenting frequently are for small lightweight low strength tractors. Their tractors are not big enough to hurt these lightweight grapples. If you have a larger tractor get the stouter built grapples.

I agree. Economy and a 40hp+ compact do not go well together.

IslandTractor · Jul 7, 2013

94BULLITT said:
I agree. Economy and a 40hp+ compact do not go well together.

And your experience with same?

94BULLITT · Jul 7, 2013

IslandTractor said:
And your experience with same?

Didn't you break something on yours?

There was a thread a few weeks ago with a guy that had broke a light duty grapple.

I know my tractor will never hurt my grapple, I can push in low low range, 4WD, diff locked, curl and raise the loader at the same time on a stump and nothing gives.

murphy1244 · Jul 7, 2013

94BULLITT said:
Didn't you break something on yours?

There was a thread a few weeks ago with a guy that had broke a light duty grapple.

I know my tractor will never hurt my grapple, I can push in low low range, 4WD, diff locked, curl and raise the loader at the same time on a stump and nothing gives.

How many years have you owned a Grapple?

94BULLITT · Jul 7, 2013

murphy1244 said:
How many years have you owned a Grapple?

.5:cool2:

murphy1244 · Jul 7, 2013

That is not what you said before.:laughing:

94BULLITT · Jul 7, 2013

murphy1244 said:
That is not what you said before.:laughing:

What?

murphy1244 · Jul 7, 2013

On your EA thread you said it was your first grapple.

94BULLITT · Jul 7, 2013

murphy1244 said:
On your EA thread you said it was your first grapple.

It is.

murphy1244 · Jul 7, 2013

94BULLITT said:
It is.

That was not 5 years in earth time

. What planet you on now?:confused2::cool2: you got me. I just caught the dot before the 5. So you have had it for 5 months or so?

IslandTractor · Jul 7, 2013

94BULLITT said:
Didn't you break something on yours?

There was a thread a few weeks ago with a guy that had broke a light duty grapple.

I know my tractor will never hurt my grapple, I can push in low low range, 4WD, diff locked, curl and raise the loader at the same time on a stump and nothing gives.

I've never broken anything. I bent the tips of the lid tunes when clamping on a granite boulder. Just heated them to straighten and decided to add gussets at tips. Nothing worse. Still going strong after seven years including five with a DK40 with 2700lbs lift and about 5000+lbs of mass.

94BULLITT · Jul 7, 2013

murphy1244 said:
That was not 5 years in earth time. What planet you on now?:confused2::cool2: you got me. I just caught the dot before the 5. So you have had it for 5 months or so?

I got in pieces back in February.

TomSeller · Jul 7, 2013

Deleted

Xfaxman · Jul 7, 2013

94BULLITT said:
Didn't you break something on yours?

There was a thread a few weeks ago with a guy that had broke a light duty grapple.

I know my tractor will never hurt my grapple, I can push in low low range, 4WD, diff locked, curl and raise the loader at the same time on a stump and nothing gives.

Was it this one? http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/280031-fixing-bent-grapple.html

Midniteoyl · Jul 7, 2013

Main reason not to buy a grapple not rated for your tractors horsepower or better is the voiding of the warranty. Very simple.. If you dont care about a warranty, buy what ever you wish. There's no reason to have years of experience with a grapple to understand this..

94BULLITT · Jul 7, 2013

Xfaxman said:
Was it this one? http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/280031-fixing-bent-grapple.html

Yes that is it.

IslandTractor · Jul 7, 2013

Midniteoyl said:
Main reason not to buy a grapple not rated for your tractors horsepower or better is the voiding of the warranty. Very simple.. If you dont care about a warranty, buy what ever you wish. There's no reason to have years of experience with a grapple to understand this..

Warranties on grapples are kind of a pipe dream. With very few exceptions grapple damage is due to misuse which the manufacturer will recognize immediately and void the warranty. Cylinder leakage or poor fit to QA adapter are two issues that would be covered but I would be surprised if a reputable manufacturer would not stand behind their product with those issues regardless. Grapples are simple tools guys. You can break a hammer too but it's unlikely to be due to manufacturing defect and also unlikely to be covered.

The only obvious problem I can recall, other than fit issues, where the design/manufacture was at fault was with those ??Titan or other light duty grapples that had only 1/8 inch top tube and that was a stupid design/cost savings error by the manufacturer. Do a search. You just won't find many "broken grapple" threads.

I'm not sure the analogy is exactly right but consider the difference between a Bush Hog standard, medium duty and heavy duty six foot mower. You could reasonable use any of them on a 45hp tractor in non commercial service. If you want to pay three times as much for the heavy duty version go ahead but don't think it will cut grass any better than a properly used standard duty version.