Need help deciding on a grapple

[shibaura_4043]

Bank for the buck, these are hard to beat

http://stores.palletforks.com/-strse-70/48"-LW-Root-Grapple/Detail.bok

I agree with Tom... this is the grapple I bought and I'm impressed with the quality of the unit for the money...my tractor is a 60hp Zetor and I feel like my tractor will be hard pressed to tear this grapple up. Ive only got a few hrs in the seat operating it but I can tell it going to be a pretty hardy grapple... I personally woundn't waste money on a real expensive unit unless you have money trees growing on your property Having said that if you want to go with a wider grapple, thats a personal choice. I went with 48" for the lighter weight since Ill be using this grapple on my CUT as well. If I ever buy another grapple predominantly for my big tracor(keeping the 48" for my CUT) I would likely go with a little wider grapple just for the extra brush moving capacity.... good luck with your decision either way you most likely will NOT be dissappointed.

 

[TomSeller]

If I a going along cleaning up brush I want the grapple to be as wide as my front tires. I don't want to run over something and damage a tire. If I am cleaning up roots I can do 50% more work with my 6' grapple than what a 4' will do. For my uses a wider grapple has not hindered me in any way.

The main advantage of a narrow L bottom grapple besides lower weight* and cost, comes in digging out roots, rocks, etc. It is easier to force 48" wide tines into the ground and get adequate penetration than 72" wide tines. Clearing a swath is better done by wide grapples as you indicate.

*per same mfg series

 

[94BULLITT]

My 72'' wicked grapple weighs 435lbs Everything Attachments Wicked Root Grapple for Compact Tractors

A 48'' Titan grapple weighs 500lbs http://stores.palletforks.com/-strse-70/48%22-LW-Root-Grapple/Detail.bok

I compared the Titan grapple to the 72" Wicked because the Titan grapple seems to be the small grapple of choice on TBN.

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

Right, these would be good diggers. They have a 42" opening to boot, more than most of the smaller grapples. Favor makes Skidsteer and large loader grapples, so they are not an unknown.

Skid Steer Root Rake Grapple Bucket Faver 31" Loader Bucket Attachment | eBay

Wow, that thing has 1" thick tines. It looks seriously strong. You'd wreck your loader long before bending that thing.

 

[TomSeller]

Wow, that thing has 1" thick tines. It looks seriously strong. You'd wreck your loader long before bending that thing.

Yes it is. I can't find the weight of it anywhere I saw where the 62" with 2 lids is 793 lbs. So I am guessing the 31" with a single lid is a little over 500lbs. Note the lesser of gusseting and cross tube, due to the stronger steel. Much better for digging roots. I wish I had seen this one before.

 

[shibaura_4043]

The Titan is 1100.00 cheaper than the wicked grapple too.... the weight of the 48" grapple is actually under 450lbs according to my shipping label. The only point I was trying to make earlier is if someone is on a tight budget I think one would be satisfied with what Titan has to offer.(price and weight... if weight is a concern). There are definitely other grapples on the market that would work just as well maybe even better for certain tasks... but sometimes it comes down to what someone can afford on a tight budget.

 

[TomSeller]

The Titan is 1100.00 cheaper than the wicked grapple too.... the weight of the 48" grapple is actually under 450lbs according to my shipping label. The only point I was trying to make earlier is if someone is on a tight budget I think one would be satisfied with what Titan has to offer.(price and weight... if weight is a concern). There are definitely other grapples on the market that would work just as well maybe even better for certain tasks... but sometimes it comes down to what someone can afford on a tight budget.

The Titans are of very good quality and price. The weight is not really as much of a factor if you have a medium or larger sized loader. The Wickeds come in very handy with the smaller loaders where 500 lbs uses much of their lift. Small loaders is their sweet spot, they did a good job eliminating weight. They are very limited with their 30" opening dimension, however. Titan opens to 34" and I did confirm they list 450lbs for the 48" on another site.

 

[IslandTractor]

The Titans are of very good quality and price. The weight is not really as much of a factor if you have a medium or larger sized loader. The Wickeds come in very handy with the smaller loaders where 500 lbs uses much of their lift. Small loaders is their sweet spot, they did a good job eliminating weight. They are very limited with their 30" opening dimension, however. Titan opens to 34" and I did confirm they list 450lbs for the 48" on another site.

My grapple is now about 8 years old and is going strong. It has been mounted for about 400 hrs of work. It weighs only about 300 lbs and has spent most of its life on a heavy 40hp tractor with 2700+lbs of lift capacity. I use it aggressively in brush, tree, stump and rock removal. The 3/8" tines are still straight and adequate to any task I have tortured them with.

It is real easy in this business to get over excited by the concept of heavy duty or bigger is better. My "light duty" $500 grapple shows smaller works just fine too.

 

[trktrman]

Here's a few action shots as promised... I cant believe I waited so long to get a grapple, they sure are useful once you get the hang of it!! I built a SSQA adapter to work with my Euro QA with universal SS conversion plates from Titan....it turned out to be a little too light duty for my needs so Im in the process of building a HD model to keep on it permanently. Im building my new SSQA based off the design of mwb(Mike) from TBN. I should be done with the new SSQA in a few days Ill try to post pics of it when its complete. I will also post a few before and after pics of my land clearing project once I get it all cleared and piled up. As you can see from my last pic it was a little to wet out to be moving brush around so I wasnt able to push my brush pile as tight as I would like without making pretty severe ruts. I look forward to finishing this field next week! Thanks again to everyone.

Are those manufactured by Titan, or imported by titan? I ask that because that metal crate is consistent with product that would be packed into a shipping container from overseas......
Does anyone know for sure?

I'm not trying to open a can of worms....just inquiring.

 

[TomSeller]

Are those manufactured by Titan, or imported by titan? I ask that because that metal crate is consistent with product that would be packed into a shipping container from overseas......
Does anyone know for sure?

I'm not trying to open a can of worms....just inquiring.

As far as I know they are made in the US, but I am not positive. If they were imported, my bet is that they would not come assembled from overseas, I would think the tops would be stacked as well as the bottoms then assembled here to save space. Like almost anything theses days, it is hard to avoid overseas goods, particularly components.

 

[TomSeller]

The Titan 48"LW model has 6 tines like yours. The tines are 3/8" as are yours. Their top is wider but yours is longer (larger opening). If yours weighs in the 300lb range, then I wonder if Titan's 450/500 lb is an approximate ship weight, including the steel shipping frame and pallet.

 

[94BULLITT]

The Titan 48"LW model has 6 tines like yours. The tines are 3/8" as are yours. Their top is wider but yours is longer (larger opening). If yours weighs in the 300lb range, then I wonder if Titan's 450/500 lb is an approximate ship weight, including the steel shipping frame and pallet.

That is what i was wondering, I think his weighs more than what he thinks.

 

[IslandTractor]

That is what i was wondering, I think his weighs more than what he thinks.

I agree there is a weight disparity. The new EA grapple for less than 35hp tractors weighs only about 250lbs or so according to their website. My Millonzi was advertised as weighing 280lbs. I don't know for sure whether that is real because I've never weighed it. I do have trouble imagining the Titan weighs 200lbs more though.

 

[k0ua]

I agree there is a weight disparity. The new EA grapple for less than 35hp tractors weighs only about 250lbs or so according to their website. My Millonzi was advertised as weighing 280lbs. I don't know for sure whether that is real because I've never weighed it. I do have trouble imagining the Titan weighs 200lbs more though.

Hmm.. makes you wonder if some manufactures might "pad" their weight figures toward the high side, by including shipping weight on the theory that novice buyers will always tend to buy the heaviest as advertised product on the theory that a heavier product will be "better built" or something.. I am just talking thru my hat, but just an idea.

 

[94BULLITT]

I agree there is a weight disparity. The new EA grapple for less than 35hp tractors weighs only about 250lbs or so according to their website. My Millonzi was advertised as weighing 280lbs. I don't know for sure whether that is real because I've never weighed it. I do have trouble imagining the Titan weighs 200lbs more though.

You could use a metal weight calculator to get a very rough idea.

Hmm.. makes you wonder if some manufactures might "pad" their weight figures toward the high side, by including shipping weight on the theory that novice buyers will always tend to buy the heaviest as advertised product on the theory that a heavier product will be "better built" or something.. I am just talking thru my hat, but just an idea.

I think sometimes that is the case but on grapples IDK.

Sent from my Samsung SPH-L710 using TractorByNet

 

[IslandTractor]

You could use a metal weight calculator to get a very rough idea.

I think sometimes that is the case but on grapples IDK.

Sent from my Samsung SPH-L710 using TractorByNet

I thought about that but there are enough curves and different dimensions that my brain started to hurt when I tried to estimate the square footage of 3/8". However, as a wild azz guess, assuming there is less than a half sheet of plate in the grapple then the tines and gussets and upper jaw would weigh combined less a half sheet or 16 sq ft of 3/8 which would be less than 240 lbs. The only other components are two 4ft sections of 4x4x0.25 square tube and about 4 ft of sch 80 pipe. And the hydraulic cylinder. And maybe ten or twenty pounds of welding wire. I would imagine there is a fair amount of scrap left over from the half sheet of 3/8" steel so it probably does weigh about 300 lbs or a bit less.

 

[TomSeller]

I have been wanting to install hydraulic gauges to tell how much load I have (more weight, higher pressure to lift load). Of course then I would have to calculate how far out the load is from the pins, how much the grapple, bucket or whatever weighs to subtract off. haha.

Where is faxman when we need him? I think he has an industrial scale.

 

[94BULLITT]

Do the trucking terminals have a scale? If they do the next time someone gets a Titan grapple they should have them weigh it.

Hmm.. makes you wonder if some manufactures might "pad" their weight figures toward the high side, by including shipping weight on the theory that novice buyers will always tend to buy the heaviest as advertised product on the theory that a heavier product will be "better built" or something.. I am just talking thru my hat, but just an idea.

Do you know what kind of steel the 35hp and less EA grapple is made from?

 

[Xfaxman]

I have been wanting to install hydraulic gauges to tell how much load I have (more weight, higher pressure to lift load). Of course then I would have to calculate how far out the load is from the pins, how much the grapple, bucket or whatever weighs to subtract off. haha.

Where is faxman when we need him? I think he has an industrial scale.

I am right here, but can only show you what mine weighs!

The Gorilla Grapple, 946 pounds.


The Monster Grapple, 1,184 pounds.

 

[IslandTractor]

Do the trucking terminals have a scale? If they do the next time someone gets a Titan grapple they should have them weigh it. Do you know what kind of steel the 35hp and less EA grapple is made from?

1/4" high strength. Not sure of the exact type but not mild steel.