WildKat 48" Econo Grapple

[houser52]

I've searched and read about grapples so much in the past few day my brain has started to short circuit.

I'm interested in the WildKat 48" Econo because it's within the range of what I want to spend, $900- $1100 and they have had pretty good reviews in the past. The reason I haven't ordered one is because I haven't found any recent (Year-2015) comments on how everyone's is holding up and if WildKat has corrected any breakage problems they have had in the past.

So, if you guys with the WildKat 48" Econo will post how yours is doing I'd like to hear your comments.

 

[CNeubauer]

Don't have an econo grapple but I've got one of their 72" rock buckets with a grapple. The fit and finish on the wildkat is nothing to brag about but it works good and is built strong enough I'm not worried about hurting it with an 85hp skid steer. For the price I think Wildkat builds a very good product, maybe not as nice as a MDS or Midsota but they are half the price and I'll give up a pretty paint job to save a thousand bucks.

 

[rbtjr]

I have a Wildkat 48" econo grapple. I like it a lot. I paid a little over $600 for it two years ago, so obviously prices have gone up--plus I live about 60 miles away from the Wildkat operation and I picked up the grapple to save the freight and get it quickly. I have used the grapple a lot and haven't damaged it yet, although I haven't used it for really heavy-duty work like digging out stumps, etc. Back when I bought my Wildkat grapple, I had ordered a W. R. Long 54" two-cylinder grapple that I was waiting to be delivered, but I wanted to hurry up my project of cleaning up after a pine-forest thinning on some of our land, so I ordered the Wildkat and went to pick it up so I could get it quickly. (It turned out that my logging-clean-up project wasn't practical regardless of which grapple I used--too much land to remove the debris from, and too little benefit from removing the debris.) I still have both. The Wildkat is not as sturdy as the W. R. Long, and the two cylinders and related clamping jaws on the W. R. Long do help when you are picking up an uneven load. But the Long weighs more. Given my experience with both, I would be hard pressed to choose between them, and the Wildkat costs less. One thing I noticed is that the spade-type blades on the front end of the splines on my Wildkat are touching or almost touching--i.e., have little or no distance between them--so that the Wildkat is better than the Long for digging roots out of the ground. My feedback is that you would probably be happy with the Wildkat. If I had only the Wildkat and hadn't also bought the W. R. Long due to my unique circumstances, I definitely wouldn't feel like I had an inadequate grapple.

 

[houser52]

Thanks guys. Sounds like the Wildkat is holding up well for you both.

I have thought about so much stuff I could use a grapple for. Just yesterday another huge tree fell over the fence due to the storm. Last week's tree only fell across a cross fence and can wait a bit but yesterday's tree fell over a perimeter fence. Lots of hand labor ahead and soon.

 

[Red Horse]

Thanks guys. Sounds like the Wildkat is holding up well for you both.

I have thought about so much stuff I could use a grapple for. Just yesterday another huge tree fell over the fence due to the storm. Last week's tree only fell across a cross fence and can wait a bit but yesterday's tree fell over a perimeter fence. Lots of hand labor ahead and soon.

Another satisfied 48" Wildkat owner. I use it on a 4720 Deere (Cab plus loaded R-4's and a 5 or 6 hundred pd weight block so I have traction!) I did manage to damage it by trying to hog out a boulder by hooking the upper jaw on the rock and trying to pull rock out. took me aboput 30 minutes to pull it back into shape with a chainfall and I welded some angle gussets on it. Case closed! Great value! Again damage was my stupidity.

 

[houser52]

Thanks for the reviews. Looks like I'm going to have to order one. Now I have to get to get the hydraulics ready.

 

[houser52]

Update- Just ordered the WildKat 48" grapple and if Connie can get the paperwork done today I'll have it Thursday or Friday. Since WildKat is only 2 hours from me the cost of shipping it to me was cheaper than me taking off a day of work plus the fuel cost to go pick it up.
Hydraulics- I just emailed a few questions to Kenny at Bolt On Hooks about their diverter valve kit and waiting on his response.

Things are taking shape.

 

[aeblank]

If you want a long-winded diverter thread....
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/hydraulics/342364-diverter-mounting-4.html

Sure is sweet for getting firewood though!

 

[houser52]

aeblank- thanks for the link. There's so much info on TBN it gets confusing sometimes.

Since I have an older Kubota I haven't seen any pics of where guys are mounting their diverters. I know mine sure looks crowded with the valve and hoses already on the loader tower.

A good place to mount the diverter is one of the questions that I asked Kenny but haven't heard back yet.

 

[aeblank]

aeblank- thanks for the link. There's so much info on TBN it gets confusing sometimes.

Since I have an older Kubota I haven't seen any pics of where guys are mounting their diverters. I know mine sure looks crowded with the valve and hoses already on the loader tower.

A good place to mount the diverter is one of the questions that I asked Kenny but haven't heard back yet.

A good place is somewhere before the split for the left/right cylinders. Makes for less hoses.
My dad has an L3710 (the loader valve seems similar to yours) and i was going to do a power beyond valve for him. So, 2 levers, but a true 3rd function. Though, I haven't done it yet..........

1 SPOOL 8 GPM PRINCE MB11B5C1 DA VALVE

 

[1648nc]

I have the wildkat and it has served me well, i rarely put my bucket or forks on anymore. I went with the wr long true third function kit on my 1648 mf as i wanted to be able to close the grapple as i was curling. That being said i rarely do both. I push brush, pile brush piles, feed hay, get up old hay the cows don't eat, just about anything other than scooping dirt, i do with the grapple.

 

[houser52]

...feed hay, get up old hay the cows don't eat...

Glad you mentioned that. We have so much old hay on the barn's floors that the gates will hardly close. Moving all that is near the top of my to do list.

 

[Missouri Pioneer]

Just saw your thread. I think I was the first to mention the WildKat 48" grapple on this forum. Have had it several years now and other than some rust, it's doing great. The price has gone up considerably from what I paid then, but it's still the best value out there. I think you'll be happy with your purchase.

 

[houser52]

Update #2- Checked my online bank account a few minutes ago to see if they had debited my account yet and yes they did... twice! I called immediately and Anita verified their mistake and was going to credit my account for the double charge. While I was at it I had them take off the flat face connectors and credit me another $50.

Just saw your thread. I think I was the first to mention the WildKat 48" grapple on this forum. Have had it several years now and other than some rust, it's doing great. The price has gone up considerably from what I paid then, but it's still the best value out there. I think you'll be happy with your purchase.

Thanks and it's good to hear it's still holding up well.

 

[houser52]

If you want a long-winded diverter thread....
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/hydraulics/342364-diverter-mounting-4.html

Sure is sweet for getting firewood though!

Thanks again for the link. I see that you mounted your diverter on the lift arm. That's a neat looking installation. Looks like you drilled and tapped the arm and used allen head cap screws to hold the diverter on. Good idea.
How has that been working out? I think my loader is similar to yours and I may have to do that.

 

[aeblank]

Thanks again for the link. I see that you mounted your diverter on the lift arm. That's a neat looking installation. Looks like you drilled and tapped the arm and used allen head cap screws to hold the diverter on. Good idea.
How has that been working out? I think my loader is similar to yours and I may have to do that.

Glad it's helping you. It has been well worth the effort. And in the end, I did the hydraulics and grapple for probably a couple hundred more than the Kubota hydraulics would have cost. That let me get it a couple years sooner.

So far, so good. I probably only have 5 or 10 hours on it though. I'll go out cutting for an hour before it gets dark. 1/3 or 1/2 of that time is grappling. Can get a lot done in that short time though.

So anyway, the mounting seems to be fine. I put it there so that plumbing was easy. I wanted to re-use the hoses that go from the QDs to the steel lines. I also wanted to make the "jumper" hoses from the valve back to the steel lines short/easy. Then the hoses that go from the valve to the front torque tube weren't as long as I expected.

 

[houser52]

Glad it's helping you. It has been well worth the effort. And in the end, I did the hydraulics and grapple for probably a couple hundred more than the Kubota hydraulics would have cost. That let me get it a couple years sooner.

So far, so good. I probably only have 5 or 10 hours on it though. I'll go out cutting for an hour before it gets dark. 1/3 or 1/2 of that time is grappling. Can get a lot done in that short time though.

So anyway, the mounting seems to be fine. I put it there so that plumbing was easy. I wanted to re-use the hoses that go from the QDs to the steel lines. I also wanted to make the "jumper" hoses from the valve back to the steel lines short/easy. Then the hoses that go from the valve to the front torque tube weren't as long as I expected.

I ordered my diverter today from kenny and have a good idea of how everything should be routed but I'm having a heck of a time figuring out the hydraulic fittings terminology. I know the fittings on my tractor are 1/2" flare fittings (JIC) and 3/8" hose. That's about all I can find out until I talk to the guy at NAPA that makes all my hoses.

 

[aeblank]

I'm sure you and your hose guy can get there.
I talk about the fittings a bit in my thread, if that'll help.
Sounds like you know most of it (knowing they're 1/2" JIC is most of what you need).

 

[houser52]

aeblank- I hope I can figure out the fittings I need and I did look at all the fittings you talked about in your thread. It's all Greek to me, just something I'm not familiar with.

Late yesterday I looked closer at my loader and where I might mount the valve. I won't be able to mount it where you did or near the tower, there's just not enough room around in there anywhere. I bought the loader used about 15 years ago and as the hoses went bad, just took them off and had them made the same length. That's the reason it looks like spaghetti.
I may end up having to make a bracket and bolt it on near the front. My valve should be here this week and I'll be able to try to position it somewhere.










I just unloaded my 48" WildKat with the forklift. I'm here at work so I haven't had time to look it over much but looks undamaged on the ride here.

 

[houser52]

I'm one step closer to getting my new grapple up and going. At first I wasn't sure where I was going to mount the diverter since there wasn't a lot of room. After getting a few ideas from what others had done I decided to use a piece of angle that I had in the shop and mount it to the outside of the loader's upright. I ordered the diverter kit last week and got it on Saturday.

After prepping the angle, drilling and tapping the loader's upright, drilling the holes to attach the valve I tried a test fit. Seems to fit good and should be out of the way.

The fittings should be here this week, hoses will have to be made, wired and a little orange paint.