Demand for a PT Grapple??

EverythingAttachments · Sep 14, 2016

Kent's Wicked Grapple grapple is now in the pool of sold grapples awaiting final assembly....cylinders, hoses, etc.
Unfortunately, this is our most back logged dept. as of late!
This will give you some time to work on your hydraulic mods, Kent!
Travis

KentT · Sep 14, 2016

Thanks for the update, Travis! Just let me know when it ships so I can give the local farm store a heads up, since it is coming to their loading docks.

Today chores aren't the hydraulics - it is loading tires with a WW washer fluid (winter mix) and sealant, and installing tire chains. I have hillside bush-hogging to finish, and I saved my steepest slopes until I can get that done!

My brush clearing is normally done in the winter and early spring, before the mowing and gardening begins. So, the grapple won't get a good workout for a while...

I put well over 100hrs a year on my Power Tracs now, with different chores in every season...

ernemats · Sep 14, 2016

I too put well over a 100 hours per year on my 422, 2,551 hours in 17 years it would be much more if I didn't have the 1845 used mostly for mowing lately.

MossRoad · Sep 14, 2016

I'm lucky to get 50 hours per year. However, I attribute that to the efficiency of the machine and skill of the operator! :laughing:

KentT · Sep 15, 2016

MossRoad said:
I'm lucky to get 50 hours per year. However, I attribute that to the efficiency of the machine and skill of the operator! :laughing:

Guess that means that I've neither effective nor efficient...

Meanwhile, I'm supposed to load up my PT and take it to my welder on Tuesday to get the adapter plates, lift arm mods, etc. welded.

Though PT uses the uncommon Faster-type quick connects on their hoses, are the hose fitting threads NPT or SAE? I honestly can't remember -- danged CRS! I have some of the quick connects on hand, since I had planned to convert my attachments to male/female on the cylinder hoses, but I took an old one to the hydraulics shop and simply had them match them. I'll soon need to shop for hoses, and being able to use off-the-shelf ones from Tractor Supply is cheaper than having NAPA make up custom ones. I can scrounge a few from the old 425, if needed, but most will be too short since I want to move the quick connects farther out on these longer lift arms.

EverythingAttachments · Sep 15, 2016

I just got word that our first narrow(er) grapple with a mini skidsteer universal hitch is almost complete.
Kent, you're an inspiration!!

I'll share pics soon!
Travis

KentT · Sep 15, 2016

EverythingAttachments said:
I just got word that our first narrow(er) grapple with a mini skidsteer universal hitch is almost complete.
Kent, you're an inspiration!!

I'll share pics soon!
Travis

:thumbsup::thumbsup:

Hope it ends up being a good seller for you guys! You should certainly be able to price compete with Bradco and some of the other guys! I'll be interested to see those pics! Are you keeping the 30" lid -- or is that still TBD? I'll also be anxious to see how much it weighs -- maybe you can get it down close to the 200lb point.

Meanwhile, it will provide very strong/robust alternative to the PT-offered T-8 light utility grapple of a similar size. I really don't think the whole difference in mounting plate angle to be a big issue for the PT machines. As I've stated repeatedly, it is more important to be able to curl down with your root grapple -- not only to dig roots and compress the brush pile before clamping -- but also the grapple holds the load in the bucket when curled up, contrary to a bucket of dirt or rock which needs more bucket curl up...

ponytug · Sep 15, 2016

My 1445 uses NPT on the Faster couplers. Since the the SAE require an o-ring, I would guess that you probably don't have those. The alternative to those two are, I think (CRS again), UNF or BSPP (British Standard Parallel Pipe), which seem unlikely as those are both parallel pitch and would require an o-ring or plate to seal against.

I believe that the TSC hoses are all NPT.

I did put a post in the PT parts and cross reference on this. Faster NV catalog page

Good luck!

All the best,

Peter

KentT said:
Guess that means that I've neither effective nor efficient...

Meanwhile, I'm supposed to load up my PT and take it to my welder on Tuesday to get the adapter plates, lift arm mods, etc. welded.

Though PT uses the uncommon Faster-type quick connects on their hoses, are the hose fitting threads NPT or SAE? I honestly can't remember -- danged CRS! I have some of the quick connects on hand, since I had planned to convert my attachments to male/female on the cylinder hoses, but I took an old one to the hydraulics shop and simply had them match them. I'll soon need to shop for hoses, and being able to use off-the-shelf ones from Tractor Supply is cheaper than having NAPA make up custom ones. I can scrounge a few from the old 425, if needed, but most will be too short since I want to move the quick connects farther out on these longer lift arms.

KentT · Sep 15, 2016

Thanks, Peter! That's a relief since I have two Tractor Supply stores conveniently close, should one be out of stock or something. I don't like leaving hydraulic fittings open, dripping and risking contamination any longer than necessary. I do plan to convert the attachment hoses to male and female couplers when I do this, similar to the PTO, so I can connect them on the attachment for storage.

I've never quite understood why Tazewell does it the way they do unless it is to prevent the cylinder from moving during storage. As it is, I've had to mark my hoses so I hook them back up the expected way for the corresponding valve lever movement -- in addition to having to make sure to clean/inspect them every time you connect them. I even managed to lose the little O ring out of one female connector once. Talk about making a mess the first time you use it -- oil sprayed everywhere!

aczlan · Sep 15, 2016

Its cheaper to have two female couplers on the PT and male couplers on each implement.
What I do is put colored zip ties on both sides (red, yellow, green blue for the loader, red and black on the rear remotes). Then I just match the zip ties.

Aaron Z

MossRoad · Sep 15, 2016

aczlan said:
Its cheaper to have two female couplers on the PT and male couplers on each implement.
...

Sometimes the answers are so simple!!! :mur:

KentT · Sep 15, 2016

And male couplers are far easier to clean, plus the females on the PT would almost always connected to something.

I agree Moss! Duh! :duh:

woodlandfarms · Sep 15, 2016

OK, what am I missing here? I have one Male and One Female. That way I know which hose goes to which (not really that hard but I am not the smartest) and when the implement is sitting, I just connect the hoses together and they stay super clean. Maybe I skipped over a note?

MossRoad · Sep 16, 2016

My main PTO has a male and female. That PTO is for things with hydraulic motors.

My AUX PTO, the smaller one under my right knee, that operates the quick attach, has two females. The quick attach itself has two males. The power angle snow plow, which runs off the QA, has to males. I think the mini-hoe has two males. Pretty much anything that is a cylinder, runs off of the AUX PTO, and has two male ends. Anything that has a motor, and runs off of the larger MAIN PTO has a male and female.

MossRoad · Sep 16, 2016

Here's a picture.

The larger BLUE caps are for the MAIN PTO and are male/female. The smaller outboard connectors are the AUX PTO connectors and both are female. In this photo, the AUX PTO has the quick attach cylinder hoses hooked up.

View attachment 481093

KentT · Sep 16, 2016

My 425 had two males on the Aux circuit, while each attachment (grapple bucket, mini-hoe, snow/dirt blade) had two females. Those females on the attachments tend to collect dirt/dust in storage while disconnected. I've tried dust caps, and they tend to get torn off and lost in brush. I've tried putting Baggies with rubber band around them. I ended up just carrying a rag looped around a ROPS post to clean the with, in addition to a 3/8" extension and hammer in my tool box to relieve pressure.

I don't don't have those kinds of issues with the larger 1/2" hoses for the PTO since I connect them to each other, keeping them clean, and letting the pressure balance as needed from one side of the circuit to the other...