Grapple and install price check

[Turbys_1700]

Excellent. That helps.

Do you recognize his supplier? Look like yours?

Yes...
Exact same unit...
I think the whole goods charge for that unit from Long is around $750 or so...
They charge around $350 for the install...

 

[EverythingAttachments]

This video by one of our customers should calm your nerves concerning the custom 3rd function valve installation. He has a Kubota, but the concept is similar no matter the tractor flavor!
You even get a peek at his Wicked Grapple towards the end.
Travis

 

[cphilip]

Nice but lacking in detail on exactly how the hoses tie into the existing system. Thats I imagine about the only critical step.

How well are the instructions written and are they available online for preview before purchase?

Im tempted to go this route. Would allow me to do this in stages. Does not look at all like $300 in shop time to me. Looks more like a 2 hour job. Don't think most shops get over $150 an hour?

 

[LD1]

A 3rd function install is easy.

The hardest part is simply knowing where/what lines to tap into to hook it up.

Why let the dealer make $300-$400 on installing something that is pretty easy to do.

And I agree, I dont like the placement of that cylinder one bit.

 

[cphilip]

The hardest part is simply knowing where/what lines to tap into to hook it up.

Exactly.

Im not sold on that Grapple myself. Its the one he happens to carry. He claims to have a lot of happy owners out there and uses one himself.

 

[rd_macgregor]

Ted mentioned the clamp cylinder placement in the context of leverage/clamping force. He was remiss in failing to point out how much better-protected against damage the cylinders on the EA wicked grapple are (no, I don't have one, but I can see the advantages of their placement on the EA grapple).

 

[tractorshopper]

I don't have the EA grapple, but if I was buying a new grapple, I would buy theirs.

I bought both of mine while buying my tractors, so having Kubotas, I had no choice but the LandPride at time of sale. While I like them, and they serve me very well (my favorite and most useful attachment), I like the design of the EA better. It's mostly similar in basic design with the dual actuators on the back instead of out front, but EA's has the serrated teeth for better gripping of the load as well as better support down low on the bottom teeth where you will likely root stuff out. I have bent my lower teeth on my first LandPride while using it to root out privet and have come close to bending my new one while lifting huge pieces of tree trunk from awkward spots. Not saying you can't bend the EA ones as well because they are both made with the exact same steel, but with the lower support bars between the teeth on the EA, they should be more sturdy and hold up better with less flex.

I also like how they took a lot of weight out of their design without giving up any quality. The less the grapple weighs, the more load you can lift...

 

[cphilip]

According to W R Long my tie in point (Forget the term so help me out) is under my seat in near the FEL operation lever itself. It a metal line. Even though the Third function valve mounts right next to my other four function hoses that where I tie things together. They didn't seem willing to provide me with a set of those instructions.That would have helped for sure. But they looked at them for me and spoke to me about them. They are rather dealer centered.

He said its one of the easier straight forward kits to install.

At this point it appears I am at a cross roads as to it appears important to chose the grapple in order to have the kit be compatible with that grapple though. My my... what to do.

 

[DieselBound]

I don't often plug stuff, but when I'm very confident in something I will. And here I have no hesitation stating that EA really is the real deal. I've bought several implements from them (and I'm way on the other coast, so I have have to cover some shipping costs). Customer service and product quality are tops. After sale support is there. Peace of mind has value.

 

[EverythingAttachments]

They are rather dealer centered.

At this point it appears I am at a cross roads as to it appears important to chose the grapple in order to have the kit be compatible with that grapple though. My my... what to do.

Easy answer! :thumbsup:

>>> This WR Long kit is perfectly compatible with the Wicked Grapple <<<
....and you get $50 off when you order it with the perfect grapple for your tractor! :drink:
Travis

 

[cphilip]

LOL... how about shooting me a copy of the install documents for my specific tractor to put me at complete ease.... shouldn't be hard. :cool2:

 

[EverythingAttachments]

LOL... how about shooting me a copy of the install documents for my specific tractor to put me at complete ease.... shouldn't be hard. :cool2:

Haha! WR Long is where I'd have to get it from and I get the same answer as you did. :laughing:

Seriously, it's simple, and they're always there to lend a word of advice if you need assistance. Nelson and Josh help our customers a TON and we're very grateful for their extensive knowledge!!
Also, the newest member of our parts/sales team has been a tractor mechanic for most of his working life(close to 40 years I think!!) New Holland, Kubota and Mahindra most recently. He knows his stuff!!
Travis

 

[cphilip]

So why cant we get a copy of the Kioti 2610 hst install instructions? If they have them and you are a dealer then why are they so secret and unobtainable? Josh was looking right at one eventually. They have them. Josh was the one I talked to. He was helpful but early on he was more or less indicating I had to tell him what grapple I was buying in order to even start talking about the install. He relented and looked and gave me some info. But I should not have to know what grapple I am buying to know the install of the Long third function. The hind end of the system for my tractor is the same. Its the final end that matters when the brand of grapple is determined. Makes no sense. You get me one as a dealer and we are talking a sale here potentially. Why cannot one be obtained before someone decides to do it yourself? Most are just fine with putting instructions on line in pdf formats. It sells. Its not a secret is it? This part is fairly frustrating to me that this is becoming a big deal to just get the info to install the thing. I have to buy first and learn later. Unacceptable in this day and age really.

 

[DieselBound]

I agree with you. I always try to understand the installation requirements before I purchase something. Sure it's "easy," for those who have done it before, but how would some new person know this? Further, why push a sales knowing that you're going to end up chewing up a bunch of time with someone who clearly shouldn't have bought from you (can't perform the installation/work)? Better, I'd think, to have a better sense that a possible customer understands the installation requirements/process and has decide on the purchase of your product.

 

[cphilip]

Josh at Long looked it up. He was staring right at what I want to see. So I know it exists. And it has to accompany the kit. So it exists. Why the secret? Just show me the procedure and I will know immediately if I can handle it. Easy Peasy.

In fact all the specific tractor kits installs should be available by pdf at Long web site. Why are they not? I know there are a lot of them. But at least the tractor specific side should be up and available. All of them!

 

[EverythingAttachments]

Josh said he spent 15-20 minutes answering questions on the phone with you yesterday.

WR Long spends a relentless amount of time designing these custom kits and the kits equate to about half of their overall business.
They have 700+ kit plans gathered from many years of hard work. They actually travel to dealer lots and gather information from each loader before designing the valve mounts to ensure proper fit and location, and making the hoses to ensure proper length and fitting sizes. The instructions spell out virtually how to design and install the kit. The instructions aren't a huge "secret", but they just do not hand them out. The general rule they've always stuck by is to ship them with the kits, answer any questions they can over the phone and leave it at that.

There is a ton of information online about the WR Long kits because they are so widely used. There are several YouTube videos about them. There are many TBN members with them.
All of the above should give you confidence enough to be comfortable with the situation.

I hope this helps explain.
Travis

 

[cphilip]

Well it was 8 minutes but who's counting. Nice guy. But it was evident that near the end he was looking at the exact page I needed. One specific to my tractor. It makes no sense that I cannot obtain just the portion of those instructions that show the tie in before committing $800 to doing it myself. Its a simple .pdf or screen shot emailed to me. Its a simple print page and mail to me. I do not need all of the other design stuff. I need the stuff that shows how to tie the lines into existing system. Or he could even give them to you as the dealer to share with me. I am confident that you and he would support me after buying. But I am not confident in my abilities and facilities to do it. Im not doubting you or Josh in any way. I am doubting myself and my work conditions to accomplish it. And I want a simple clarification of procedure to base my decision on. I still don't see this "policy" of not being able to look at these install procedures as useful or necessary to anyone. They don't have to send me all the "how to duplicate our kit stuff". I don't need it.

On another related note, that CDI grapple I showed you that my dealer carries and sells turns out to be 350 pounds according to the manufacturer. Thats 140 pounds more than yours but $600 less than yours. So there are certainly minuses in that grapple outside of design and useful features it lacks. Your unit is certainly a better one and worth the extra money.

Speaking of that, looking at my CC balance I am looking at turning over some other attachments left over from my big Ford I traded in and getting over Christmas before I can do it all. I might have to do this in stages anyway. So its important I know the system is installed correctly as I won't have much way to test it if I buy it first and the Grapple later.

 

[CincyFlyer]

Added upon closer inspection.. It does say LONG on the side of it. Now mind you, this one I took pictures of was not a Kioti install. You can see its a McCorrmick. And according to the dealer there is a model specific one for my Kioti 2610. This one they were having to custom make up some of the brackets for it due to no specific model for this particular tractor that I took these pictures of.

So going rate then is about $1200 for a good dealer installed third function. Or as noted as low as about $800 for a do it yourself set up.

I actually replaced my loader joystick with a loader joystick with grapple, four hundred bucks, and then I had the old joystick to put on the rear for remotes. Search my posts if interested.

 

[DieselBound]

Travis, I'll just make this last comment in response, and that's that they (Josh?) could have directed him to such information. I buy skid plates for my cars and the vendor has extensive documentation on installing them, available to the public (I don't have to be a customer, yet). If I didn't like the way it installed, no matter how great everyone else figured these plates were or the installation was it seems that knowing in advance is better than finding out afterwards. Yes, I agree that there will always be customers who just cannot do something no matter what and that they'll look to blame the manufacturer/vendor (one can pop on to just about any site and read reviews to find such people); I would think it prudent to try and weed out such potential customers up-front.

If there's some thinking that there's proprietary information and or a concern over controlling revisioning (or perhaps a concern that it'll allow someone to craft their own solution) then just say it. A lot of this, whether the intent or not, comes off "looking" like one is hiding things.

I just put up a bunch of fencing. The fencing manufacturer had lots of information on installing the fencing. You might say that "it's just fencing!" but absolutely no one in my area is using this fencing (fixed knot woven wire- for woven wire everyone uses the standard hinged woven wire). Would I have bought their product if I could only get installation information once I bought their product? No. The documentation helped SELL me their product. And, for what it's worth, and I know that I'm a bit off topic, my neighbors really took notice of my fencing (they're very impressed by it- one neighbor with standard woven wire is very disappointed with it- it's just not as good, and the installation was just poor).

 

[cphilip]

Im going to go to the Kioti guys here and ask if anyone has or can take a good picture of the power beyond port location for me. That might help a lot. From talking to josh its under the seat more or less. And the one I want is a hard pipe. Im going to go dig around myself and see if something is obvious. Its kinda cold here and Im going to have to work outside. And I am kinda getting too old for being in odd stances and such. Ill probably need to have help and have enough knowledge to direct them properly. Maybe the Kioti guys can pin point this PB port for me to a certainty so I can feel comfortable with this.

Travis, do you guys use a standard easy to find quick connect end in the Long install kit you sell?