Single or double grapple?

[screamin400]

In the process of ordering a new Mahindra 2655. Mahindra is offering 200 off each implement but not sure it I will go that way. Tractor has a 6' bucket with 3100# of lift. I would be looking for a grapple to do storm cleanup for hire amongst anything else I can find for it to do. Is a double better than a single? I will also be looking for a heavy duty box blade and will probably get the Mahindra one as it is very heavy. I have also looked at Everything Attachments site and they look good but are they better? They are more money. Thanks folks.

 

[aarolar]

My bota is very similar sized to your Mahindra and I have been super pleased with my single lid 55" EA grapple. In fact for handling logs on the sawmill there have been several instances where a larger dual lid would have been too big. Weight is always a factor, lighter grapple means more load capacity.

 

[hkbirdman]

In the process of ordering a new Mahindra 2655. Mahindra is offering 200 off each implement but not sure it I will go that way. Tractor has a 6' bucket with 3100# of lift. I would be looking for a grapple to do storm cleanup for hire amongst anything else I can find for it to do. Is a double better than a single? I will also be looking for a heavy duty box blade and will probably get the Mahindra one as it is very heavy. I have also looked at Everything Attachments site and they look good but are they better? They are more money. Thanks folks.

I have a Mahindra 2555 with the same loader (3100# lift). I use a 66" Tomahawk single lid grapple that I got at a Ritchie Bros. auction. Have had no problems with it. I would just advise to have plenty of ballast on the rear - and probably rim guard in rear tires. I use my 1400# backhoe for ballast since it almost never comes off the tractor. You're going to love the grapple!

 

[ericm979]

I got a double lid EA grapple. It's only ~40lbs more than the single lid version. I wanted the wider grip and more gripping area for brush and tree rounds. There's two sets of teeth that meet the lower tines instead of one, which should give you a better shot at grabbing small irregular stuff like brush. I've pulled up poison oak with it. For logs two lids won't be an advantage. Having two cylinders there's twice the grip strength across the whole grapple though that's not been a limitation for my use.

The dual lids lids move slower since there's two cylinders to operate. That may be an advantage if you have a true third function which can't be feathered. The lids don't operate exactly together- one usually lags the other. It hasn't been a problem in my use.

Some cheap grapples just use bolts as the pivots instead of pins and bushings.

 

[screamin400]

I would be looking to hire with it. Possibly storm clean up or land clearing. No specific purpose but not logging it. Bucket is 6' now. I would think I would want to stay 6' to clean brush etc?

 

[oosik]

I really haven't seen a definitive breakdown of the advantages/disadvantages between single & double lid grapples. IMHO - the style and method of activation are probably more important. I have - Land Pride SGC 1560 - 820# - 60" wide - single lid. Its a real brute and does all I ever ask of it.

The SGC1560 is what is called a rock & root grapple. Its activated thru a WR Long electric over hydraulic third function system.

 

[screamin400]

For 60 inches wide that is heavy. Wow it must be a beast.

 

[oosik]

There is another item to consider. My WR Long electric over hydraulic third function system does not modulate the clamping force. It is either on, full bore, or off. Since I only use it for logs, big rocks and occasional brush - this action is OK. If you were going to be clamping something like huge chicken eggs or other fragile items - it could be a real disaster. I know that there are systems that allow the clamping force to be modulated. Beyond that - I know notta.

I sacrifice some lifting capacity to the weight of the grapple. I can still lift, safely, 2800+# which is more than enough for anything out here.

One of the principle reason I bought this grapple was because it was such a heavy duty model. I've had other implements of lesser quality/strength out here and they are rapidly reduced to scrap metal. 1000# of warped, bent & twisted implement is worth nothing to me.

 

[screamin400]

One thing I have read about a single is if pulling a tree or whatever you can grab with the center of the bucket to not twist my new tractor. I would think that would make sense but maybe a larger single is more of my needs?

 

[oosik]

When I considered what type of grapple to purchase I talked to the local dealer where I had purchased my tractor. They were able to pull "grapple purchases" off their computer system from the last five years. By an overwhelming majority - the rock & root grapple type was what folks were buying in this part of the country.

I had figured that what I needed was a rock & root grapple but wanted to see if there was something else I should be considering.

I don't have brush that ever needs cleaning up or gathering. So a brush type grapple was not necessary.

The beauty of this beast - I find a large - 1500 to 2000 pound - granite boulder out in one of my fields. I drive up to it - open the grapple jaws and tip them straight down. I slowly lower the FEL and the grapple jaws encircle the boulder. I close the jaws - raise the FEL and extract the boulder right out of its resting place.

Fortunately - I do have a small ravine that is slowly but surely being filled with these boulders. I not only grow Ponderosa pines - I grow rocks as well.