Grapple question

DonRybak · Dec 26, 2019

Thanks for the responses. I too thought that the 900 lbs was way over the top. I have a small 1/2 acre patch of land across a canal at the back of my pasture that is over grown with brush, grape vines and some saw palmettos. My intention is to go in and clean that area up so I can get in there to fence it in for my horses. It's so thick now that you can't even walk through it. I'll continue to read reviews and follow listing of the smaller and lighter grapples. Thanks again.........Don

digdirty · Dec 26, 2019

I have the RK 24 with the 54" grapple from Big Dog and love it's size and shape for a small tractor. the weight comes in at 235# giving me plenty of lift remaining. The grapple that RK recommends for the 37 hp. is the 60" and that comes in at 390# and the 72" grapple from Big Dog is at 540#. Not trying to push any brand of grapple to anyone, just giving the facts as I know them! I've had the grapple on the tractor more than the bucket or the forks and find new uses for it all the time but I don't think you'll benefit much more with anything over 60"

shooterdon · Dec 27, 2019

I got the MTL 60” grapple for my LS...it is about the same size as your RK. I would not want a bigger unit. It is not super heavy duty, but for $1000 shipped is a bargain for the occasional uses I have.

markie61 · Dec 30, 2019

oosik said:
BTW - BEFORE you start using this grapple consider doing something like this to your OEM grill guard. Any old stick, stob or branch can raise real havoc with your grill, radiator or battery.

Ok: done! (still need to "pretty it up", but it will work for now...)

TractorGuy · Dec 30, 2019

markie61 said:
Ok: done! (still need to "pretty it up", but it will work for now...)
View attachment 634798

Never thought about mounting the diverter valve there. That came out pretty neat.

Better frame that expanded metal in with some angle before it cuts somebody to shreds.

WoodDuck · Dec 30, 2019

I agree with the others, 900 lbs is way too much weight for a grapple on a CUT, you'd lose too much of your lift capacity. The RK L102 FEL is claimed to lift 2116 lbs. to full height at the pins. Since the load will always be in front of these pivot pins, the actual lift capacity is always less than this value. Slapping a 900 lb. attachment to the FEL will effectively cut your lift capacity in half or thereabouts. Not a great trade off. I researched grapple designs and weights for months before deciding on a 60" Wicked Root Rake Grapple for my Kioti NX5510. You really need a design that's light and strong both, for optimum performance. A Wicked 55" or 60" Root Rake would be a great combo for that tractor in my opinion. The Wicked lower tooth design was something I preferred over some of the other grapples I looked at. The lower teeth on the Wicked grapples are parallel to the direction of travel, meaning they will "cut through" the soil with less resistance and surface damage than the horizontal "spade-type" teeth I saw on some other units. The 55" is 239#, and the slightly larger 60" comes in around 400#. The 60" has some thicker steel in places, larger bore cylinders for more closing force, 3 hinge points instead of 2, and opens a little wider than the 55" grapple does. All these beefed-up "upgrades" make the 60" considerably heavier, and somewhat more costly, than the 55". I can't honestly say that I've ever had my 60" in a situation where the 55" wouldn't have probably worked just as well though. Whatever brand/design/type you decide to go with, weight definitely needs to be a major consideration in my opinion. Good luck with whatever you get! The grapple is my FAVORITE tractor attachment so far!

BRMyers · Dec 31, 2019

WoodDuck said:
I agree with the others, 900 lbs is way too much weight for a grapple on a CUT, you'd lose too much of your lift capacity. The RK L102 FEL is claimed to lift 2116 lbs. to full height at the pins. Since the load will always be in front of these pivot pins, the actual lift capacity is always less than this value. Slapping a 900 lb. attachment to the FEL will effectively cut your lift capacity in half or thereabouts. Not a great trade off. I researched grapple designs and weights for months before deciding on a 60" Wicked Root Rake Grapple for my Kioti NX5510. You really need a design that's light and strong both, for optimum performance. A Wicked 55" or 60" Root Rake would be a great combo for that tractor in my opinion. The Wicked lower tooth design was something I preferred over some of the other grapples I looked at. The lower teeth on the Wicked grapples are parallel to the direction of travel, meaning they will "cut through" the soil with less resistance and surface damage than the horizontal "spade-type" teeth I saw on some other units. The 55" is 239#, and the slightly larger 60" comes in around 400#. The 60" has some thicker steel in places, larger bore cylinders for more closing force, 3 hinge points instead of 2, and opens a little wider than the 55" grapple does. All these beefed-up "upgrades" make the 60" considerably heavier, and somewhat more costly, than the 55". I can't honestly say that I've ever had my 60" in a situation where the 55" wouldn't have probably worked just as well though. Whatever brand/design/type you decide to go with, weight definitely needs to be a major consideration in my opinion. Good luck with whatever you get! The grapple is my FAVORITE tractor attachment so far!

I have been using my 55" Wicked Grapple. Here are some pictures of what it has accomplished:

As we have been cleaning brush, we have found long forgotten equipment and I have used the grapple to dig them out and move them to the found equipment pile so we can sort through what is worth keeping and what is heading to the scrap yard. I don't have pictures of it, but I used the grapple to take down an old hog house and move all the scrap wood to the burn pile.

DonRybak · Dec 31, 2019

Thanks for all the replies and pics. I'll definitely go with a lighter weight grapple. I too like the lower tooth design on the wicked grapple. TractorGuy, the mounting position of the third function valve in the pic is the stock position that RK mounts the valve. At least on the RK55 and 37......Don

TractorGuy · Dec 31, 2019

DonRybak said:
Thanks for all the replies and pics. I'll definitely go with a lighter weight grapple. I too like the lower tooth design on the wicked grapple. TractorGuy, the mounting position of the third function valve in the pic is the stock position that RK mounts the valve. At least on the RK55 and 37......Don

Was looking closer and was confused by the connections. The valve I put on my JD looks identical but the normally open path is straight through. RK must have a special version to get the NO ports on top.