Grapple became unattached.

[Solitary Man]

Hey Solitary Man,

What Grapple do you have?

EA root grapple

 

[DieselBound]

My EA Wicked grapple goes on and comes off a LOT easier than my other SQAs, though, despite a lot of heavy action it has never come loose. I seem to recall that Kioti also had some advisory out around the time that I got my Kioti [2016] (but it wasn't applicable for my tractor). I suspect that manufacturers are little loose on their interpretation of the specs: and aftermarket folks likewise- add the two together and things can be a bit off.

 

[Midniteoyl]

My EA Wicked grapple goes on and comes off a LOT easier than my other SQAs, though, despite a lot of heavy action it has never come loose. I seem to recall that Kioti also had some advisory out around the time that I got my Kioti [2016] (but it wasn't applicable for my tractor). I suspect that manufacturers are little loose on their interpretation of the specs: and aftermarket folks likewise- add the two together and things can be a bit off.

The Kioti bucket fit perfect. The Kioti forks and RK Granite grapple were both really tight to the point that the left pin wouldn't fully engage, and the right one took me standing on the lever to get it to go over center. Had to grind on the left pin to get them to fit, and it still take a good bit of upper body force to get them to go.

 

[Tinhack]

The Kioti bucket fit perfect. The Kioti forks and RK Granite grapple were both really tight to the point that the left pin wouldn't fully engage, and the right one took me standing on the lever to get it to go over center. Had to grind on the left pin to get them to fit, and it still take a good bit of upper body force to get them to go.

That sounds like something is bent, flexing or out of spec. You shouldn't have to grind on the wedge pin. The pin is wedged to compensate for variations in attachments. Fix the attachment, not the pin.

On my new grapple the pin is spring loaded and adjustable. I can adjust the tension on the lever from zero to stand-on force for closing or going over center. Once the pin is engaged, it shouldn't be popping out.

 

[civilian]

On my Kubota B26TLB, sometimes I need to shake the bucket before closing the levers. Found this helps prior to locking in. The forks don't seem to need shaking. Jon

 

[Midniteoyl]

That sounds like something is bent, flexing or out of spec. You shouldn't have to grind on the wedge pin. The pin is wedged to compensate for variations in attachments. Fix the attachment, not the pin.

On my new grapple the pin is spring loaded and adjustable. I can adjust the tension on the lever from zero to stand-on force for closing or going over center. Once the pin is engaged, it shouldn't be popping out.

I would agree.

On my Kioti, at least, there are no adjustments for the pins that I can figure. The pin was just a touch too long and the wedge angle was just a touch outta spec. I'm sure both dimensions were within tolerance but the pin was just a hair off compared to the other (I actually mic'd both, and you could see the pin just barely engaging at the tip) so I decided to grind the pin down so I didn't have to adjust every attachment to the pin.

 

[frj777]

Smoke with manufacture and they are sending a shims for bottom of QA. It will be up to me to weld…they did credit my card $ to allow for me to hire a welder. All in all not unreasonable.

I expect this will resolve my problems.

Grapple is a EA Wicked 60 inch Root Grapple.

 

[frj777]

Thinking of installing shims by drilling, countersinking shim and tapping grapple to fit and test…if this solves problem I will have welded. Thinking of a hardened, socket drive, flat head machine screw, 1/4-20.

Does this seem reasonable?

Thanks for all the response and suggestions. This may be a fairly common problem, buy it is new to me.

Live and Learn

Fred

 

[Xfaxman]

Yes, I think it would work. make sure that the latch mechanism still goes over center.
And I don't think it would need to be welded.

 

[Smokeydog]

Your idea using flat head machine screws should work fine. Be nice to fit so the wedge pin contacts both the OEM plate and shim.

Really like our 54” wicked grapple. Glad the manufacturer step up with a solution to help.

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

On the used TYM. I bought, the guy did a lot of back dragging. The plate had broken on the front side of the pins, and it wouldn’t reliably hold anything.

I found a chamfer on the tabs which were sticking out, then hammered things back in to line, and ground off all the paint. Then i took it to welding shop, to have it welded. since I had done all the work he could run four beads on the sides of the as that had torn loose, and then welded a 0.20 plate over the op, and welded all four sides. Didn’t cost very much, $2.00 in materials and twenty minutes of welder time. $26 out the door.

 

[jmc]

Having that much grease on the chamfered pin OD probably doesn't help. And between the chamfer itself and where that chamfer contacts the rectangular hole in the attachment. I've got a similar problem to deal with but I think it's the chamfered pin telescoping up against its compression spring. Guys with tight levers may need plenty of lube.

 

[Xfaxman]

----------------------------- I've got a similar problem to deal with but I think it's the chamfered pin telescoping up against its compression spring. ----------------------------

Can you add something like this to keep the latch pin from moving up when latched over center?

 

[Michael In Tennessee]

Smoke with manufacture and they are sending a shims for bottom of QA. It will be up to me to weld…they did credit my card $ to allow for me to hire a welder. All in all not unreasonable.

I expect this will resolve my problems.

Grapple is a EA Wicked 60 inch Root Grapple.

Interesting. I have no problems with my wicked 60. I have to put it on tomorrow, so I'll look at clearances.

It fell off once, but not its fault. One of my tractor levers opened on bumpy terrain.

 

[Smokeydog]

Come to think about it, I had one side of wicked 54” come unlatched several times from the hydraulic lines when I first got it. It came with a spring hydraulic line slack keeper. Added a rubber bungee to strap lines to FEL cross tube to keep the hydraulic line loop centered and no more problems. Do the same with the big grapple for 30 years.

Added nylon sleeve for protection for the hydraulic lines on the wicked. The 30 year old grapple came with a sleeve and still has the the original hydraulic lines.

 

[Michael In Tennessee]

Smoke with manufacture and they are sending a shims for bottom of QA. It will be up to me to weld…they did credit my card $ to allow for me to hire a welder. All in all not unreasonable.

I expect this will resolve my problems.

Grapple is a EA Wicked 60 inch Root Grapple.

FWIW: I have the same grapple and it fits identically to my loader bucket. Both have minimal gap at the bottom.

I wonder how loose the tolerance is for the SSQA standard (if any) and how tightly EA holds to the standard and to their internal fabrication specs.

 

[Michael In Tennessee]

I found what I believe is the standard at the following URL:

https://wiki.opensourceecology.org/images/archive/b/b1/20171005012517%21Universal-attachment-mount-specification-sae_j2513.pdf

It appears the vertical distance between the top and bottom lips should only vary 1/16th inch from the norm. Which means, you should never have to shim.

 

[ruffdog]

The first photo that shows the OP's locking pin seems like the pin doesn't extend far enough to lock in. All the other pics from other posters show the pin extending further.

 

[Xfaxman]

The first photo that shows the OP's locking pin seems like the pin doesn't extend far enough to lock in. -------------------------------------

It looks that way because the bottom plate is too low, there is a gap between it and the QA.
The shims will fill the gap and contact the pins.

 

[frj777]

Installed shims provided by EA. They where laser cut and required trimming and grinding to allow for welds already on grapple, expected. I drilled and counter sunk grade 8 bolts tapping grapple frame.

Over all I am pleased with results, however there is still a gap at plate, right side is 1/8th inch and left is 1/16th inch. Also notable is that spring tension…it is now present where previously it was not but is not as much as my other quick attach implements.

EA only had 3/16 shims, they sent 4 so I could stack, but this will not fit. Considering asking for 1/4 and 5/16 shims, or 1/8 shims (2 on left and 1 on right with existing 3/16 shim). This should increase spring tension and eliminate gaps.

Thanks for industry standards on quick attach mount, very helpful. This supports my gap measurements perfectly.

Appreciate all the suggestions and observations.

Fred