What to watch out for with grapples?

[Fields_mj]

I'm hoping to get a grapple this year. Is there anything I should watch out for when selecting one?

Some background. I have a TC40 DA and an old Ford 1710. Both have SSQA plates on them, but I still need to add a 3rd function to both. I'd like to be able to use the grapple on either of them, so I'm thinking I'd need something pretty light weight to work with the 1710. I'd probably try to go with something in the 48" range to keep the weight down. I can do most of my firewood work pretty easily using just forks, but I also volunteer on some disaster relief crews, and there seems to be more and more of those opportunities every year. I'm normally working as a sawyer and have 2 or 3 guys running skid steers and maybe a mini or two, but it depends on which crew I'm working with, or if I just go on my own because the crews are busy in another part of the country. Anyway, its not a tool that will get used weekly, or even monthly (lets hope), but when needed it can make a pretty big difference. Thus I'd like to minimize my cost (duh), but I don't want to cut corners so bad that I regret the purchase. I like using the TC40 more (HST, and cab with AC), but the 1710 is a LOT easier to trailer. The TC40 rubs on the outer frame of my trailer, and just barely fits length wise and that's assuming I have the bucket on the loader, and nothing on the 3pt. The rear axles are about 2/3 of the way back, and the load ends up being a little front heavy making for a bouncy ride when hauling it.

 

[oosik]

My first tractor - Ford 1710 4WD. It was light but TOUGH. My grapple is the "clam shell" style. It's tough, heavy and mounted on my Kubota M6040 4WD. Once the grapple was installed - the bucket has never gone back on. Grapple - Land Pride, SGC1560.

Certain principles of physics - Re a grapple. The closer to the ground - the heavier the load that can be handled.

All my grapple work is close to the ground. Moving large rocks and chunks of pine tree trunk. Very seldom do I deal with brush or limbs.

And - whatever grapple you get - when you are done for the day, close the grapple, put the grapple flat on the ground. Come around your tractor - 1000 things on your mind - walk right into the outer tips of the raised grapple. It DOES hurt.........

 

[Fields_mj]

My first tractor - Ford 1710 4WD. It was light but TOUGH. My grapple is the "clam shell" style. It's tough, heavy and mounted on my Kubota M6060 4WD. Once the grapple was installed - the bucket has never gone back on. Grapple - Land Pride, SGC1560.

Certain principles of physics - Re a grapple. The closer to the ground - the heavier the load that can be handled.

All my grapple work is close to the ground. Moving large rocks and chunks of pine tree trunk. Very seldom do I deal with brush or limbs.

And - whatever grapple you get - when you are done for the day, close the grapple, put the grapple flat on the ground. Come around your tractor - 1000 things on your mind - walk right into the outer tips of the raised grapple. It DOES hurt.........

Always prefer to learn those lessons from someone else, but sometimes I insist on learning them the hard way. Makes them easier to remember I guess...

At 820 lbs, the 1560 exceeds the lift capacity of my 770 loader before it even tries to pick anything up. It wouldn't be a bad choice for my TC40 (aside from being way beyond my budget), but my 1710 would need something a LOT lighter than that.

 

[sandman2234]

Appreciate your volunteering and the cost that you absorb with that.
The 1710 is going to be a little light for serious disaster relief work, but if the guys don't mind sawing the pieces short, then walking them out with a 26hp tractor will be great. The 1710 will go places that my M7040 won't fit. Grabbing a grapple full of limbs and crushing them, then grabbing another for a full load and heading for the street! Sweet!
I would say width isn't as important as strength, but I have only operated a 72inch grapple. It would seem that getting centered on the load would negate how wide it is.
David from jax

 

[BlueKnife]

When you're on these disaster relief jobs, what are you doing with the brush and logs? Are they just getting stacked somewhere? Chipped? If you're using a chipper, or need to get brush through narrow places between houses, buildings, other trees, etc. a swivel grapple is the way to go. So much more versatile than a root grapple. It's really handy to be able to grab the end of a log and drag it away, rather than having to be perpendicular to it. And they're way easier and faster to use for feeding a chipper or loading logs into the back of a truck.

 

[Fields_mj]

When you're on these disaster relief jobs, what are you doing with the brush and logs? Are they just getting stacked somewhere? Chipped? If you're using a chipper, or need to get brush through narrow places between houses, buildings, other trees, etc. a swivel grapple is the way to go. So much more versatile than a root grapple. It's really handy to be able to grab the end of a log and drag it away, rather than having to be perpendicular to it. And they're way easier and faster to use for feeding a chipper or loading logs into the back of a truck.

Most of the time the debris gets piled up at the road, but it also depends on where we are. The groups that I normally volunteer with tend to travel down south, and they have better equipment for moving the debris. The work is often on steep terrain where that equipment is pretty much mandatory. With the frequency and intensity of the storms we've been having locally, it seems like it would be useful to have a grapple for my tractor(s). It would also make some of the firewood chores easier/faster, but I'm only dealing with enough to heat my own house. The stuff I could use the grapple for only takes me a few afternoons per year. Not enough to justify the cost of the grapple, let alone adding additional hydraulics to one or both of my tractors. But add that to the volunteer opportunities, and maybe it makes more sense.

 

[KenBike]

I have a grapple on my Bobcat MT120 stand on mini track loader. It picks 1500 lbs and the grapple weighs 250 bls. Don't recall the brand but it works well and would be good on your smaller tractor.

 

[D&D]

What to watch out for……once you get one you keep finding more things to do.
Homesteads subcompact only weighs 190 lbs. Catawba’s is a tad heavier.
Both offer a first responder discount though

Compare Tractor Grapples | Find the Right Grapple for Your Tractor

Not sure which grapple you need? Compare Homestead Implements tractor grapples to find the best fit for your tractor, projects, and attachments.

www.homesteadimplements.com

Catawba Subcompact 54 Rake Grapple

The Catawba Subcompact 54 Rake Grapple is built to redefine the meaning of lightweight yet strong. Built with a large 28″ jaw opening the subcompact rake grapple will make handling brush, trees, and small boulders easy. The Catawba Subcompact 54 is made from high quality USA Hardox® 500 Tuf...

cattachments.com

 

[rumwrks]

Weight will certainly be a significant factor with the lighter tractor. You're doing a bit of a balance there with having that be light enough to be useful and sturdy enough to not be tore up with the TC40 to easily (a lot of that is of course on the operator)

Some weights of various smaller root rake type grapples

Catabwa subcompact 54" 212lbs

Homesteam subcompact 54" 190lbs

ignite subcompact 48" 227lbs

Everything Attachments 55" 215lbs

The other things I think I'd consider is opening size, grease points, how well protected are the cylinders and (especially) hose routing. Also look at how well the type of grapple you're looking at will actually pick up what you want to pick up.

Another idea to consider is the actual forestry grapples like the Silver which is both lighter and cheaper. These are not as good at picking up brush but for logs they're a nice trade off.. So if you're doing a lot of brush that wouldn't be my suggestion, they can do it but it looks like they don't "bundle" smaller trash as well (here's one of the few actual head-head comparisons I've found in video form

- The silver is a lighter version of the full sized frostbite so ignore his weight statement vs the web page which shows it at 110lbs/2000lbs capacity but the general "use" would be similar)

I bought an Iron craft root grapple and I have very mixed feelings.. On the one hand the price was good and delivery was easy (brought it home w/ the tractor..). It's also fantastic for grabbing large piles of brush or stacks of logs. OTOH.. it's terrible for picking up individual small logs because the lid doesn't close tight enough, there's literally no grease points, the hose routing is non-existent, it weights quite a bit for what it is, the teeth are fairly far apart (especially only 2 on the lid) which makes popping bramble roots and grabbing logs by the end to pull out difficult. The balance point is also out quite a bit further than a root rake type grapple. Having said that any grapple is so much better than no grapple it's been a huge benefit to have. if I was doing it over I'd buy something else though.

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

On a similiar sized machine I have a 50" wicked root grapple.
for the type of work I make I like the bottom tines so I can get under logs,stumps, etc... and curl back so the lid cyl. is not taking much if any strain / work. Log / stump is cradled in the V and lid just steadies.
The single lid helps keep the weight and cost down. Only 1 cyl. I have never seemed to have wished I had 2 lids ever.
Mine has grease zerks in all the right places.
To keep weight down the design allows me to remove every second bottom tine which would save weight as well as let debris like dirt etc... fall through easier when moving stumps. When moving brush less tines means less places for brush to hang up when dumping. Great for my type of brush but would want them installed for littler stuff.
hose length is very important. Don't get to short but too long is real PIA as well as moving brush etc... can hook and damage hoses / connectors. Mine are too long and I cuss every time as I ordered the length so falls on me.

on the positive side dam they seem well built. Paint looks great and no rust. Given what they sell for now days I can probably get more than I paid for it on the used market than I paid new!!

I have a grill guard on the tractor and never had a problem myself or others who use but I could see the need for a metal screen type of guard on the tractor if moving a lot of brush to protect plastic rad. grill for those times where operator just doesn't take enough care and a stick or root pokes through the grapple towards the tractor.

edit: pic added

 

[bdhsfz6]

Once you pick out a grapple, the next thing to watch out for is not putting a branch through your radiator. Get a grill guard!!

 

[oosik]

MapleLeafFarmer & bdhsfz6 both mention the grill guard. This is a VERY necessary item. Some will say they are very careful about limbs, sticks and stobs. That is fine until the day they run one thru their radiator, grill or battery.

This is my M6040 with the grapple and guard. Grapple is up because I was getting under way.

 

[RjCorazza]

MapleLeafFarmer & bdhsfz6 both mention the grill guard. This is a VERY necessary item. Some will say they are very careful about limbs, sticks and stobs. That is fine until the day they run one thru their radiator, grill or battery.

This is my M6040 with the grapple and guard. Grapple is up because I was getting under way.
View attachment 5245051View attachment 5245052

Very true. I messed up my grill to the tune of like $400, but fortunately not involving the radiator. Shortly after I installed a grill guard.
Someday I'd like to get a grapple, but for now I just use pallet forks.

 

[Jstpssng]

That is fine until the day they run one thru their radiator, grill or battery

And sometimes you don't even know where they came from.

To the OP; if forks have been working, have you considered adding a grapple to them? That would cut down on the weight factor. Apparently they aren't cheap though..

 

[KenBike]

I had a log poke into my hyd line and broke the fitting off of the cylinder. Naturally it broke off flush so had the fight the broken fitting out with a screw extractor. Ended up pulling the cylinder and having the local hyd shop get it out and rethread it.
Be careful driving to fast into a plie!

 

[Fxfymn413]

Instead of a purchased grapple you might consider a custom built unit. I added a "grapple" to my pallet fork attachment that I built myself. It works for me since I don't need a root grapple which is what the commercially available units are really designed for; hence the heavier weight. I don't think my set up added 50 to 75 pounds at most to the pallet forks.

Having 48 inch forks means you can pick up a pretty large pile of brush in one lift.

If you are not a welder any decent welding shop would be able to make it for you. My bet is it would be comparable or less in cost.

You may also want to consider using a set of rear remotes to control the grapple instead of a 3rd function. I found the third function is does not allow a "feathering" of the valve so its either open or closed with little control over the speed or force. Rear remotes can be controlled and also serve other functions when needed.

I don't have any pics on hand, but I'll get a couple today if the rain lets up.

Found some!

 

[Fields_mj]

Instead of a purchased grapple you might consider a custom built unit. I added a "grapple" to my pallet fork attachment that I built myself. It works for me since I don't need a root grapple which is what the commercially available units are really designed for; hence the heavier weight. I don't think my set up added 50 to 75 pounds at most to the pallet forks.

Having 48 inch forks means you can pick up a pretty large pile of brush in one lift.

If you are not a welder any decent welding shop would be able to make it for you. My bet is it would be comparable or less in cost.

You may also want to consider using a set of rear remotes to control the grapple instead of a 3rd function. I found the third function is does not allow a "feathering" of the valve so its either open or closed with little control over the speed or force. Rear remotes can be controlled and also serve other functions when needed.

I don't have any pics on hand, but I'll get a couple today if the rain lets up.

I've considered adding something to my forks. Problem is the frame for my forks is about 175 lbs, and each of the forks is about 90 lbs, so its getting pretty heavy before I even start to add anything to it. I have a SSQA plate with a pair of 36" bale spears that I use for my 1710. I could add a few more bale spears and add a top clamp. Local weld shop that I get my steel from has a water jet, so I might be able to have them do any fancy cuts that are needed. I'd just have to see what's available kit wise, and then what they would charge for the rest.

I have rear hydraulics on the TC40, and I've thought about using them. It didn't dawn on me until just now that I wouldn't have to run hoses all the way to the existing fittings on the rear. I haven't looked at my valve stack, but I'm assuming that I could also tee in there. I'd be fine with that, and that would reduce some cost as well. I'd also like to put a hyd cyl on my snow plow to adjust the angle. It's a 7.5' plow off a truck. I took the hydraulics off of it and just added a pin to hold it in one of three positions. It would be nice to be able to adjust it from the cab of the tractor

 

[ArlyA]

Following...

 

[EscapedSuburbia]

No personal experience, but Precision Manufacturing makes grapple lids that bolt onto to pallet forks or buckets. But a 54" or 55" grapple from Catawba only weighs 212-300 lbs depending on model. I doubt you're going to be able to come up with a solution lighter than that.

 

[bcs001]

The EA Wicked 55" has been a total game changer for me. I chose it before EA had all their troubles and I wont offer any opinions about doing business with them. My requirements were light weight for increased load capacity and durability since I use it for very large tree and root clearing. It has exceed all my expectations in both regards and I am amazed nothing has bent or broken yet given how hard I use it to dig and drag trees and roots.
Adding an expanded metal cover over the front grill brush guard is an absolute must no matter how careful you try to be and mine has all kind of paint scratches to prove it. the short reinforced teeth work great driving forward ripping out roots and small stumps and the lid can back drag in float mode without any damage as long as you make sure it is opened all the way so the load is carried on the bottomed out hydraulic cylinders. just don't push anything with the lid open or it will snap the cylinder at the yoke (you can guess how I know).