Anyone changed their hydraulic cylinders on their grappler for more grab.

[Cat_Driver]

Anyone changed their hydraulic cylinders on their grappler for more grabbing / Crushing power.

On my grappler more often than not when I got to pick up something bulky/heavy the grapple doesn't hold it's grip. It's like that crane game you played as a kid and try and gran that watch but the watch is just too heavy to be picked up by that claw and drops it.

Any thoughts on going bigger with the cylinders?

 

[4570Man]

You’d probably just end up bending the lids with a bigger cylinder. On my second grapple purchase I bought one with 3.5” cylinders.

 

[TractorGuy]

My MTL came with 2"x10" cylinders and 1/4" #6 hoses. I haven't had anything come loose with it and I often pick loads up with it turned 90* towards the ground.

 

[Dave M7040]

If you have a grapple you need to watch this video produced by Messicks which shows how easy it is to create very high pressures in the loader hydraulic system.

Increasing the grapple cylinder size will just further increase the pressures you can create possibly leading to damage

How grapples can be dangerous! Protect your hydraulic system. - YouTube

Dave M7040

 

[Cat_Driver]

If you have a grapple you need to watch this video produced by Messicks which shows how easy it is to create very high pressures in the loader hydraulic system.

Increasing the grapple cylinder size will just further increase the pressures you can create possibly leading to damage

How grapples can be dangerous! Protect your hydraulic system. - YouTube

Dave M7040

Amazing video - sure woke me up.
Video told me my loads were too heavy, bulky, off-center.
Looks like I better stick to lifting brush, branches, twigs, rather than some of the things I was lifting.

Thanks for sharing

 

[Dave M7040]

Amazing video - sure woke me up.
Video told me my loads were too heavy, bulky, off-center.
Looks like I better stick to lifting brush, branches, twigs, rather than some of the things I was lifting.

Thanks for sharing

Thanks for accepting it in the positive vein intended.

Owners using forks can easily damage their tractors in the same way especially when back dragging logs etc

Dave M70400

 

[4570Man]

If you have a grapple you need to watch this video produced by Messicks which shows how easy it is to create very high pressures in the loader hydraulic system.

Increasing the grapple cylinder size will just further increase the pressures you can create possibly leading to damage

How grapples can be dangerous! Protect your hydraulic system. - YouTube

Dave M7040

You’re wrong about the bigger cylinder size creating more pressure. The bigger cylinder will clamp harder but when you’re applying load to the cylinder the bigger cylinder will have less pressure build than the smaller cylinder.

 

[Dave M7040]

You’re wrong about the bigger cylinder size creating more pressure. The bigger cylinder will clamp harder but when you’re applying load to the cylinder the bigger cylinder will have less pressure build than the smaller cylinder.

I accept your point that my logic was reversed

Dave M7040

 

[CoyPatton]

You’re wrong about the bigger cylinder size creating more pressure. The bigger cylinder will clamp harder but when you’re applying load to the cylinder the bigger cylinder will have less pressure build than the smaller cylinder.

I would agree with this assessment. However the backlog, if you will, pressure build up will likely be the same on the system so the potential for damage to pump and other components remains the same.
But having said that, if you replace your cylinder, be certain that you maintain the correct length of your rod or you run a risk of damaging a part of the grapple if you clamp one part against another part. By bigger I mean larger diameter only. Also keep in mind that mounts may need to be rebuild to accommodate the bigger cylinder mounting points.

 

[4570Man]

I would agree with this assessment. However the backlog, if you will, pressure build up will likely be the same on the system so the potential for damage to pump and other components remains the same.
But having said that, if you replace your cylinder, be certain that you maintain the correct length of your rod or you run a risk of damaging a part of the grapple if you clamp one part against another part. By bigger I mean larger diameter only. Also keep in mind that mounts may need to be rebuild to accommodate the bigger cylinder mounting points.

The back pressure is limited by the force the loader could apply so the big cylinder would be less. I really don’t see that as a problem anyway. The value is holding the pressure. Blowing a hose is about the worst that could happen. But bending the probably dinky grapple is almost a certainty with the bigger cylinder.