Grapple Ebay Grapple, anyone know about it

VT_Kioti · Feb 25, 2006

I mounted "The Thumb" from www.greens-machine.com. last summer on my CK30HST. It is very well built and the company worked with me to get it right. I like the fact that it is a single cylinder grapple. Keeps the weight down and leaves more capacity to work with. I would defiantly do it again.
Al

Well.....maybe not defiantly but I would do it again.

Builder · Feb 25, 2006

( I mounted "The Thumb" from www.greens-machine.com. last summer on my CK30HST. It is very well built and the company worked with me to get it right. I like the fact that it is a single cylinder grapple. Keeps the weight down and leaves more capacity to work with. I would defiantly do it again.
Al
)
Hey that's really nice, and affordable, too. Looks great for picking up demolition junk I frequently run into. Does it seem like it'll rip out the steel on the top of your bucket?

canoetrpr · Feb 26, 2006

( I mounted "The Thumb" from www.greens-machine.com. last summer on my CK30HST. It is very well built and the company worked with me to get it right. I like the fact that it is a single cylinder grapple. Keeps the weight down and leaves more capacity to work with. I would defiantly do it again.
Al

That looks like an AWESOME toy. Looks affordable enough that as a homeowner I could justify it to pick up this and that around here. I don't need capability of a real grapple.

What is involved in getting the hydraulics hooked up? Do you need an extra remote, diverter valve ? Did you do this yourself or get someone to do it for you? What did the installation end up costing you?

Well.....maybe not defiantly but I would do it again. )

Highbeam · Feb 26, 2006

The thumb only comes with the thumb. The bucket mount hardware looks to be a custom piece made locally.

350$ plus 80 for shipping ain't bad. You then buy hoses, fittings, the diverter setup, and then fab up the mount. I'm guessing the thumb piece is less than half of the cost.

I sure like the looks of it on a CK30 though.

IslandTractor · Feb 26, 2006

Another alternative is the Add A Grapple from precisionmfg.com. It costs about $500 but has the bolt on mounting hardware included (hydraulic valve diverter set up extra). One difference is that it is not mounted directly to the top of the bucket and therefore it is compatable with having a welded hook in the center of the bucket (as I do).

Builder · Feb 26, 2006

I'd like to find one that could have a removeable grapple, so when I'm doing digging work, it won't be in my sight lines. The mounting plate could stay, but maybe the grapple and hydrualic cylinder could be removed.

VT_Kioti · Feb 26, 2006

L39Builder & canoetrpr
The diverter valve for the hydraulics is a seperate item and of course seperate cost. (about $400 for the diverter and joystick control. These I purchased from W R Long. Very complete setup and everything is included in the kit including easy to follow mounting instructions. If you don't have a third control on the loader or don't want to use a rear remote and very long hoses you will have to use a diverter kit. I did the install myself but here on TBN you are never alone in these things. The best help you could ever get is here and free for the asking.

The grapple form Greens Machine is very well built but you will have to fab a mount for the top of the bucket if the bucket is not heavy duty. I built about what IslandTractor is showing with the Add A Grapple post. That one looks a little wider and might work better with buckets wider than the 54" bucket that I use.
You can see my installation in the post; A grapple for fabrication challenged folks like me

Don't forget to post when you get started and include plenty of pictures. We love pictures of projects. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Al

Builder · Feb 26, 2006

Wow! I'm green (or maybe orange) with envy!! That's really slick. I don't quite understand the joystick. Does it replace the joystick on my Kubota? It has an electric switch that turns a normal loader function into a "grapple open/grapple close" function, or do you retain all FEL functions?

My local dealer wants $750 to install the Kubota joystick & remote outlets to the FEL. It looks really "factory", but it's a lot of money. How much do you think I'd save setting it up myself?

VT_Kioti · Feb 26, 2006

If the W R Long prices haven't gone up, you would save about $350 on the diverter. Nelson Long is great to work with. The setup on my tractor was just removing the knob on the factory joystick and replace it with the one shown. I then put a piece of wire loom around the wires and joystick rod and taped them well with electrical tape. Looks pretty good and keeps the wires from getting caught on anything. The W R Long kit has everything you need in it for your tractor make and model so it's easy to install. If you choose to go this route be sure you ask about a relay in the switch circuit so it does not overload the switch on the handle. Very easy to install. Ask PineRidge about it. He has helped me and there are others who understand this stuff.
When you push the button on the stick it diverts the flow from one circuit to another. So Button not pushed = Loader arms up and down, Button pushed = Grapple opens or closes. Very easy to use and evrything is at you finger tips.
Can't really tell with the Add A Grapple but most including mine come off with 3 pins and diconceting two hoses. Takes about 1 min to remove and 1 1/2 min to mount.

Al

Highbeam · Feb 26, 2006

The standard diverter setup diverts a function from the noral 4 of the loader. (up bucket, down bucket, curl, dump) Usually the curl/dump functions are replaced with the grapple open/grapple closed function. This diversion only occurs when you press a little button. The default position is curl/dump. The only weakness of this setup is that you can't simultaneously curl and close the grapple. Folks with this diverter setup don't seem to have a problem with that. Too bad it's 400$, but that get's you a quality setup. Compare that price to adding a new rear remote and it seems in line with the costs of hydraulic stuff.

So far it seems that all of thse grapples utilize removable pins at the grapple hings and hydraulic mounts meaning you could remove those pins and take the grapple off for loader work if you felt it was in the way.

I would not recommend bolting any of these directly to the top of the bucket. Take advantage of this oppurtunity to build a stout platform for the grapple and a foundation for hooks.

It seems worth the extra 150$ to get the foundation frame that the green thumb setup lacks.

Builder · Feb 26, 2006

( The standard diverter setup diverts a function from the noral 4 of the loader. (up bucket, down bucket, curl, dump) Usually the curl/dump functions are replaced with the grapple open/grapple closed function. This diversion only occurs when you press a little button. The default position is curl/dump. The only weakness of this setup is that you can't simultaneously curl and close the grapple. Folks with this diverter setup don't seem to have a problem with that. Too bad it's 400$, but that get's you a quality setup. Compare that price to adding a new rear remote and it seems in line with the costs of hydraulic stuff.
)

You lost me there. Sorry I'm so thick headed. What do you mean "Too bad it's $400, but that gets you a quality set up".

( "So far it seems that all of thse grapples utilize removable pins at the grapple hings and hydraulic mounts meaning you could remove those pins and take the grapple off for loader work if you felt it was in the way.

I would not recommend bolting any of these directly to the top of the bucket. Take advantage of this oppurtunity to build a stout platform for the grapple and a foundation for hooks.

It seems worth the extra 150$ to get the foundation frame that the green thumb setup lacks. " )

Is there a foundation frame made for an L-39 bucket? Or do you mean like welding a thick steel plate to the top & sides of the bucket?

Sorry for the rookie questions. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Highbeam · Feb 26, 2006

In Islandtractor and VTkioti's photos you will see the long piece of square tube or channel that spans the entire bucket top. On each end of that long channel or tube a piece of plate ties it to the sides of the bucket to leave the original top of the bucket untouched, there is an actual gap. That is good since the bucket tops are generally the weakest part. The long piece of channel/tube and the plates all get hard mounted to the bucket and is what I call the mounting frame or foundation for the grapple. The foundation part is not supplied by all manufacturers so you may have to make your own to fit your L39. The grapple itself pins onto the foundation. You can remove the grapple but the foundation stays in place.

"What do you mean "Too bad it's $400, but that gets you a quality set up". "

By that I meant, -it is too bad the diverter setup from WRLong is 400$, that's a lot of money, but that cost is justified by the quality of the kit that you receive by paying WRLong 400$.

Builder · Feb 26, 2006

OK, thanks. You guys are really understanding & helpful here. I plan on being the same way back to others when I can help.

I see what you mean about the foundation. I think I'd lean towards a kit that makes a foundation available for my L39. heck, maybe Kubota sells one???

canoetrpr · Feb 26, 2006

Thanks for all the info folks. This has been a really nice thread.

If I go and do this the Add a Grapple does seem like a good bet with the mounting kit. The diverter setup seems way better than using a remote valve for grapple function - with a separate lever.

IslandTractor · Feb 27, 2006

I'm also close to a decision on the Add A Grapple. PrecisionMfg also makes a hydraulic diverter kit but I have heard so many good things about the WRLong kit that I may buy the diverter kit separately. I tried to talk Nelson into producing a grapple kit but it sounds like they are busy enough with their big boy grapple business and won't get to it for a while. The other company that makes a nice grapple add on kit is ATI however there is a welding step in the installation which is not the case with the Add A Grapple. I'd like to learn some welding skills but I need the grapple to be functional this century so I'll probably stick with the AAG. Just to be clear, the AAG will require a bit of adjustment for my 54" bucket but I am assured by the manufacturer it is just cutting the support bar to length.

tlbuser · Feb 27, 2006

( [How about the hookup to your QA? Pretty close?]

Joe, the grapple hooked up to the QA without any problems. However, the attachment is little loose on the bottom because the QA pins on my tractor do not engage into the holes deep enough. It appears that there is too much space between the top of the skid steer plate and the bottom at the pin attachment holes. To fix this I going to have a welder install a 1/4 inch riser plate on top of the existing pin attachment holes to shorten the distance. Jim )

Before welding tabs on, you might want to make sure the pin slots on the grapple qa plate are correct. In my experience, it is not uncommon for the slots to be too narrow from front to back which doesn't allow the pin to go through all the way. You may just need to drill out the existing holes.

VT_Kioti · Feb 27, 2006

I’m going to veer off thread here a little bit but it seems the answer to a question is here. I have just installed an ATI quick attach on my CK30. When mounting the bucket, the pins do not go all the way through the bottom holes. They seem to be held in place by a down force spring. Question: SHOULD the pins go all the way through the holes?
Sorry about the diversion.
Thanks
Al

Highbeam · Feb 27, 2006

You get all the cool toys Al.

Are you making the Kioti bucket into a QA bucket?

chanceu · Mar 23, 2006

There is another comparable grapple I found and am wondering if anyone knows anything about it. It is called "The Arm".

http://www.dehnerwelding.com/THEARM.html

At least from the eBay prices, they are about the same cost. The Thumb has teeth, but The Arm is more rounded and seems like it might wrap around better. The Arm also looks to be a little wider.

Anybody?

VT_Kioti · Mar 23, 2006

Highbeam
Howdy.....The dealer made the bucket into a QA for me. He had to cut the mounting bracket off and weld a QA plate on in there place. The only tricky thing is not loosing the angle on the bucket when attached. You could really mess it up here.
I am now going to make a Boom Pole like the one DullPain and KennyV made. Looks like it could be real handy.