granite grapple

[RK55guy]

any opinions on the granite grapple from rural king. i recently bought the rk55s and am considering a grapple. i dont know anything about a grapple and have never used one. i have been watching videos on youtube and think it would be very hany when cutting firewood. thanks in advance for the insight

 

[oosik]

I bought a very heavy duty grapple from Land Pride - SGC1560 - 60" wide, 820 pounds. About 50% of my use is picking, moving and placing LARGE boulders. So far, after five years of use, I've only been able to chip some of the powder coat paint off the tines.

There are basically two types of grapples - rock and root with shorter, thicker tines and brush grapple with its longer tines. Then there is the single top lid or double top lid types. Mine is the single lid - rock & root type. Consider what you plan on doing with the grapple and choose accordingly.

Oh, then there is the discussion of - - how wide should the grapple be. At 60" inches wide - mine is just about as wide as my front tires.

The grapple is an amazingly useful implement. So far I've never taken the grapple off and put the bucket back on.

 

[RK55guy]

thanks oosik. very helpful info. if i end up buying a grapple, 99.9% of its use will be lifting logs and cleaning up the brushy stuff.

 

[uptaker73]

I purchased the grapple with my 37. It is by far my favorite addition to my tractor. I have moved brush, logs and even piles of leaves. Leaves can be moved easily if you gently close the grapple.

 

[RTBee]

Just waiting for my tax refund. I'll be adding a grapple and a thumb for the backhoe. Have only heard great things from using a grapple and the one Rural King offers is just right for us. I'll be doing a lot of logs/brush, but also stone and rocks.

 

[oosik]

It is simply amazing what I do with my grapple. I'm almost 100% sure some of the tasks I do were never considered by Land Pride. A list:

pick, move, place large rock

backdrag with top lid to collect & gather most anything on the surface of the ground - leaves, gravel, sticks & twigs, rocks etc

backdrag with either top or bottom lid to smooth & spread dirt and anything else ( cow poo )

pick, move, place chunks of log ( my lifting capacity is a tad above 3000 pounds )

dig holes in the ground OR simply grab great bites of ground and move to an appropriate location

grab most anything of "appropriate" size and RIP it out of the ground

use as a tool of "intimidation" to move stubborn cows - grapple a couple feet off the ground, jaws half way open - tends to startle and move cows along

AND the really neat thing - - I'm finding new tasks to accomplish with the grapple almost every day

Ok RK55guy - - a last suggestion - if you do get a grapple - STRONGLY consider adding a form of shielding to your grill guard Sticks, stobs, limbs etc will find the most God-awful way of causing damage to your grill or radiator or battery. The added shielding might just save your day.View attachment 581259View attachment 581260View attachment 581261

 

[RK55guy]

thanks everybody. as rtbee said, as long as the mrs. hasnt made plans for the tax return, i see a grapple on the front of my rk55.

 

[Polkchop]

I purchased the granite grapple with my 55, and it has by far exceeded my expectations. I used it to tear down and crush an old shed then load it in my dump trailer, then used it to break up the concrete slab as well. I was not expecting it to work as well as it did being it is made for a compact tractor and not a loader or skid. The only complaint I have with my grapple is it seems the teeth are welded to the bar on the top half of the grapple, and some how I managed to bend one while picking up some logs at my house. Not a big issue, just frustrating, but I can bend it back, and will be welding in some bracing in the near future. I'd still say it is well worth the money, and if you can do it, buy one.

 

[heavy hammer]

A grapple is the best attachment you can have for a tractor. I use mine for cutting, hauling etc. processing firewood. I never put the bucket on, I use the grapple for everything clearing the woods taking down trees. It is the first thing I purchased after my tractor and I don't regret it.

 

[dbchaplin03]

I purchased the granite grapple with my 55, and it has by far exceeded my expectations. I used it to tear down and crush an old shed then load it in my dump trailer, then used it to break up the concrete slab as well. I was not expecting it to work as well as it did being it is made for a compact tractor and not a loader or skid. The only complaint I have with my grapple is it seems the teeth are welded to the bar on the top half of the grapple, and some how I managed to bend one while picking up some logs at my house. Not a big issue, just frustrating, but I can bend it back, and will be welding in some bracing in the near future. I'd still say it is well worth the money, and if you can do it, buy one.

Polkchop, its been a couple of years since you posted this, can you give me the long term review of how this has held up? I really like the design of the bottom tines compared to most others Ive looked at. Unlike most people Ive owned several different grapple buckets over the years for various pieces of equipment. Ive owned one from EA which was great, another from a company out of Minnesota that was awesome but so heavy it gobbled up most of my skid steers lift capacity, and Ive also owned a couple of cheap ones from Titan (pallet forks .com).

Im looking at either the 60in or 72in for a new Kubota L6060 I ordered. Was planning on buying a Wicked from EA but stumbled on these doing my research and like that i can have it in just a few days by ordering through the store.