GRAPPLE LOAD BALANCING

[flINTLOCK]

I have used my Anbo 66" clamshell grapple for many things in the 4 months since I got it. I try to balance the load when lifting 20-30 foot tree trunk for chainsaw cross-bucking, but I wondered how much off of center balance point is safe to avoid twisting loader arms??

 

[IslandTractor]

I'd be more concerned about tractor stability than the loader arm issue. If the load is well enough balanced to move safely you are unlikely to hurt the loader.

 

[flINTLOCK]

I knew IT would respond to grapple question. When cross-buckin', I'm not moving tractor much, just grabbing piece of timber and moving straight back a couple of feet to cut it. Not much of a transport issue. I try to grab pieces off center toward the stump end to balance. Just curious if I grappled toward end of a log that I could still lift but would be greatly out of balance, whether it could be an issue??

 

[IslandTractor]

I knew IT would respond to grapple question.

I'm a grapple nerd, what can I say?

I understand your question and have had the same concern myself. However, if you think about how people often hook the corner of a bucket or grapple on something too heavy to lift and exert asymmetric force on the FEL that way, I doubt that lifting a log somewhat off center (or lifting it centered then cutting off one end) is any worse for the loader. I have done what you are proposing to do and had no trouble.

 

[PineRidge]

We try to grab a tree with the grapple as close to the center as possible and keeping it fairly low cut from both sides to center to keep things balanced. Haven't had an issue using this technique yet.