Grapple Grapple Photos

[Rockgod]

Finally got the Root Grapple hooked up so between rain storms I snapped a few photos

Used it a little yesterday but everything is so wet things became counter-productive real quick.

 

[kday64]

Great looking setup! CHEERS

 

[GreatWhitehunter]

Very nice, who manufactured it? I looks very similar to the Millonzi unit's that that ceased to exsist due to the company folding after the owners demise.

Matt

 

[Marveltone]

That looks just plain mean! You will no doubt find no end of jobs to do with it, and after awhile, you'll wonder how you ever lived without it.

Joe

 

[Rockgod]

Very nice, who manufactured it? I looks very similar to the Millonzi unit's that that ceased to exsist due to the company folding after the owners demise.

Matt

Matt,

It's a Fabtech/Versatech brand which I picked up semi-locally (90 miles round trip). Kind of a lucky find and at the last minute too. I was all set to buy the Construction Attachments brand from Everything Attachments when I stumbled across this one.

Can't say I'm all that familiar with the Millonzi's but I have heard the name.

 

[jake98]

Good luck with it! :thumbsup:

 

[GreatWhitehunter]

Matt,

It's a Fabtech/Versatech brand which I picked up semi-locally (90 miles round trip). Kind of a lucky find and at the last minute too. I was all set to buy the Construction Attachments brand from Everything Attachments when I stumbled across this one.

Can't say I'm all that familiar with the Millonzi's but I have heard the name.

Millonzi, was kind of the first company to market grapple's for the CUT market. There's a fellow on here named Island tractor, he's kind of the godfather of grapples on TBN. You'll quickly find how many uses the grapple has. I was torn between this style and the ATI clamshell type but for my needs this style is the best fit. Now have fun playing with your new toy!

Matt

 

[Tbird1]

Very nice set up. I'm about to take delivery on a new Grand L 4240, also with a root grapple. However, the dealer ordered one from ceattachments.com and it appears to be for a skid steer. http://www.ceattachments.com/Libraries/Skid_Steer_Spec_Sheets/Brush_Root_Grapples.pdf
I'm a little concerned about the extra weight on the 854 FEL. Looks like this one is 820 lbs, at 72". I'm thinking that while the 854 shouldn't have trouble handling it, I wonder if it's overkill. I'm clearing brush and some fairly large ash trees. I've seen the offerings from everythingattachments.com and also looked at the versatech you purchased. Mine comes in at around $2500. Any thoughts? Thanks for your input.

 

[magicheater]

I am selling my ANBO brush root grapple, 68" wide. Well built unit but I just don't use it.

 

[HCJtractor]

That looks great. I am sure you will get lots of use out of it, as grapples are the most useful implement on a tractor in my opinion.

Now to stir up a debate. I use mine mostly for clearing trees and large overgrown bushes (what we call privey hedge around here) I approach a tree, say up to 8 inches in diameter, hit it high and push it over as best I can. Of course some trees are just too well rooted or just too big for my tractor (a M 6800 weighing close to 8000 lbs) You will develop a feel for which ones can be uprooted. I then back up, plunge the teeth under the root ball and curl as I push forward. If all works well, the root ball is plucked from the ground. Pick it up and carry it to a pile. Now in my experience a wide grapple like yours may be great for clearing brush but is too wide for plucking trees like I described. Even with my 48", stubborn trees require me to use the corner of my grapple or just two teeth to dig and break the roots. Sometimes I have to work around the tree digging and breaking roots almost like using a backhoe, before it will finally surrender. I think a wide grapple on a CUT cannot focus the pressure with enough force to uproot, because tractors just don't have to power in the FEL to do that. Now I think a wider grapple would do just fine (or even better than a narrower one) if you are clearing small stuff. You can tilt forward, sink the teeth a couple of inches and drive forward skimming the ground and clearing the growth and uprooting bushes and saplings. But for uprooting larger trees, the 48" will work better. I have pushed down many hundreds and developed this into an art! Some of you will disagree and profess the superiority of a wide one, but this is my opinion after using extensively for three years. But any grapple is better than no grapple!! They are fun to use.

 

[HCJtractor]

Let me also offer one other bit of advice. Grapples are great at driving into piles of debris and grabbing big mouthfulls. But the front of your tractor, the grill and lights, are very vulnerable to the sharpened limb or stick that will find a way to impale your grill. Before you get too carried away, make a good grill guard to protect the front. I just welded up one from bar grateing that gives me good protection. Just wish I had done this before I trashed my grill, bent my hood, and broke my headlights! Learn from my mistake before you regret it. You just can't see what is happening up there. And you will be tempted to plunge into thickets knocking down all in your path once you feel the power!

 

[Rockgod]

Very nice set up. I'm about to take delivery on a new Grand L 4240, also with a root grapple. However, the dealer ordered one from ceattachments.com and it appears to be for a skid steer. http://www.ceattachments.com/Libraries/Skid_Steer_Spec_Sheets/Brush_Root_Grapples.pdf
I'm a little concerned about the extra weight on the 854 FEL. Looks like this one is 820 lbs, at 72". I'm thinking that while the 854 shouldn't have trouble handling it, I wonder if it's overkill. I'm clearing brush and some fairly large ash trees. I've seen the offerings from everythingattachments.com and also looked at the versatech you purchased. Mine comes in at around $2500. Any thoughts? Thanks for your input.

That's a pretty nice looking looking grapple I must say. However at 820 lbs I couldn't see putting it on my tractor, but that doesn't mean it won't work for you The one I just bought weighs in right at 500 lbs and cost a little under $1000. When I first started looking I was convinced on a 60" and no more than 400lbs. That said I just couldn't pass on the deal..

 

[Rockgod]

Let me also offer one other bit of advice. Grapples are great at driving into piles of debris and grabbing big mouthfulls. But the front of your tractor, the grill and lights, are very vulnerable to the sharpened limb or stick that will find a way to impale your grill. Before you get too carried away, make a good grill guard to protect the front. I just welded up one from bar grateing that gives me good protection. Just wish I had done this before I trashed my grill, bent my hood, and broke my headlights! Learn from my mistake before you regret it. You just can't see what is happening up there. And you will be tempted to plunge into thickets knocking down all in your path once you feel the power!

Harold,

That's something that very much concerns me. I can't believe Kubota doesn't make/sell a grill guard that adresses this problem. Jd make a great guard for around $260 that bolts right on. Wonder if it would fit on a Kubota :ashamed:

 

[JB4310]

Harold,

That's something that very much concerns me. I can't believe Kubota doesn't make/sell a grill guard that adresses this problem. Jd make a great guard for around $260 that bolts right on. Wonder if it would fit on a Kubota :ashamed:

You have the standard grill guard, just need to modify yours a little, for that price you could add expanded metal and a couple of wings.
I'd be concerned about the hood as well.

JB

 

[dstig1]

I thought about making a grill guard, but decided to move the guard onto the grapple itself. It helps brush pickup and addresses the problem right at the source. I added 3/4" #9 expanded metal to the open center area, so it holds in basically everything but I can still see through it easily. I also added the angle brackets to help it stay put on the SSQA arms (an issue with the Gator design on a Kubota QA). The areas of the back not covered at the outside edges are covered by the QA plates when on the loader.

 

[Rockgod]

I thought about making a grill guard, but decided to move the guard onto the grapple itself. It helps brush pickup and addresses the problem right at the source. I added 3/4" #9 expanded metal to the open center area, so it holds in basically everything but I can still see through it easily. I also added the angle brackets to help it stay put on the SSQA arms (an issue with the Gator design on a Kubota QA). The areas of the back not covered at the outside edges are covered by the QA plates when on the loader.

That looks like a step in the right direction. Well done! :thumbsup:

 

[HCJtractor]

Harold,

That's something that very much concerns me. I can't believe Kubota doesn't make/sell a grill guard that adresses this problem. Jd make a great guard for around $260 that bolts right on. Wonder if it would fit on a Kubota :ashamed:

I never checked with Kubota. They may make one. On the other hand, it was a good first project for my new welder! The Deere guard that you show still would concern me. It gives no protection down low, and that's where my tractor got impaled from. I'll have to post some pixs of mine, but I may be embarrased. It was my first welding project and it is not exactly a work of art, but it does serve its purpose. I made an angle iron frame and used bar grating for the screen, so its pretty bombproof, just not pretty!

The expanded metal on the grapple is also a great idea. In reality, having both types of guards would be good. I sometimes injure my tractor when I drive over saplings, especially ones that break off and lean towards me. They seem to find the opennings. So it's not just the stuff I am grabbing with the grapple, as it's also the nature of plunging into thickets blindly. And believe me, if you have a grapple, nothing is more fun than lowering it and knocking stuff down!

 

[dex3361]

I am selling my ANBO brush root grapple, 68" wide. Well built unit but I just don't use it.

Which model Anbo grapple is it? I have an Anbo Grapple rake and it is very high quality and very light weight for its size.