Grapple Rake versus Grapple Bucket for handling brush

[tommcintire]

Was wondering about people's thoughts on grapple rakes versus grapple buckets for moving brush. I would think the rake would be the "ideal" for the task, but how well does a bucket do?

My dilemma is that I can get a rake for about $2000 for my tractor, but a bucket will "only" be about $1200. $800 is nothing to sneeze at, but if it isn't going to do the job I want it to do, it isn't worth it.

The backstory:

I've got about 1/4 acre I have cleared so far of dense growth that is anywhere from 1 - 3 inches in diameter, and about 30 feet tall. It is all piled in the edge of the field. Tractor goes in today for aux hydraulics on front, and I have a rental grapple rake lined up for when I need it, but with the price of rental, in 8 weekends, I can buy a grapple rake.

Thoughts?

-Tom

 

[mikim]

with a bucket you end up picking up a lot of dirt vs. a rake. I have my rake for when I want to move brush...and a bucket for moving dirt...and a QA so changing them out takes just a minute - literally.

 

[kennyd]

You can get a Markham LD-48 for right about $1000...

Do a search for "Markham", then call Mellisa and get a quote.

 

[mlitt12345]

I have both and the root grapple is superior for brush cleanup....Mike

 

[tommcintire]

You can get a Markham LD-48 for right about $1000...

Do a search for "Markham", then call Mellisa and get a quote.

Thanks... They are the manufacturer I was already thinking of going with. In the past, I had quoted a 72 inch heavy duty grapple. Obviously there is a difference, but I am thinking the 48 or 60 inch light duty might be the ticket for my tractor.

Any thoughts on "how wide is right" for a tractor? My NH 2310 has a 72 inch bucket, and is rated for about 1 ton at the pins for lift power. I know this to be roughly right, as I have unloaded 1 ton pallets of bedding pellets with it, and I can handle them, but just barely...

-Tom

 

[Tailrotor]

Thanks... They are the manufacturer I was already thinking of going with. In the past, I had quoted a 72 inch heavy duty grapple. Obviously there is a difference, but I am thinking the 48 or 60 inch light duty might be the ticket for my tractor.

Any thoughts on "how wide is right" for a tractor? My NH 2310 has a 72 inch bucket, and is rated for about 1 ton at the pins for lift power. I know this to be roughly right, as I have unloaded 1 ton pallets of bedding pellets with it, and I can handle them, but just barely...

-Tom

tommcintire

You should only go as wide as your front wheels with a grapple, Do not go as wide as your bucket.

Also have you checked ANBO Grapple company top of the line and twice as strong as regular steel but half the weight. Here is the link ,I am very pleased with mine . About Anbo Grapples

 

[kennyd]

Thanks... They are the manufacturer I was already thinking of going with. In the past, I had quoted a 72 inch heavy duty grapple. Obviously there is a difference, but I am thinking the 48 or 60 inch light duty might be the ticket for my tractor.

Any thoughts on "how wide is right" for a tractor? My NH 2310 has a 72 inch bucket, and is rated for about 1 ton at the pins for lift power. I know this to be roughly right, as I have unloaded 1 ton pallets of bedding pellets with it, and I can handle them, but just barely...

-Tom

Do some searching of IslandTractor's posts, he swears 48" is all anyone needs...I certainly would not go bigger than the 60"

 

[HCJtractor]

By all means, get a 48" Markham. If your lift capacity is about 2000 lbs., I would beef up the light duty and have them make it with 1/2" steel which only costs a little more and gives more strength, although the standard light duty is still very strong. I have one on my 70 horse Kubota and it works unbelievably well in clearing trees like you describe. It's simply my favorite implement. I ordered mine and had it custom made and delivered in only one week. I agree, Island Tractor has many posts about these grapples and he is the guru of knowledge.

 

[tommcintire]

Thanks to everyone for their thoughts. As always, this board is a wealth of knowledge.

I am thinking I could use this to continue my "tree removal project" as well, which is where all the existing brush piles came from. What is complete to date was accomplished by using the bucket to knock down trees (30 feet tall, 1 - 2 inches diameter, for the most part) and pushing them into piles at the edge of the field. I stopped, as I couldn't handle the brush anymore. Pushing it with the bucket just wasn't working...

Thanks also for the tip on the upgraded tines. It is about $200 extra, from talking to Melissa.

-Tom

 

[mlitt12345]

Here is a pic of the Markham 60" med duty grapple made with 1/2" steel. It was $1276.00 shipped and it weighs around 500lbs....my tractor has about the same lift capacity as yours and you could get by with the cheaper light duty one if you wanted....its made with 3/8" steel and about 75lbs lighter......Mike

 

[mlitt12345]

here is a pic of my grapple bucket......it works ok but does get dirt in with your pile.......Mike

 

[tommcintire]

Thanks to everyone for their input. Just chatted with Melissa at Markham Welding, and ordered myself the medium duty 60 inch grapple. Freight is a bit more coming this far north, but they say it will be at the terminal on Friday.

Now I just need to go at lunchtime and get my seasonal burn permit for the property, and I'll be burning brush on Saturday or Sunday!

-Tom

 

[HCJtractor]

You probably know this, but make sure you have the right hydraulic quick connects. The grapple probably comes with flat face skid steer type whereas most tractors use the ag type. If you are anxious to use it this weekend, don't make the mistake I made and have to search for these connectors when every hydraulic shop is closed.

 

[tommcintire]

You probably know this, but make sure you have the right hydraulic quick connects. The grapple probably comes with flat face skid steer type whereas most tractors use the ag type. If you are anxious to use it this weekend, don't make the mistake I made and have to search for these connectors when every hydraulic shop is closed.

Good advice. I actually had Melissa add an extra set of fittings that terminate out to female pipe thread. The tractor is coming back from the shop today with just caps on the hydraulic fittings. They also are throwing in some 3/8" to 1/2" bushings, as earlier they told me the wrong pipe thread size on their hydraulic runs.

My theory is that I am going to use skid-steer attachments on front, so I will get skid-steer couplers. If I later add rear remotes, I will put ag style on those, as the connected equipment will likely be ag equipment.

Worst case, I go to my tractor shop at 8 AM Saturday morning with fittings in hand and have them give me the "right ones". They, thankfully, are open on Saturday, and have a full hydraulic shop.

Can't wait for Friday to get here, so I can get this thing home and try it out!

-Tom

 

[bucmeister]

A grapple is the next handiest thing to the loader itself. The Markham looks very similar to the one I got from JEB Supply on eBay

 

[tommcintire]

It hit the freight dock at 5 AM. I picked it up 30 minutes ago. Now I have to endure a day of work while it sits in the bed of my pickup...

Hopefully it will get a good workout this weekend. The pictures looked plenty rugged, but in person, ****! that's a piece of machinery!

Hope to have pics on Flickr of it by Monday, and hope to have a lot less brush by Monday!

-Tom

 

[jerry shannon]

No doubt about it in my opinion. A grapple/rake is far superior to moving brush than a rake/bucket unit I have a rake grapple and it has moved at least 100 trees, all the bursh and the ocasional bolder off my 50 acres and fence rows. My grapple is on my Bobcat 863 turbo model F. It is rated at 73 hp and just under 2000 lbs of lift. The grapple is great for cleanup.

 

[murphy1244]

No doubt about it in my opinion. A grapple/rake is far superior to moving brush than a rake/bucket unit I have a rake grapple and it has moved at least 100 trees, all the bursh and the ocasional bolder off my 50 acres and fence rows. My grapple is on my Bobcat 863 turbo model F. It is rated at 73 hp and just under 2000 lbs of lift. The grapple is great for cleanup.

Your responding to a 3 year old thread.

 

[jerry shannon]

Saw that after I had already hit send. Oh well,,, maybe some one else out there is contemplating the same type of question. I was just surfing. Thanks for pointing it out.