Grapple Stand?

[RedNeckGeek]

Anybody make/use a stand for their root grapple?



I have an EA 66"er, and the lower tines are too short to hold the back of the grapple vertical when it's off the SSQA. I end up uncurling the FEL so the back sits parallel to the ground. Easy to disconnect the SSQA, but a little more challenging to get the SSQA mated again the next time the grapple is used.

I was thinking of making some kind of stand that would hold the grapple upright, maybe using 4x4 lumber and heavy duty corner brackets. But I've no idea how strong I'd have to make it. I'm also lazy, and would just like to copy somebody else's good idea...:laughing:

 

[cholland]

I open mine up to take it off, then it should stand up a little and not be parallel to the ground. Lately I have been just leaning mine against the bank near my shed. But a stand would be nice.

 

[ns_in_tex]

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums...oot-rake-grapple-491727-6-unmounted-rear-view
This shows a foot we built onto ours, which works well. When on the tractor, we just pull a pin, kind of like a trailer hitch, and turn the foot upside down and sideways to store, in the receiver just above the foot, while the grapple is in use.

This picture was in the our early days and we also had to build a pin on either side to hold the top partially open to enable parking.
Later on, we mounted a 12" wide removable steel plate across the tines and lid, to enable picking up anything from old roof shingles, gravel, or dirt. Now days we hardly ever install the 12" plate on the lid and hardly ever remove the plate across the rear tines, because unless grappling for roots, it is more useful to have the plate installed. This plate keeps the lid tines from lapping the rear tines when the grapple lid is closed, so it holds the lid up enough to remove the grapple when storing it.

 

[K5lwq]

I open my EA 55" about 1/3 of the way and it stays pretty well. I have had it close on me a couple of times by miss judging my alignment. I always plug the hoses together when not attached to a tractor.

 

[i7win7]

SGC6 Series Claw Grapples | Land Pride

Have 2 small kickstands on rear of grapple, maybe something similar can be made?

 

[ehcrain]

I use two cinderblocks below the ssqa plate to hold mine upright during storage

 

[Xfaxman]

This is what was on my first grapple, removable stands:

 

[flypress]

I just open the grapple as wide as it can go (HLA Root Rake grapple) and set it down on the points.

 

[RedNeckGeek]

I'm really likin' the prop stand ideas, folks. I'll poke around in the junk piles today and see what I can come up with.

Thanks!!!:thumbsup:

 

[LouieJunior]