Grapple vs forks

[Fordman98]

I've been looking into getting a tractor and thought I needed a grapple. I have 5.5 acres of wooded land so I thought the grapple would be necessary for moving brush and trees around. However I'm seeing a lot of people using pallet forks for these tasks.

What's everyones opinion on pallet forks instead of a grapple. Obviously the grapple would be much nicer and easier to use,but its also going to add roughly $3000 to the cost of the Tractor.

 

[jeff9366]

VIDEO TRACTOR PALLET FORKS: tractor pallet forks - YouTube

VIDEO: TRACTOR SSQA PALLET FORKS: tractor pallet forks SSQA - YouTube

 

[Fuddy1952]

Last year I bought a new JD with a lot of attachments, and then ordered a grapple as well as a kit for front hydraulics, joystick, etc.
I think I've used it twice. I should have thought more about it, weighing out the cost/amount used.

 

[bcp]

Pallet forks for logs works pretty good, if the logs aren't too long.

Using pallet forks for brush can be frustrating. Stick them under a pile, lift, and all you've done is create two piles as the brush slides off to each side.

Brush forks will work better with small piles, but about the same with large piles.

Being able to clamp the brush is a huge help.

Try picking up loose piles of something, but not using your thumb. Do it again, but use your thumb. Using your thumb is like using a grapple.

Bruce

 

[GMIslander]

I have both, use my forks for pallets, love my grapple and it's a cheap 48" single cylinder. Get a grapple unless you have pallets to move around.

 

[CMV]

I don't have a grapple. There are times - like after cutting down & limbing a few trees - a grapple would be really nice. However, what I've found is my "poor man's compromise"....a rock bucket. Due to it's shape/design, I can push a brush pile fairly well or I can pile up brush on it a lot more than regular bucket or pallet forks. A grapple would still work better, but the way I see it it goes like this: Grapple > rock bucket > pallet forks > standard bucket.

So that's an option. I bought mine used and is oversized for my machine. It's a standard 72" rock bucket for a skid steer. But for $600 a lot less than full blown grapple + front remote. At ~700lbs though it does eat up a lot of lift capacity. I can't overload my regular 72" bucket with dirt - if i can scoop it, the tractor will lift it. With the rock bucket being longer, heavier, & can hold more, I can take a bite to big to break out. But with just tree limbs/brush I can't overload it. Could get a pretty big pile and wrap with a cargo strap to take a long way if needed.

A single tree or big log, pallet forks are great for that. A pile, not so much. But pallet forks have the obvious advantage of moving pallets (duhhh), but you really don't realize how convenient that is until you have it. Free pallets are everywhere so just using them makes a lot of basic transport/moving "stuff" around real easy.

I rarely use my rock bucket. Nice to have when needed, but seldom used. I could see myself selling it at some point. I wouldn't part with my pallet forks.

 

[jeff9366]

Opt for SSQA (Skid Steer Quick Attach) FEL coupler so you can alternate between FEL bucket and other front attachments quickly. Consider SSQA pallet forks for moving brush, in lieu of a grapple. For 5-1/2 acres pallet forks are ample and simpler. (I like simple.)

It is important to purchase Pallet Forks where fork width adjusts easily and locks securely.
Wide tine spacing for transporting logs. Narrow tine spacing for transporting brush piles.

I have found high quality SSQA pallet forks entirely satisfactory in 50 acres of woodland and trail maintenance.



The is some technique involved transporting brush.

1. Heavy piles are easier to move without loss of debris than light piles.

2. Mash down the brush piles with Pallet Fork down pressure before attempting to pick up debris. Mashing tends to interlock constituents of the load.

3. Keep a set of loppers on your tractor for trimming outliers. Photo #1

An FEL damper is an option I have come to value. Photo #2
LINK: W.R. Long, Inc. | Comfort Ride

 

[Sysop]

You could get a pallet fork with a grapple attachment on it if you really need to save a few bucks and have a tool that is nearly "all in one". There are many styles available:

Personally, I like a separate grapple and forks. I purchased my forks first, which I would advise for anyone considering both. Much for the same reasons as you listed; price and the fact many tasks can be completed fine with simple forks. I ended up with a grapple as well because there is a lot that forks cannot do. That being said, a grapple cannot lift a pallet out of the back of a truck nor move implements stored on pallets. Without owning pallet forks, I could never have got my grapple off the delivery truck.

I really couldn't do what I need to do without either my grapple or my forks.

 

[ruffdog]

I have a pair of pallet forks that I can attach to my bucket. I have used them once...to get the pallet out of the truck that my grapple was on. I burn many brush piles because of all the trees I have, cut, and trim. A grapple can squish down a huge pile of branches and grab them all...way faster. I can do a days worth of work in an hour now.:cool2:

 

[CMV]

This isn't bad...just a regular set of pallet forks. Carried that tree about 1/4 mile that way. Of course could have just thrown a chain around it & drug it too....but an example that pallet forks can move something like that simply where it would take some lashing to use your regular bucket.

I wish I would have thought to take a picture of the brush pile I just moved last weekend. Cut down 2 trees both much bigger & bushier than pictured above. One a pine, one something else - no idea but it wasn't a pine, maple, or oak. Anyway, limbed them both in same spot so had a pretty large pile of branches. Put the rock bucket on and pushed all that from both into one pile. Then pushed that big pile about 200 yds. Probably got a good 2/3 of it in one shot. Sure there were strays that pushed off to the sides as I was going, but for not taking my butt off the tractor seat, I thought it was pretty good results and the cleanup was much faster than I thought. I could have done same with pallet forks, but would have been a lot more trips back & forth since no way they would accumulate and push as much.