Grappled with Millonzi, and paid the price.

[gmercer]

The TBN site was very helpful to me when I was researching grapples. So I thought I would post my experience for the benefit of others. Many thanks to IslandTractor, Don T and others for their posts and input.

I finally received my Millonzi grapple (LD-48). I am pleased with the product and price. But if I had to do it over again, I'm not sure I would go though the hassle. Don't get me wrong, the folks at Millonzi are very nice, and they try to be helpful, but they continually disappointed me throughout the order process. They originally estimated 2.5 weeks for delivery, ended up being over 2 months. Several times during the process I was told "it will ship Monday"...never did. Several times I was told "let me check on that and get back to you"....never did. My original salesman quit answering my emails altogether. Finally, I got a hold of Jackie at Millonzi and she did get the order completed. When it got here, it didn't fit my John Deere 522 FEL. Now I have to send it back and deal with these folks again, or break out my grinder/welder and live with what I have. Easy choice.

I understand a company can have problems in their production process, delays happen. But there is no excuse in my mind for poor follow-up.

Bottom line: I get the impression that the TBN orders are small potatoes for these folks. Great product, but don't be in a hurry, and be prepared to do your own customer service.

 

[jdgreg]

Sorry you had such a bad experience. My experience was not stellar as well, though I'll take partial blame. It took many months for mine to arrive, but that's probably due to the fact I was either too busy to check on the status, or kept forgetting to when I did remember. When I did follow up with them about 3 months after placing the order, they were very responsive in locating the order (they couldnt find it, I think it was lost and they had to cut a new order) and bumping me up in their build priority. My LD-48 fits my JD 420 like a glove, and I've had no issues with it. If I had to do it all over again, with the same budget, I get the same thing. If I had a larger budget to play with, I'd probably get a clamshell model. I do agree that this model line is probably not their "bread and butter".

 

[RedRocker]

Mine fit, but wouldn't curl down far enough to dump very effectively. They offered to fix it, but I just did it myself due to the time and hassle to send it back. They were kind enough to refund some of my money, but not the amount they offered in the beginning for some reason. Since mine was the first CK30 I sent them the details for future Kioti's and never received a reply after that or the balance of the money they offered for my trouble. Nice folks, but the ending didn't leave a warm fuzzy with me. I would recommend the grapple, the price is worth the hassle I think.

 

[gmercer]

The problem with mine is that the top mounting bracket is too narrow, and won't slip down over the top of the FEL mounting plate. Like you, I don't want to deal with the shipping, and more "follow-up" issues, so I will just fix it myself. The part they messed up should have been the same for the 400 and 500 series loader, which should cover a very large number of John Deere tractors in this HP range.

 

[n8wrl]

Wow - my experience was totally different. It came early. I had to shipped to a depot and they loaded it for me - didn't have to. From order to arrival was better than they said.

My only compliant, which was easily fixed on my end, was that the hoses were too short. With that out of the way, I have many many hours on mine.

-Brian

 

[jake98]

I just bought a competitor's grapple and was wondering what the millonzi cost, if you don't mind saying.

 

[IslandTractor]

Sounds like Millonzi is having some growing pains especially in their efforts to offer pin specific mounts. There's no excuse for unanswered email or unexplained delays. It is surprising though if they are not able to accurately and reliably make pin mounts to fit popular brands like JD. Their standard skid steer mount is usually in stock but they build the pin specific mounts to order and one by one as best I can tell. That will lead to some variability both in production time and in quality. I have an early grapple of theirs with just the standard "universal" skid steer plate mount. Of course that means I needed to get a Kioti pin specific adapter but there are companies that make those more precisely than Millonzi apparently has. The universal skid steer adapters are forgiving on the skid steer side but not on the pin side. Although it clearly increases the price, adding an adapter from an established company like Horst Welding or ATI and then using just a skid steer model grapple would certainly be one solution. Side benefit of that approach is that you could then use most any non powered skid steer attachment like forks, tree booms etc.

 

[PSDStu]

I sent an e-mail to Joe and J Kennedy at Millonzi on 23 Nov, 2007 to get the cost of an LD-48 and shipping.

To date I have yet to hear anything back from them.

I included my phone number so they could call, but I am disapointed that for whatever reason they don't appear to be interested in responding to sale questions.

At the time I sent the e-mail I was very excited about what Island and others had written about their experiences with the LD-48 Grapple and was leaning towards ordering the LD-48.

Since Millonzi has not responed to my e-mail inquiry I talked to my dealer and while at the dealer he went ahead and called Nelson Long and got me a good estimate on the RGB-48 grapple and diverter valve from them. I didn't think to ask what the lead time would be from Long, maybe some of you who ordered from Long can reply.

Haven't made a final decision on which way I want to go yet....but Millonzi's failure to respond to my e-mail, long lead time, and possible incompatibilty problems with my loader pins does not sound very encouraging.

I don't understand why companies have e-mail address's and then don't respond to e-mail inquires?

Stu

 

[IslandTractor]

Millonzi is a pretty small company but they should be keeping up with email if they are going to publish their email addresses on their website.

I've occasionally had to contact them and find that phone is more reliable. Their phone number from their website is 800-995 6552. I usually get answers to my emails but it does often take a week or more. The president is John Millonzi and his email address, again from the website, is jmillonzi@miproductsgroup.com.

 

[canoetrpr]

I'm actually surprised that folks here order things like a grapple with pin mount. I don't have universal skidsteer on my tractor but if I needed a grapple or forks or a hay spear (both of which I have eyed), I would go through the hassle of getting an ATI or Horst skid steer mount and converting my bucket to it.

Of course this does not suggest that what the OP went through with Millonzi is ok.... if they advertise a pin mount it should fit.

On my Kubota L3400 taking off the bucket from the FEL is a monstrous hassle. Is this not the case with other (JD etc.) pin mounts?