Help! SSQA to a JDQA Grapple?

[Ribz]

Tack welding to secure it is probably a good idea. A nice middle ground between fully welded and pinned on. It keeps the options open. Thanks for that thought. I appreciate everyone taking the time to be helpful.

 

[rScotty]

I thought that adapter would be more money than it is. That's not a bad price.

90 lb on a tractor of Yours size is negligible. Unless you're really good at fabricating and like to do it I would also go with the adapter.

By the time you buy what you need to weld and hire a welder it will be more than the adapter probably.

I'd say the same. 90 pounds back at the FEL pivot pins where the adapter mounts is not as bad as it would be farther out.

For $315 or even $415 I'd go with the standard adapter plate. To do the welding, you still have to buy an SSQA weld plate and the last one I bought - 15 years ago - was about $175. And you will have lost all your mounting options - and the resale value.

SSQA doesn't have any slop. They are wedge-tightening. Don't know on the JD, but who cares?
I like keeping my options.

rScotty

 

[AnotherBueller]

Tack welding to secure it is probably a good idea. A nice middle ground between fully welded and pinned on. It keeps the options open. Thanks for that thought. I appreciate everyone taking the time to be helpful.

I don't think I'd tack it on other than to make sure of fitment before I did a full weld. I believe that the point forces on the tacks might get a bit high, but if it cracks you can always redo the weld as long as something doesn't bend.

 

[XSKIER]

Most JDQA stuff is pretty flimsy, because the compact line maxes out at about 2500. SSQA can go about triple that. I have both in my fleet, and there really isn't any good reason to share attachments due to the capacity disparity. However, I did weld hooks and pins onto a flimsy SS trailer hitch adapter to use at a lot that has both a CAT CTL and deere CUT available to use. I mow with the deere, so now I don't have to switch machines to use the SS trailer hitch adapter to mow under the trailers.

 

[mikester]

 

[Rockbadchild]

I don't think I'd tack it on other than to make sure of fitment before I did a full weld. I believe that the point forces on the tacks might get a bit high, but if it cracks you can always redo the weld as long as something doesn't bend.

it not going to bend, the plate is made to adapt one to the other and holding it, tack welding is just to stop the rattle or loose it between the connection... but it may eventually crack

 

[Ribz]

Talked to EA this morning to see if there were any issues using the adapter with their grapple. Got a green light there. Next call was to order the adapter. Will be here is a week. I'll report on how it works when I get it.

My gratitude to everyone that chimed in to help and especially for the link to that adapter.

 

[Ribz]

FOLLOW UP
Yip, Yip, Yip, Yahoo! I'm in business. The adapter took a meeting with Mr. Cutting torch to open the bottom holes enough to fit, but it's on and working. Put to immediate use clearing brush piles from recent severe storms in the area. I'll get some photos later to post up. Thanks for the responses.

According to EA, this is a 55" Large Compact Tractor Grapple with twin lid, mfg 6/2018. Lightly used, in great shape and stored inside. I have $2000 invested in it with the adapter. I think I'm smelling like a rose.

 

[Peter 315]

FOLLOW UP
Yip, Yip, Yip, Yahoo! I'm in business. The adapter took a meeting with Mr. Cutting torch to open the bottom holes enough to fit, but it's on and working. Put to immediate use clearing brush piles from recent severe storms in the area. I'll get some photos later to post up. Thanks for the responses.

According to EA, this is a 55" Large Compact Tractor Grapple with twin lid, mfg 6/2018. Lightly used, in great shape and stored inside. I have $2000 invested in it with the adapter. I think I'm smelling like a rose.

Great..

 

[tacticalturnip]

FOLLOW UP
Yip, Yip, Yip, Yahoo! I'm in business. The adapter took a meeting with Mr. Cutting torch to open the bottom holes enough to fit, but it's on and working. Put to immediate use clearing brush piles from recent severe storms in the area. I'll get some photos later to post up. Thanks for the responses.

According to EA, this is a 55" Large Compact Tractor Grapple with twin lid, mfg 6/2018. Lightly used, in great shape and stored inside. I have $2000 invested in it with the adapter. I think I'm smelling like a rose.

9 years newer than the dealer thought, nice.

 

[Vigo327]

Glad this went so well. That adapter plate is basically the least annoying adapter plate ive ever seen! It barely adds any weight or thickness to the assembly.. thats as good as it gets for an adapter!

 

[mo1]

The John Deere tractors have a different version that’s not compatible with SSQA.

It depends on which of their loaders you are talking about as Deere offers five different QA types across its line of front-end loaders. Some loaders only are available with one type of QA but some are available with a choice of up to three different QAs. A few of their loaders are available with the skid loader QA.

- All of their compact loaders except the 440R for the 4M Heavy Duty and 4R use only the JD compact QA (aka JD100-400 QA). The 440R can be had with the JD compact QA or skid loader QA.
- The 512 loader for the 2WD 3 cylinder 5Es is only available with the JD500 QA.
- The 520M, 540M, and 540R loaders for certain 5 and 6 series utility tractors are available with the Global/Euro/DIN, JD500, or skid loader QAs.
- Their entire 600R loader line for 6 series utility and row crop tractors are only available in Global/Euro/DIN.
- Their 700M row crop tractor loader is only available in category 2 Global/Euro/DIN.

Most JDQA stuff is pretty flimsy, because the compact line maxes out at about 2500. SSQA can go about triple that. I have both in my fleet, and there really isn't any good reason to share attachments due to the capacity disparity. However, I did weld hooks and pins onto a flimsy SS trailer hitch adapter to use at a lot that has both a CAT CTL and deere CUT available to use. I mow with the deere, so now I don't have to switch machines to use the SS trailer hitch adapter to mow under the trailers.

Quite a few attachments that will fit the JD100-400 QA are actually significantly overbuilt as they are often full sized utility tractor attachments. The JD100-400 QA offered on their compact tractor loaders is identical to the the JD500 QA they offer on their full sized utility tractor loaders, except the lower pins are located 3" closer to the top hooks. There is enough distance between the two lower pin sets that the carrier doesn't interfere with the other set of pins, so manufacturers can and often do weld on both sets of lower pins so the attachment can fit both the JD100-400 and JD500 QAs. Some of the loaders using the JD500 QA can lift over two tons to full height so there is certainly stout JDQA stuff out there. Deere also doesn't offer skid loader QA on any loaders larger than they offer the JD500 QA on, they use Global/Euro/DIN QA for the larger loaders.

 

[Stevehogan]

After researching grapples, I decided to pull the trigger on a third function for the FEL on my Kubota Grand L 4740. Had the dealer install the kit and I should be ready to go. After looking at a number of companies and reading people's opinions, the Wicked 55 was my choice. Called to talk about ordering only to find out the extremely long wait. I was told 8-12 weeks minimum.

So... Scoured the net for a used one. I found only one, but it was only two hours away. 2009 model that was barely used. Yay me. Drove up, saw it operate on the ground hooked up to rear remotes on a non FEL Deere on the lot. It's a JD dealership. He said he didn't have anything else to demo it working. The salesman knew I was putting it on a Kubota. I didn't think to ask, even though it looked different, about the set up. I was more concerned about leaks, and working cylinders and got distracted. You can probably see where this is going.

Get home only to discover it's built for JDQA, my Kubota is of course SSQA.

Am I screwed, or is there a cost effective way to hook up this grapple? It's the only used one in the country I can find. With the wait time for a new one being SO long it will be fall before I could get one and I have projects I was planning in the coming weeks. Don't want to waste money renting. Most are too heavy to leave me much lift capacity. Loaders themself eat up about half of my capacity on the LA 854 FEL.

Signed,

Befuddled in Kentucky

I believe there is guy down your way that makes a kit that changes the fel mount from JD to typical skid steer mount.
I’ve seen his kit installed on jd755 tractor by a utuber however I can’t remember his company or name. The u tuber has a channel capt. Kleeman is his name and site. Suggest you visit his channel and search his content for the contact info. They did a whole video on the install. Good luck!

 

[Stevehogan]

I did a search. His name is Neil Koch his email is nkoch1976@gmail.com he’s located in Harlan, Indiana
His U tube channel Dig-Drive-DIY . Good luck

 

[Ribz]

I did a search. His name is Neil Koch his email is nkoch1976@gmail.com he’s located in Harlan, Indiana
His U tube channel Dig-Drive-DIY . Good luck

Great info for the thread Stevehogan and mo 1. Thanks.