Landpride grapple for SCUT?

[CHDinCT]

Well, bought the first Landpride BX-compatible grapple in New England today. That was what the salesman told me after talking with his regional LP salesman today, who was apparently on prem at one point while I was there. Anyway, right now it's sitting in the bed of my truck since I need to switch out my frame mounted snow plow for the FEL so I can get it out of the truck. It'll be a while before I install it since a) it's **** cold right now and I don't have a heated shop/garage, and b) looks like I'm missing some parts now that I have it home and have looked it over.

Along with the grapple itself comes a burlap-type bag with the hydraulic hoses, directional valve and joy stick control. For sure there's no owners manual/installation manual included, and I also think I'm missing two male QC's that install on the top of the directional valve. The hoses that route out to the FEL torque tube have female QC's on them for hooking to the valve, but there are no male ends on the valve itself. You have to have QC's there so you can remove the FEL and have the hoses go with it. Will be calling the dealer back tomorrow. Also, the on-line instructions I downloaded look a little confusing at points now that I have the hydraulic components in front of me, but more on that when I get into it I guess. Oh, one other observation - the two hydraulic cylinders on the grapple don't have any zerks for greasing the pins. Thought that was odd, but we'll see once I have it operational. Guess I'll just take the pins out and grease them before I use it.

And now for some pic's! These are of the grapple mounted to a BX on the dealer's showroom floor. It was only mounted to the FEL via the Kubota QC adapter - no hydraulics hooked up or the new joystick, which is a shame since I wanted to take some pics of those hookups to help me with installation. Still, these should add to interest here in this new BX toy, er, tool.

 

[CHDinCT]

One more pic - had to correct the orientation before uploading.

 

[dragoneggs]

Wow Chris... congratulations! I feel responsible for turning you on to this and now I get to see you put it in to service. :thumbsup: Remember post all the details so the rest of us don't have to suffer as much aggravation.

 

[CHDinCT]

Wow Chris... congratulations! I feel responsible for turning you on to this and now I get to see you put it in to service. :thumbsup: Remember post all the details so the rest of us don't have to suffer as much aggravation.

Well, dragoneggs, I will credit you with bringing this particular grapple to my attention. I have been planning on a grapple or grapple thumb for a few years. I had planned on buying "The Thumb" grapple claw last Spring, but when Kubota came out the their quick hitch with compatible forks, I started thinking about those instead, then just couldn't figure out what to do. Worked out for the best since it gave me time to save up most of the cost of the LP grapple, which is much more elegant (well I think anyway pending installation).

Anyway, called the dealer about my missing male QC's and they're going to have them drop shipped from LP. Should have them within a week. Stay tuned...

 

[bandaidmd]

We are also anxious to see the impressions of this grapple. Ted has been considering a true subcompact grapple for a while now, but he is unsure of what you'll be able to accomplish with one.

Currently, the 50" single lid Wicked Grapple is our lightest grapple at 255 pounds.

You guys should spend some time playing with a 12 volt linear actuator to control the lid, someone on ebay was selling a add on bucket mounted grapple controlled that way and it sure makes the install less daunting for the owners who don't want to add on the extra hydros ( or spend the grand to have someone else install them)

As far as the utility of having a lighter one the owners of Bx's could save a lot of hand work that would normally have to be done with a pitch fork. the lp site shows carrying haybales out to the horses theres many other uses.

 

[Xfaxman]

We are also anxious to see the impressions of this grapple. Ted has been considering a true subcompact grapple for a while now, but he is unsure of what you'll be able to accomplish with one.

Currently, the 50" single lid Wicked Grapple is our lightest grapple at 255 pounds.

We can easily make a much lighter grapple, but is there enough demand?
Travis

I demanded a pin on subcompact grapple for my TORO+Loader last year (http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=283444&page=2&p=3361844#post3361844 ), but the demand was ignored! :shocked: :laughing:

 

[EverythingAttachments]

I demanded a pin on subcompact grapple for my TORO+Loader last year (Single Lid CUT Wicked Grapple..If your compact tractor could talk.... - Page 6 ), but the demand was ignored! :shocked: :laughing:
View attachment 356647 View attachment 356648 View attachment 356649 View attachment 356650 View attachment 356651

We'll make you one without a mount on it! The only pin-mounts we're currently offering on our grapples are for B and BX Kubotas.

 

[CHDinCT]

A few more pic's for your enjoyment. Here's all the hydraulics, valve and mounts that need to go on the tractor to operate the grapple, plus the new FEL control handle with the two buttons to open and close the jaw. In the first pic, you can sort of see how the hoses connect. The hoses with hose protectors and female QC's on one end get hooked to the top of the directional valve, but as you can see, there needs to be male QC's on the valve itself - these were missing from my parts bag but the dealer is having them drop-shipped this week to my house. The other end of these hoses mount to the FEL torque tube with the rounded U-bolt. The other bracket with the square U-bolt gets mounted down the end of the loader boom and those scissor-like forks hold the hoses from the grapple in place.

Now as for hooking the valve into the power beyond circuit, this is looking more involved than I hoped. The manual only says to remove one of the pipes on the PB run and connect the two hoses (without hose protection) into each end - one end at the hydro block, and the other onto the PB pipe that remains on the tractor. Unfortunately, from this pic I found elsewhere on TBN (thanks dmacneil) it looks like I'll need to remove the floor board to get to the other end of the pipe. You can see the pipes have a "splice" under the tractor, which is inside the frame and not very accessible. I'll take a look to see if I can get at this pipe from underneath, but I have the Bro Tek skid plate on which may have to come off anyway. Anyone know if the floorboard/pan can be removed easily? Never tried to remove it - no broken fan blades so far thank goodness.

 

[Tollster]

Its not looking like a quick attachment so far. I'm clearing for a new home, and have already complete quite a bit of it, now I am clearing the "Grove" around the home site. I may stick to the drag method and use the money elsewhere.

None the less you caught my attention, and will be listening once its in use, and the cost you have vested. I will also be interested in the time it takes to go from grapple to bucket in a pinch.

 

[dragoneggs]

A few more pic's for your enjoyment. Here's all the hydraulics, valve and mounts that need to go on the tractor to operate the grapple, plus the new FEL control handle with the two buttons to open and close the jaw. In the first pic, you can sort of see how the hoses connect. The hoses with hose protectors and female QC's on one end get hooked to the top of the directional valve, but as you can see, there needs to be male QC's on the valve itself - these were missing from my parts bag but the dealer is having them drop-shipped this week to my house. The other end of these hoses mount to the FEL torque tube with the rounded U-bolt. The other bracket with the square U-bolt gets mounted down the end of the loader boom and those scissor-like forks hold the hoses from the grapple in place.

Now as for hooking the valve into the power beyond circuit, this is looking more involved than I hoped. The manual only says to remove one of the pipes on the PB run and connect the two hoses (without hose protection) into each end - one end at the hydro block, and the other onto the PB pipe that remains on the tractor. Unfortunately, from this pic I found elsewhere on TBN (thanks dmacneil) it looks like I'll need to remove the floor board to get to the other end of the pipe. You can see the pipes have a "splice" under the tractor, which is inside the frame and not very accessible. I'll take a look to see if I can get at this pipe from underneath, but I have the Bro Tek skid plate on which may have to come off anyway. Anyone know if the floorboard/pan can be removed easily? Never tried to remove it - no broken fan blades so far thank goodness.

Chris, how many $$$ do you have into it so far and do you think you have everything needed for install (including the male QCs you are waiting for)?