Landpride grapple for SCUT?

[Tractor Seabee]

Nice lowell! Did you bump up the hydraulic pressure at all or is this 'stock'?

I am more jazzed about this than ever. I figure I am 2 to 3 months away though. How many hours do you estimate it took for install?

Mark,

If you take the plunge let me know and I will come take a look at the finished product. Are you having Kitsap Tractor install? Hey, how much snow did you get out there in Seabeck last night? We received 2" here, already melting.

Ron

 

[lowellw2]

I have not played with tweaking my hydraulic pressure. I do not think I will need to, but I would not discourage anyone from doing so. I estimate it took me about 6-8 hrs to install over three days in a very cold shop and I still want to shorten the joystick and revise the mounting. It would have been double that without the help from CHDinCT and his pictures and instructions. LP could have done a better job in the manual and more pictures would have been helpful there. Chris' instructions and pictures were like an addendum to the manual. A lot of my time was spent in contemplation and worry before I would turn the wrench. Also a lot of time was spent finding the right tools as sometimes things were metric and sometimes not. I would say the hardest thing was working under the tractor taking out the short section of hydraulic line. Once you crack that line open you are on your way. I would bet a dealer could do it in 3 hrs tops once they have done the first one. I was very slow as my tractor and I need to both work properly. I'm in the process of shooting a video or two showing me moving some trees that either feel down or were cut down last year or so ago. I went out earlier and practiced a little so I don't get too many HA HA's. This is now more than eye hand coordination. The fingers get involved also. I'll post them later today as my videographer seems more interested in watching bull riding on TV right now rather than me on my little BX. ...and, no, I'm not a cowboy - I was a lawyer.

 

[lowellw2]

OK got the videos up on YouTube. This thing is going to be fantastic for what I wanted to do. I was running about 2100-2200 rpm for those interested and in high range. I found coming at the log from above to work best for me so far, although you can just slide forward into one also. Tilting the load back seems prudent although the grapple did not lose grip. After I lost my videographer I went and got the log below. These are are green wood so are a little lighter than what you may think, I tried to pick up one about a foot bigger in diameter and maybe 5' longer and I could drag it but not lift it. Maybe if a guy bumbled up the pressure and ran the engine full bore... HMM

 

[TomSeller]

. These are are green wood so are a little lighter than what you may think, I tried to pick up one about a foot bigger in diameter and maybe 5' longer and I could drag it but not lift it. Maybe if a guy bumbled up the pressure and ran the engine full bore... HMM

I just get the chainsaw out and cut what is too heavy. While I have a lot of lift, I find myself not wanting anything too heavy more due to stability reasons. Even keeping the load as low as practical on bumpy ground can put you on three wheels before you know it. Particularly if you have a backhoe on like I do. Yesterday I went on three wheels by accident with the load pretty dang low and I have a lot of grapple time under my belt. I had forgotten about a dip in the field I was in and it was white knuckle for a second while I dropped the FEL. Getting monster weight in your grapple is overrated to me. More important is getting volume so I have less trips. I try to cut the occasional big tree if i have bumpy ground to cross with it. If the ground is perfectly level, I might not. Don't forget that the ground can give away with a heavy load on it. A big load off to one side is particularly dangerous, such as a tree with a rootball.

 

[lowellw2]

Yes, I'm well aware of the many dangers of load instability and slopes and ground irregularities. It's always good to revisit these concerns as they are very real dangers. I think pucker factor is something one only needs to experience once. I once let a former neighbor borrow my old B7100 to move a small amount of gravel onto his driveway. He wandered up to my place soon and indicated my tractor fell over. Turns out he lifted the bucket just past that pucker point on a very small slope and over it went. No one was hurt but I learned well from his error and my error in letting anyone borrow a tractor. The only reason I showed that picture and the videos is that some questions have arisen as to whether the BX can even handle a grapple successfully. My conclusion is that it can genuinely handle this Land Pride grapple as it is only about 24 pounds heavier than the BX bucket. It also seems capable of gathering a lot of small brush together and carry a lot of volume. I should have included a caveat as to carrying such a big object. Where I live in Texas one of the biggest hidden dangers is the many limestone rocks (boulders sometimes) that hide just under the top of the field grass. Driving over one of those is not something one cares to experience.

 

[TomSeller]

Yes, I'm well aware of the many dangers of load instability and slopes and ground irregularities. It's always good to revisit these concerns as they are very real dangers. I think pucker factor is something one only needs to experience once. I once let a former neighbor borrow my old B7100 to move a small amount of gravel onto his driveway. He wandered up to my place soon and indicated my tractor fell over. Turns out he lifted the bucket just past that pucker point on a very small slope and over it went. No one was hurt but I learned well from his error and my error in letting anyone borrow a tractor. The only reason I showed that picture and the videos is that some questions have arisen as to whether the BX can even handle a grapple successfully. My conclusion is that it can genuinely handle this Land Pride grapple as it is only about 24 pounds heavier than the BX bucket. It also seems capable of gathering a lot of small brush together and carry a lot of volume. I should have included a caveat as to carrying such a big object. Where I live in Texas one of the biggest hidden dangers is the many limestone rocks (boulders sometimes) that hide just under the top of the field grass. Driving over one of those is not something one cares to experience.

Sorry if I came across wrong, your post reminded me of my experience yesterday is all. I was not intending to refer to the height you were carrying, it looks reasonable to me and your ground is flat. I did not realize BXs could lift that much so I am glad you posted the picture.

I have come to favor a wide wheel base over lift capacity.

 

[lowellw2]

TomSeller,
You did not come across wrongly at all to me. Safety can NEVER be emphasized too much. I was very careful to find the balance point on those long logs. You should see me carrying a bucketful of crushed granite. The bucket almost touches the ground. Your point about stance is well received by me. Several vendors make some wheel spacers for the BX and that may be my next addon.

With this grapple I think I may have about all the toys I need (what a dumb statement). The backhoe can do a lot (within reason), the FEL is my go to carryall and now the grapple will alleviate about a thousand on and offs gathering brush and limbs. The little BX is what I have and it's a decent small tractor. It get it done a little slower, but still gets it done. It's good to see more implements like this grapple being sized for its capabilities. I may add the Kubota QA now that I have used the grapple as going from bucket to grapple quickly would be nice. Anyone know what it weighs.

 

[dragoneggs]

I have not played with tweaking my hydraulic pressure. I do not think I will need to, but I would not discourage anyone from doing so. I estimate it took me about 6-8 hrs to install over three days in a very cold shop and I still want to shorten the joystick and revise the mounting. It would have been double that without the help from CHDinCT and his pictures and instructions. LP could have done a better job in the manual and more pictures would have been helpful there. Chris' instructions and pictures were like an addendum to the manual. A lot of my time was spent in contemplation and worry before I would turn the wrench. Also a lot of time was spent finding the right tools as sometimes things were metric and sometimes not. I would say the hardest thing was working under the tractor taking out the short section of hydraulic line. Once you crack that line open you are on your way. I would bet a dealer could do it in 3 hrs tops once they have done the first one. I was very slow as my tractor and I need to both work properly. I'm in the process of shooting a video or two showing me moving some trees that either feel down or were cut down last year or so ago. I went out earlier and practiced a little so I don't get too many HA HA's. This is now more than eye hand coordination. The fingers get involved also. I'll post them later today as my videographer seems more interested in watching bull riding on TV right now rather than me on my little BX. ...and, no, I'm not a cowboy - I was a lawyer.

Wow... when I started this thread, I never dreamed it was yield so much! Thank you very much to Chris and Lowell especially!!! :drink:

Mark,

If you take the plunge let me know and I will come take a look at the finished product. Are you having Kitsap Tractor install? Hey, how much snow did you get out there in Seabeck last night? We received 2" here, already melting.

Ron

Hi Ron, I hope you are feeling better! Actually I don't know what the snow situation is because I am SE Asia on business. And my BX was really looking forward to playing in its first snow!

I still need to price it all out and get a few bids for the kit and maybe install. But I am planning to install myself as I don't have a trailer to transport my BX. You of course are very welcome to come out and take a look but don't hold your breath as my work/travel schedule is brutal for the next couple of months. I will keep you posted.

 

[k0ua]

OK got the videos up on YouTube. This thing is going to be fantastic for what I wanted to do. I was running about 2100-2200 rpm for those interested and in high range. I found coming at the log from above to work best for me so far, although you can just slide forward into one also. Tilting the load back seems prudent although the grapple did not lose grip. After I lost my videographer I went and got the log below. These are are green wood so are a little lighter than what you may think, I tried to pick up one about a foot bigger in diameter and maybe 5' longer and I could drag it but not lift it. Maybe if a guy bumbled up the pressure and ran the engine full bore... HMM

It is interesting to see a BX moving something that large with a grapple. I am sure you will find your new grapple, is a big "force multiplier" for you. I had a dealer tell me when I was looking for a SSQA adaptor for an L3400 that the tractor was too small for forks or grapple, and it would just be a waste of money to equip it for one.. I just laughed at him and went elsewhere for the SSQA adapter and enjoyed the use of the forks.

 

[lowellw2]

k0ua,
I sorta got the same from my dealer rep, but lo and behold here's the way mine arrived. Funny thing about these little SCUTs, when I asked if they had any of the newest BX25Ds in stock (I wanted to see the new QA for the FEL) his response was that when they get a couple in they go out right away. He said a lot of them go to the big box rental fleets. I wonder where the other two grapples will go. My dealer rep lives about.a 1/2 mile over my north fence line. I've invited him over to try it out.