Linear Actuator for ct120 grapple

[ticolawnllc]

My bobcat ct120 can lift about 400 lbs. could a Linear Actuator with a lift force of 200lbs work for a thumb on a bucket. Mostly to hold brush on the bucket for traveling. I don't intend to lift logs with the bucket tilted down position.

Putting a diverter valve in seems like a lot of work money. I don't know anyone who can put one in and frankly I don't want to.

I found one for $58 and I'm going to see what it can do. It has. 12" travel I hope it's enough.

 

[Dave M7040]

From what I can see online, a 12" stroke 2000# linear actuator would take between 24 and 48 seconds to move the 12" which seems like a long time.

A lot of people have learned the hard way that the force on a thumb from a curling backhoe bucket is much greater than they expected. Things usually don't like compression loads unless they have excellent pivoting connections on each end as a connection with friction under load puts a bending force on the push rod resulting in damage.

Are we taking about a backhoe bucket or a FEL bucket? Your use of the word thumb is what has me confused.

If it is a FEL and you are talking about a grapple to hold the brush in the FEL bucket, how are you going to get power to the actuator when the loader arms are going up and down without them being ripped off? You would need a 25 amp fused circuit.

Dave M7040

 

[4570Man]

It seems like a painfully slow process. I think unless you're very delicate with it you'll bend it.

 

[ticolawnllc]

From what I can see online, a 12" stroke 2000# linear actuator would take between 24 and 48 seconds to move the 12" which seems like a long time. A lot of people have learned the hard way that the force on a thumb from a curling backhoe bucket is much greater than they expected. Things usually don't like compression loads unless they have excellent pivoting connections on each end as a connection with friction under load puts a bending force on the push rod resulting in damage. Are we taking about a backhoe bucket or a FEL bucket? Your use of the word thumb is what has me confused. If it is a FEL and you are talking about a grapple to hold the brush in the FEL bucket, how are you going to get power to the actuator when the loader arms are going up and down without them being ripped off? You would need a 25 amp fused circuit. Dave M7040

it's for the FEL

 

[ticolawnllc]

I didn't know they moved that slow. Non the less it seems like a cheap experiment. I hope. Lol. You know cheap turns expensive some times.

I do tree removal and the ct120 is great because it fits in back yards and it leaves little rutting. I've thought of getting a midsize steer but I'm afraid it won't fit in a lot of places and it will rip up yards. Obviously with third function for grapple use.

I can't justify keeping both. If I put any money into equipment I'll get a mini excavator with a thumb.

 

[ticolawnllc]

If it is a FEL and you are talking about a grappl to hold the brush in the FEL bucket, how are you going to get power to the actuator when the loader arms are going up and down without them being ripped off? You would need a 25 amp fused circuit. Dave M7040[/QUOTE]

I was going to run a 3 way toggle switch with a 25 amp mini fuse in the line. The rout for the wiring, Honestly I haven't thought that far.

 

[ticolawnllc]

I have a collection of old extension cords. One of the three wires are broken so they are no good any more for anything else. I'll test the wire to make sure I don't use a bad one

 

[4570Man]

I falsely read 200 pounds for 2000 pounds. I think it's severely underpowered now. My grapple doesn't bite hard enough to suit me and assuming it had 2" bore cylinders at 2600 psi that's about 8100 pounds of push. I could calculate it fairly accurately by taking some measurements, but just taking a guess the closing pressure at the tip is about 1/4 that much. I want to build a grapple with about a 4" bore cylinder, but it's not practical because of the strength it would have to be not to self destruct.

 

[ticolawnllc]

You're going to need a pretty heavy cord. The typical 14 gauge won't work.

I just want to make sure we are talking about the same thing. It's 200 lbs of force. Not 2,000 lbs of force. One of my mowers came with an Linear Actuator to move the deck hight and it ran off of 15 amp fuse. The deck was like 100 lbs at least. I know the power it will provide is going to disappoint. I'll look up the specs and post.

 

[4570Man]

I just want to make sure we are talking about the same thing. It's 200 lbs of force. Not 2,000 lbs of force. One of my mowers came with an Linear Actuator to move the deck hight and it ran off of 15 amp fuse. The deck was like 100 lbs at least. I know the power it will provide is going to disappoint. I'll look up the specs and post.

I realized my error shortly after posting and edited my post. 14 gauge would work fine. About 5 amps is what I've seen for 200 pound actuators.

 

[ticolawnllc]

I falsely read 200 pounds for 2000 pounds. I think it's severely underpowered now. My grapple doesn't bite hard enough to suit me and assuming it had 2" bore cylinders at 2600 psi that's about 8100 pounds of push. I could calculate it fairly accurately by taking some measurements, but just taking a guess the closing pressure at the tip is about 1/4 that much. I want to build a grapple with about a 4" bore cylinder, but it's not practical because of the strength it would have to be not to self destruct. <img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=495991"/>

I'm not at that level. The tractor can lift 400 lbs if I can hold the brush I place so it doesn't fall off on the way to chipper it's a win. Also I get your point about the lose of power. I'm getting that form 200 lbs of power I might get 50 lbs at the bucket.

 

[4570Man]

I think a brush fork would be better than a bucket with a very weak grapple. I've moved quite a bit of brush with with just pallet forks, but a wider platform would be a lot better. IMO the pallet forks work much better than a bucket for moving brush. I think even something cheesy like 2x4s strapped on the bucket would be a better solution.

 

[Fallon]

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=321704 I've messed with $60 & $160 linear actuators for power SSQA & an automated chicken coop door... Both worked fine for those low torque applications. However for a grapple generally you'll be on the wrong side of leverage getting a fraction of that power. The better actuator I ended up using for my SSQA project wasn't that robust or fast. It was good enough for my SSQA where it could take 10 seconds to latch or unlatch as I drove up or away. But it would be annoyingly slow for a grapple. The mounts are either pot metal or aluminum & would Crack in a few uses. And that was the good 10-15@ actuator. The cheap ones only pull an amp or so.

 

[ticolawnllc]

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=321704 I've messed with $60 & $160 linear actuators for power SSQA & an automated chicken coop door... Both worked fine for those low torque applications. However for a grapple generally you'll be on the wrong side of leverage getting a fraction of that power. The better actuator I ended up using for my SSQA project wasn't that robust or fast. It was good enough for my SSQA where it could take 10 seconds to latch or unlatch as I drove up or away. But it would be annoyingly slow for a grapple. The mounts are either pot metal or aluminum & would Crack in a few uses. And that was the good 10-15@ actuator. The cheap ones only pull an amp or so.

Great Idea. Once I screw the pooch I can use it for the SSQA

 

[Fallon]

Great Idea. Once I screw the pooch I can use it for the SSQA

As long as you don't break the mounting brackets or burn out the motors on the light actuators. On the final version I put a circuit breaker smaller than the linear actuators max draw in the mix. That way the breaker would pop before the actuator & pins jammed to hard if things weren't lined up.

I really liked that power SSQA setup. I'll probably do it hydraulically on my new L4060 as I have a 3rd function up there now. Will just leave the 3rd function plugged into the SSQA unless I need to hook up an implement, in which case I'll be up there to connect hoses already.

 

[BelarusBulldog]

If you have rear ports, why not run two hoses up along the side of tractor and loader, to the grapple? That is how I run mine, works good.

 

[ticolawnllc]

If you have rear ports, why not run two hoses up along the side of tractor and loader, to the grapple? That is how I run mine, works good.

I don't have any ports in the back.

 

[BelarusBulldog]

An electric diverter valve plumbed at your loader hookups, maybe?

 

[BelarusBulldog]

Maybe an electric winch could be used to close the grapple and a couple of heavy springs could open it?

 

[roadhunter]

I don't have any ports in the back.

It's a worthwhile investment in your equipment if you are doing this professionally. Either add a rear port and run a hose to the front or put a diverter valve on the curl function.