Need a grapple for my tractor... help me spend some money. :)

[Hoosierdad]

Add A Grapple makes a good grapple. Easy to install and inexpensive.
SINGLE – PRECISION MANUFACTURING

 

[Hay Dude]

I have the 72" W.R. Long Open Bottom Grapple OBG-1, it weighs 685 pounds. The OBG-2 series is the lighter weight grapple, the 56" is 460 pounds. One thing to consider is the type of grapple, my OBG-1 has long tines on the bottom. The root rake style has shorter bottom tines, more of a clamshell design. Weight is comparable.

I like mine for being able to carry logs but there is a technique and learning curve to be effective.

OBG-1
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Root rake style
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The “root rake style” grapple looks ideal for driving into an pushing large brush piles. Can’t understand the nickname “root grapple”, though??
Already have a log grapple.
Need something that I can drive into a tall & deep pile of brush, close grapple, and come away with lots of brush.
See the brush in the red box? I have 10 piles bigger than that.

 

[JCoastie]

The “root rake style” grapple looks ideal for driving into an pushing large brush piles. Can’t understand the nickname “root grapple”, though??

Because you can dig into the ground with them (a bit) and rip out roots.
Mine works really well for your posted use case.

 

[Hay Dude]

So when you drive into a tall pile of brush and use the hydraulic “clamping” function, I would want it to grasp a large bundle of brush.

Trying to decide if the short root tines are better/worse than a grapple with long horizontal tines at grabbing and pulling brush from very large piles.

 

[JCoastie]

I can carry a pretty decent size pile of brush. Some smaller stuff does fall through the tines, so there is a little cleanup along the route when done.

Biggest issue I have is picking up multiple logs. I can always get 2 big ones, but I can't always get 3 in there. If a big log gets in the back, the front won't clamp down on a 3rd.

Brush crushes though, so no problem with that. I often dive in near the top, press down to compress the stack, then clamp it, so I get more.

 

[BlueToy1]

So when you drive into a tall pile of brush and use the hydraulic “clamping” function, I would want it to grasp a large bundle of brush.

Trying to decide if the short root tines are better/worse than a grapple with long horizontal tines at grabbing and pulling brush from very large piles.

In my experience, either will do the job. The jaw opening height and top lid clearance will be limiting factors. I think some of the clam shell style may open a bit wider.

 

[Piston]

For the piles you are showing, I'd recommend the longer bottom style, because you can drive in and actually get under the material vs. trying to clamp it. This comes down to a lot of personal preference in the end though. I feel like grapple decisions have more to do with your personal thought "process" than actual real life major differences. At the end of the day, the piles won't know what's moving them, nor will anyone who looked at that spot in the future where a pile once was.

My preference is the longer bottom style. I have the WR Long OBG-2 in 64" length, and I've done a lot of cleanup with this grapple. I also appreciate the ability to backdrag with the bottom of it, using it as a miniature land plane while it glides backwards over the soil.

Another photo in this post of an area I cleaned up and graded using only the grapple to backdrag.... Grappling fun - A Picture Thread....

 

[Piston]

Don't forget, you can always use your the long bottom grapple just like a root style grapple when picking up material, I often drive into a pile, 'dump' the grapple while lifting the FEL, and end up pushing the pile forward with the grapple in the almost full dump position, then close the lids just like a root rake style. You can pick up massive amounts of material with this grapple.

 

[Xfaxman]

So when you drive into a tall pile of brush and use the hydraulic “clamping” function, I would want it to grasp a large bundle of brush.

Some large bundles of brush:

Trying to decide if the short root tines are better/worse than a grapple with long horizontal tines at grabbing and pulling brush from very large piles.

This is what I have after having both styles: Monster Root Grapple

 

[Lineman North Florida]

Some large bundles of brush:

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This is what I have after having both styles: Monster Root Grapple

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I'm not sure that you don't have the most versatile rig going, it seems pretty handy. Charlie.