Question about loader attachements

[jeff9366]

1) Hopefully something as simple as a grapple bucket would work.
2)It is puzzling that tractors wouldn't have the equivalent of skid loaders in terms of hydraulic flow. That reduces some of the utility of the tractor.

1) A moderate weight SSQA grapple bucket should be fine.

2) High flow hydraulic pumps and the associated plumbing are expensive. Then you need a more powerful tractor engine to power the pump(s). Then the FEL has to be redesigned to handle additional stress.

Suddenly the $40,000 tractor becomes comparably priced to a $75,000 Skid Steer.



Orchard & Vineyard tractors come standard with high flow hydraulic pumps to operate sprayers and harvesting equipment. Very expensive tractors and not available with Loaders to keep center-of-gravity low.

 

[TNCitySlicker]

1) A moderate weight SSQA grapple bucket should be fine.

2) High flow hydraulic pumps and the associated plumbing are expensive. Then you need a more powerful tractor engine to power the pump(s). Then the FEL has to be redesigned to handle additional stress.

Suddenly the $40,000 tractor becomes comparably priced to a $75,000 Skid Steer.



Orchard & Vineyard tractors come standard with high flow hydraulic pumps to operate sprayers and harvesting equipment. Very expensive tractors and not available with Loaders to keep center-of-gravity low.

Thanks Jeff. That is very helpful and makes sense.

 

[TNCitySlicker]

I did not add the 3rd function for the FEL... I just called the dealer to get a price on adding the third function and he quoted me $1040 + labor. Didn't say how much labor as I was a little surprised by the price of the 3rd function. Does that sound about right for 3rd function on FEL?

 

[LouNY]

Sounds a bit high to me, I would prefer a diverter over a third function.
But you will find supporters of each here.

 

[ericm979]

The WR Long kit is about $840 from EA. A Kubota-made kit might integrate a bit better into the tractor.

You can make your own for about half that or less, depending on the switches you use.


Grapples made for skid steers are often heavier than ones made for tractors, which usually have less loader capacity than skid steers. Grapple weight excess of what's needed for strength just reduces the load capacity. I've maxed out my loader many times picking up heavy logs with the grapple. If I'd gotten a 750 lb grapple instead of a 450 lb one, that'd happen even more often.

 

[cglaser104]

Over $1k is a bit steep. I'd be curious if it's a true 3rd function or an electronic diverter 3rd function as I've found that some dealers don't do a great job of distinguishing the 2 despite them actually being different system types.

You could create a kit yourself for roughly half and do the work yourself. It comes down to your comfort of working on hydraulics and having to fab a bracket to run your hoses to on the loader. Premade kits like the one for WR Long are pre-sized to your machine and represent a middle ground between ordering all your own parts, pieces and couplings and having a full on factory unit installed.

 

[Michael In Tennessee]

I did not add the 3rd function for the FEL... I just called the dealer to get a price on adding the third function and he quoted me $1040 + labor. Didn't say how much labor as I was a little surprised by the price of the 3rd function. Does that sound about right for 3rd function on FEL?

That sounds about right. Easy enough to install yourself if you are so inclined. I rolled my own for about half that or so. If you are in East Tenn and want to see it in person, send me a message. You need to build a bracket for the valve and figure out how to deal with a switch without spending crazy money on an OEM joystick knob. Not too hard.

 

[i7win7]

Good works tractors just posted video for diy diverter system - if clamping system has plastic parts, think I would make steel replacements
SAVE $1 IN 9 MINUTES & MAKE YOUR TRACTOR GRAPPLE READY! - YouTube

Have Kabota 3rd function myself

 

[buck12]

Last year I paid $900 including parts and labor for Kubota third function. I had a WR Long third function on my last tractor. I think I paid about $700 for it ten tears ago. I actually preferred the button location with WR Long kit more than the Kubota’s button location.

 

[Texasmark]

Yes, I just passed by an ad yesterday about a rotary cutter for the SS rotary mower.......neat, you can put the mower in front of the power source, not have to run the power source over the vegetation and then cut it like a 3 pt on a tractor.....flow was min spec. at 16 GPM......but with the SS bucked attachment, lots of things you can use and enjoy that don't need 0 GPM. I did notice that JD uses their OWN connection for QD coupling.....really nice of them to fix you right up with having to use THEIR implements rather than an industry standard, readily available, popular, surely lower cost....bla bla bla!!!!

Since you have the experience you have you are surely aware of the foot-lbs thing...distance from the reference point for a rated load capacity. Case in point, I was buying skids of fert. at a ton and my tractor is rated a ton at the lift points on the FEL. I had rigged up a couple of pipes and associated chains and had no problem lifting the ton off my trailer at the farm......fast forward, get a SS fork lift attachment......added weight of the attachment and foot-lbs since the load was forward of the ref point and it wouldn't pick it up the first time I tried to unload a ton skid off my trailer.