Rookie Grapple Mistake

[caver]

I was using my grapple the other day in the 50's and sunny. I took it off to put my tree grabber on. I made the mistake of connecting the grapple lines together to keep out contamination. between the sun and fluctuating temps it was a bit of a fight to break that apart about two hours later. Then I had to tap the fittings to relive more pressure to reconnect the grapple to the tractor.

 

[WRX]

I definitely wear good gloves and eye protection when doing all tractor chores. I finally bought a good pair of clear eye protection glasses, no correction, for low light work.

 

[rd_macgregor]

OP's comment about pressure change from sitting in the sun is apt. If it is cold when I park my grapple, but warm when I want to reconnect, I have a problem. When I first hook up in spring (after the grapple has sat disconnected all winter) I sometimes rush out first thing in the morning to get it hooked up before pressure builds in the lines.

 

[rd_macgregor]

For those with hoses from the rear remotes to the FEL, if you change out your equipment with hydraulic connection...and only have one set of remotes...you might want to somehow label the hoses so you get them hooked up the same way each time. I have flat-face couplers on my grapple, so they are paired male/female, female/male, but the plugs for the remotes are both the same, so can be switched inadvertently; I hate it when the grapple (or snowblower chute) operation is reverse of what I expect.

 

[ovrszd]

For those with hoses from the rear remotes to the FEL, if you change out your equipment with hydraulic connection...and only have one set of remotes...you might want to somehow label the hoses so you get them hooked up the same way each time. I have flat-face couplers on my grapple, so they are paired male/female, female/male, but the plugs for the remotes are both the same, so can be switched inadvertently; I hate it when the grapple (or snowblower chute) operation is reverse of what I expect.

I use a black zip tie on the right side hose coupler.

 

[WRX]

For those with hoses from the rear remotes to the FEL, if you change out your equipment with hydraulic connection...and only have one set of remotes...you might want to somehow label the hoses so you get them hooked up the same way each time. I have flat-face couplers on my grapple, so they are paired male/female, female/male, but the plugs for the remotes are both the same, so can be switched inadvertently; I hate it when the grapple (or snowblower chute) operation is reverse of what I expect.

That's a good idea. I haven't had the grapple off my machine yet but I'm nearing the end of my tree work for this season.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

I was using my grapple the other day in the 50's and sunny. I took it off to put my tree grabber on. I made the mistake of connecting the grapple lines together to keep out contamination. between the sun and fluctuating temps it was a bit of a fight to break that apart about two hours later. Then I had to tap the fittings to relive more pressure to reconnect the grapple to the tractor.

Observe the hammer and wrench technique I use to solve this very problem starting just before the two-minute mark.

 

[shooterdon]

I did the same thing the first time and had a heck of time re-attaching the grapple. Learned to always relieve the pressure. On mine, I have to have the key on but tractor not running.

 

[WRX]

Observe the hammer and wrench technique I use to solve this very problem starting just before the two-minute mark.

Thanks for the tips.

 

[Code54]

I have a dab of red paint on one line and green on the other. Same with the lines