Root Rake/Grapple For Kubota B2910

[rswyan]

It's a very tight squeeze where the hoses connect to the front hydraulic outlets and I needed to offset the bulkhead fittings in the bracket to make the connections.

A while back a friend announced that he was cleaning out his polebarn and had a bunch of steel that I could have if I wanted it. Among the items was a 40" piece of seamless heavy wall tube/pipe. The hole was almost perfect in terms of using it for a spacer for the bulkhead fittings, so I stuck it in the bandsaw and cut off a 3/8" long section:

Mounted:

Probably should pull the bracket and stick it in the bandsaw and trim off the top left side, as it's very close to the outer casing of the hose.

 

[rswyan]

Grapple is operational ... can't call it done really, as there are a few minor issues and no paint ... but it's workin' ...

I have a bunch of pics to post after I've had my beauty rest, and should have some video later tomorrow ... for now these will have to do:

 

[rswyan]

Diverter mounting and tie into loader valve:

Another angle:

 

[rswyan]

Front hydraulic outlets:

One of the benefits of attaching the couplers parallel to the loader crosstube is that they act as "live" hydraulic swivels.

 

[rswyan]

Hose clamps mounted and hoses roughly placed for measurements for the sleeving:

 

[rswyan]

Sure hate to cover up them purty hoses with the red stripe, but gotta do it.

Rear:

Front:

Detail:

 

[rswyan]

Time for a real world little testing ...

I think before I do that though, I'll reinstall the brush guard which I had removed to modify by welding on some expanded metal.

Also need to grease the grapple and install the set screws on the rod end of the hydraulic cylinders, so the pins aren't turning in the clevises.

A couple more items have come up that I need to add to "the list" before I can consider this project complete:

1. Fab up and install a parking stand, so that the grapple can be stored upright and is vertical.

2. Add a couple of covers underneath the QA plate where the pins come through so the pins cannot be retracted by contact with the ground during use.

 

[Xfaxman]

Coming right along. :thumbsup:

I am sure that you checked the top hose length with the cylinders at full extension.

 

[rswyan]

Coming right along. :thumbsup:

I am sure that you checked the top hose length with the cylinders at full extension.

You betcha ... :thumbsup:



One of the nice things about this hose is the bend radius ... it's 1.8 inches for 1/4" hose.

I was originally going to use 45 degree fittings in the base ports of the cylinders, because I was concerned there might be an interference issue at the points you marked with arrows with the cylinders fully retracted (jaw open)

But on a whim I installed the 90's and found that there was not ... the picture is deceiving: the hoses look a lot closer than they actually are ... and the cylinders are fully retracted in the photo, even though there is some rod showing.

 

[rswyan]

And one of the added features of using the small hose is that the action isn't too fast, even when giving it the juice.

I ran 3/8" hose to the diverter and then 3/8" to the front outlets. Hoses from the front outlets to the grapple are 3/8 as well, hooked into a pair of 3/8" tees.

Then the four hoses to the cylinder are 1/4", but with a 3/8" fitting on the ends where they connect to the tees.

 

[rswyan]

In terms of hose interference, another thing on the list is to get some type of spring to lift the hoses going from the front hydraulic outlets to the grapple, when it's curled back.

Unfortunately, unless there is some upward pull on the hoses, they tend to contact the loader's crosstube and push against the hard lines.

It's largely a design oversight ... had I located the upper 3 x 2 tube a little higher on the grapple it wouldn't have been an issue.

 

[rswyan]

An old poplar that been down for a couple of years.

Probably 30'+ long and 8" to 10" in diameter at the end closest to the camera ... fairly light I would assume:

 

[rswyan]

The area off beyond the wood pile is what I worked on today (strictly for testing purposes mind you )

It's a small area that grew up with a lot of poplar/aspen, as they intruded in from the woods on my neighbor's property.

The area this side of it is where we used to have a vegetable garden. I'd like to put one in this year, but we'll see how it goes.

It's still pretty wet, especially towards the center, as you can see from all the ruts.

 

[rswyan]

Some type of small tree that I tore out ... use the root rake on either side to cut the roots and then get under it and pry with the curl:

 

[rswyan]

A small hawthorn tree:

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

A couple more items have come up that I need to add to "the list" before I can consider this project complete:

1. Fab up and install a parking stand, so that the grapple can be stored upright and is vertical.
.

Do you need a parking stand? Looks like you should be able to open the grapple part ways then tip the whole thing forward and let it rest on both sets of teeth kinda like an 'A' without the middle line. Or is it just an excuse to build something else?

 

[rswyan]

Good point.

That will work for the time being.

Ultimately what I was thinking of was being to store it in the barn and minimize the amount of floor space.

 

[rswyan]

One disadvantage of a diverter valve: you have to remember to put the joystick back into the neutral position before you let up off the button ...

This is going to take some getting used to ... :laughing:

 

[RedNeckGeek]

One disadvantage of a diverter valve: you have to remember to put the joystick back into the neutral position before you let up off the button ...

This is going to take some getting used to ... :laughing:

Probably why Kubota sold me a third function valve when I purchased the 4-in-1 bucket...

 

[rswyan]

Probably why Kubota sold me a third function valve when I purchased the 4-in-1 bucket...

Could be ...

One of the downsides of having the diverter plumbed into the lift circuit is that failing to return the joystick to neutral before releasing the button tends to make things a little herky-jerky ... would probably be less noticeable if it were on the curl circuit.

Obviously the solution is to remember to return it to neutral before ya release the button ... :laughing: