Grapple Skid Steer Express refuses to stand behind grapple!

[MS farmer59]

I bought a 60" bucket grapple from Skid Steer Express about a year ago. I had several issues like leaking seal on cylinders and bent upper jaw which they addressed. Then about 4 months ago the left upper jaw began to stick open and requires being pushed against a tree while raising the bucket to get it unstuck. Skid steer express customer service has refused to address the issue now for about a month. Now I have found out that this is not a unique problem, but has been common with other buyers and in the past SSE has replaced the grapple. Now they are refusing to respond to the issue. Buyer beware. I would like to hear from others if you have had this issue or other issues.

 

[LD1]

I dont have one of their grapples but I can only comment about the threads I have read here about them. And all I can say is good luck and I wish you the best. I hope they come through.

On your left sticking side, hard to tell in the video, but it does appear that the problem is that it is comming uo too far. Kinda "over center". And then, no amount of pressure from the cylinder would correct it. Kinda think of the toggle/over-center clamp principal. I think thats whats going on. And no easy fix either.

 

[MS farmer59]

Thanks for the good wishes, LD1. I have tried welding 2 stops at the base of the jaw, but the leverage at this point is so strong is just broke them off. tried a wood block on top of the metal guard underneath the cylinder, just bent the metal guard. Right now I have a stiff rubber stop at the base of the henge. It still gets stuck, but seems to make it easier to get it unstuck. I thought about a collar stop around the end of the cylinder, but think it might damage the cylinder. I tried a pvc collar, immediate fail. Do you have a grapple bucket? what brand?

I dont have one of their grapples but I can only comment about the threads I have read here about them. And all I can say is good luck and I wish you the best. I hope they come through.

On your left sticking side, hard to tell in the video, but it does appear that the problem is that it is comming uo too far. Kinda "over center". And then, no amount of pressure from the cylinder would correct it. Kinda think of the toggle/over-center clamp principal. I think thats whats going on. And no easy fix either.

 

[LD1]

No I dont have one. Wish I did though. But I dont have much loader lift capacity on my small tractor nor do I have a SSQA.

But in the distant future, my next tractor will be bigger (50HP 4000lb range) and a grapple would certainly be an option then. Just cannot justify the cost now. I dont do much brush clearing.

 

[Timm250]

I dont have one of their grapples but I can only comment about the threads I have read here about them. And all I can say is good luck and I wish you the best. I hope they come through.

On your left sticking side, hard to tell in the video, but it does appear that the problem is that it is comming uo too far. Kinda "over center". And then, no amount of pressure from the cylinder would correct it. Kinda think of the toggle/over-center clamp principal. I think thats whats going on. And no easy fix either.

This is the same issue i was having with my Skidsteer Express grapple. They would open so far past 90 degrees that it bent the plate across the top of the jaws. They offered to send me some pieces to weld behind them to keep them from opening too far. They told me that they believed they had shipped about 10 units with this same issue.

View attachment 280262

 

[westcliffe01]

Can the hydraulic cylinder be disassembled ? If it can. one can insert a bushing of appropriate length to limit the cylinder travel thereby avoiding the problem. Just make sure the faces of the bushing are parallel so that there is no bending put on the piston attachment.

 

[Timm250]

Can the hydraulic cylinder be disassembled ? If it can. one can insert a bushing of appropriate length to limit the cylinder travel thereby avoiding the problem. Just make sure the faces of the bushing are parallel so that there is no bending put on the piston attachment.

This may work but you shouldn't buy a new piece of equipment and then have to start making modifications. The dealer should make sure that it is designed and working properly before offering it for sale.

 

[LD1]

This may work but you shouldn't buy a new piece of equipment and then have to start making modifications. The dealer should make sure that it is designed and working properly before offering it for sale.

I agree

 

[blueriver]

I too agree they should respond and solve the issue ... in the meantime, just a thought. I would think the cylinder is exceeding TDC .... (Top Dead Center) I would look at the cylinder mounting plates and see if one or the other can be relocated to avoid that.

Remove one cylinder pin ... extend the cylinder and then by hand open the jaw to just before TDC and re weld the mounting tab to a new location. May work??

 

[Timm250]

I believe that Skidsteer Express monitors TBN. Maybe they will pick up on this & make it right. This issue is not a surprise to them.
See the attached link below for my experience with this same problem.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums//showthread.php?t=243525