The WICKED Root & Debris GRAPPLE!!!!!!!

[EverythingAttachments]

Had not been planning on getting the Kioti out today, heck, hadn't been planning on getting out the Kubota either. Was fetching some wood with the Polaris and managed to get it stuck (even after detaching from the log). Kubota came to the rescue. Then I went after the remaining piece of wood and got the Kubota stuck! Decided to go for the hat-trick and got the Kioti out to rescue the Kubota. Got the the Kubota out (attached a cable to the Kioti's grapple and picked up the rear of the Kubota) and then grabbed the log and returned back home:

May wanna consider bringing out the big dog first next time! :laughing:
Travis

 

[Mad Mac]

No reason to debate. Whenever a tree falls across a road, a tractor gets its grapple.
Or something like that.

Rains this week waterlogged the soil and a large dead oak tree fell across our lane.
We grappled up the branches, limbs and tree trunk.

This was the last bit and our heaviest lift to date.
Notice how the operator is keeping the load low to the ground.
A little earlier, he had raised the FEL to roll the tree trunk deeper into the jaws.
The tree trunk decided to make the 3-ton Mahindra do a headstand instead.
We only had a box blade for a counterweight but the operator's quick action kept the rubber side down.

Notice how the single lid on the 72" Wicked Grapple is hanging on by only one tooth. My attitude toward double lids is beginning to come around. In addition to grasping irregular sized loads and wadding up larger globs of matter I discovered another advantage today when I was operating the tractor myself. A rare occurrence. Keep it a secret.

When going for a target in a tight spot where only the corner of the grapple can get to it, the center mounted single lid can't reach the target to clamp on to it whereas a double lid would be wider and might grab the offending item. But don't get me wrong. I'm not trading in my single-lid yet.

Every time we do something like today's tree project, I think back about all the years we spent piecing out fallen trees with a chain saw into chunks small enough that we could load them into a trailer by hand and then unloading the trailer by hand. A grapple makes me want to live my life over again.

 

[lostcreekranch]

No reason to debate. Whenever a tree falls across a road, a tractor gets its grapple.
Or something like that.

Rains this week waterlogged the soil and a large dead oak tree fell across our lane.
We grappled up the branches, limbs and tree trunk.

This was the last bit and our heaviest lift to date.
Notice how the operator is keeping the load low to the ground.
A little earlier, he had raised the FEL to roll the tree trunk deeper into the jaws.
The tree trunk decided to make the 3-ton Mahindra do a headstand instead.
We only had a box blade for a counterweight but the operator's quick action kept the rubber side down.

Notice how the single lid on the 72" Wicked Grapple is hanging on by only one tooth. My attitude toward double lids is beginning to come around. In addition to grasping irregular sized loads and wadding up larger globs of matter I discovered another advantage today when I was operating the tractor myself. A rare occurrence. Keep it a secret.

When going for a target in a tight spot where only the corner of the grapple can get to it, the center mounted single lid can't reach the target to clamp on to it whereas a double lid would be wider and might grab the offending item. But don't get me wrong. I'm not trading in my single-lid yet.

Every time we do something like today's tree project, I think back about all the years we spent piecing out fallen trees with a chain saw into chunks small enough that we could load them into a trailer by hand and then unloading the trailer by hand. A grapple makes me want to live my life over again.

I think ..... I hear the torch and pitch fork crew coming for you.



Be prepared to be schooled on where your thinking went wrong on # of lids!

 

[IslandTractor]

There are obviously special circumstances where a dual lid will be more efficient just as there are other circumstances where a single is more efficient. I wonder if Mad Mac would have had any trouble if his grapple were a bit narrower. I suspect he has a 60 and a 48 would allow closer maneuvering with the single lid covering more of the grapple. And, if clamping with a single point is so terrible then how come the human hand doesn't have a four inch wide thumb??? Single point of contact is no problem. Photo of big rock below in my grapple was in contact with only one of the top tines. Pulled the sucker right out of the ground that way.

The bottom line is that applying a little brainpower will figure out how to best position whichever tool you have. And, of course, a comparable dual will always cost more and lift less than it's sibling single jaw grapple.

 

[kenmac]

I thought about buying a dedicated grapple, but my (Thumb) bucket grapple has suited my needs very well

 

[IslandTractor]

Yeah, I'd love to have a thumb on my standard bucket too. Other than digging out roots, stumps and rocks it would be a good substitute for a standard grapple. Maybe EA should put a bolt on and weld on kit together.

 

[EverythingAttachments]

No reason to debate. Whenever a tree falls across a road, a tractor gets its grapple.
Or something like that.

Rains this week waterlogged the soil and a large dead oak tree fell across our lane.
We grappled up the branches, limbs and tree trunk.

This was the last bit and our heaviest lift to date.
Notice how the operator is keeping the load low to the ground.
A little earlier, he had raised the FEL to roll the tree trunk deeper into the jaws.
The tree trunk decided to make the 3-ton Mahindra do a headstand instead.
We only had a box blade for a counterweight but the operator's quick action kept the rubber side down.

Notice how the single lid on the 72" Wicked Grapple is hanging on by only one tooth. My attitude toward double lids is beginning to come around. In addition to grasping irregular sized loads and wadding up larger globs of matter I discovered another advantage today when I was operating the tractor myself. A rare occurrence. Keep it a secret.

When going for a target in a tight spot where only the corner of the grapple can get to it, the center mounted single lid can't reach the target to clamp on to it whereas a double lid would be wider and might grab the offending item. But don't get me wrong. I'm not trading in my single-lid yet.

Every time we do something like today's tree project, I think back about all the years we spent piecing out fallen trees with a chain saw into chunks small enough that we could load them into a trailer by hand and then unloading the trailer by hand. A grapple makes me want to live my life over again.

Great, informative post.

The front end loader is a proven necessity, but it wasn't so common back in the day.

You guys are qualifying the Wicked Grapple as today's necessity for front end loaders everywhere!! :thumbsup:
Travis

 

[houser52]

I've had my Wicked 50 for a year this month.

During that time I have used it a lot and it has performed as good or better than I could have ever imagined. Pairing the grapple with a landscape rake sure makes life a lot easier when trying to maintain 100 acres of pasture and 60 acres of trees.

Are a loader and grapple necessities? Where it took days or weeks to complete tasks, now they can be done in minutes or hours. Saves time, saves my back. Priceless.

 

[Snowback]

I've had my Wicked 50 for a year this month.
Are a loader and grapple necessities? Where it took days or weeks to complete tasks, now they can be done in minutes or hours. Saves time, saves my back. Priceless.

Yes - all of this.

Travis - I think its time to re-post the Grapple Man's Creed again... Any of y'all with a service background may recognize the form that I have adapted from is the far more glorious Rifleman's Creed. :drillsergeant:


Grapple Man's Creed

This is my grapple. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
My grapple is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life.
My grapple, without me, is useless. Without my grapple, I am useless. I must clamp my grapple true. I must haul brush straighter than my neighbor who is trying to out-haul me. I must move my brush pile before he moves his. I will...
My grapple and I know that what counts in life is not the limbs we collect, the crunch of our lid closing, nor the smoke we make from the burn pile. We know that it is the result that counts. We will generate results...
My grapple is human, even as I, because it is my life. Thus, I will learn it as a brother. I will learn its weaknesses, its strength, its parts, its accessories, its tines and its lid. I will keep my grapple clean and ready, even as I am clean and ready. We will become part of each other. We will...
Before God, I swear this creed. My grapple and I are the defenders of our land. We are the masters of our property. We are the saviors of my life.
So be it, until victory is America's and there is no brush to move, logs to haul, stumps and rocks to engage, or roots to grub. Then peace and harmony will reign on our tracts!

- Snowback 2016

 

[EverythingAttachments]

Yes - all of this.

Travis - I think its time to re-post the Grapple Man's Creed again... Any of y'all with a service background may recognize the form that I have adapted from is the far more glorious Rifleman's Creed. :drillsergeant:


Grapple Man's Creed

This is my grapple. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
My grapple is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life.
My grapple, without me, is useless. Without my grapple, I am useless. I must clamp my grapple true. I must haul brush straighter than my neighbor who is trying to out-haul me. I must move my brush pile before he moves his. I will...
My grapple and I know that what counts in life is not the limbs we collect, the crunch of our lid closing, nor the smoke we make from the burn pile. We know that it is the result that counts. We will generate results...
My grapple is human, even as I, because it is my life. Thus, I will learn it as a brother. I will learn its weaknesses, its strength, its parts, its accessories, its tines and its lid. I will keep my grapple clean and ready, even as I am clean and ready. We will become part of each other. We will...
Before God, I swear this creed. My grapple and I are the defenders of our land. We are the masters of our property. We are the saviors of my life.
So be it, until victory is America's and there is no brush to move, logs to haul, stumps and rocks to engage, or roots to grub. Then peace and harmony will reign on our tracts!

- Snowback 2016

View attachment 504587

Amen Brother!