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

[lostcreekranch]

Re: The WICKED Root & Debris GRAPPLE!!!!!!!

Exactly. Which is why it is even more important with a cab tractor to be able to look directly ahead to see the edges of your grapple. Easy with a 48".

Now, take same picture with grapple on the ground where it’s normally used? I very seldom have to guide into objects floating in mid-air as shown in your pictures. You could see the ends of a 24” Grapple if it was raised above your hood.

Your continual argument that everyone only “needs” a narrow grapple is full of holes. I bought 2 wide grapples (84” & 73”) specifically so, I had good visibility of both ends of the grapple.

Pallet forks, on tractors, prove this. Unless you have a camera, on front of your Tractor, you cannot see where your forks are to pick up pallets to other items on the ground.

 

[IslandTractor]

Re: The WICKED Root & Debris GRAPPLE!!!!!!!

Now, take same picture with grapple on the ground where it’s normally used? I very seldom have to guide into objects floating in mid-air as shown in your pictures. You could see the ends of a 24” Grapple if it was raised above your hood.

Your continual argument that everyone only “needs” a narrow grapple is full of holes. I bought 2 wide grapples (84” & 73”) specifically so, I had good visibility of both ends of the grapple.

Pallet forks, on tractors, prove this. Unless you have a camera, on front of your Tractor, you cannot see where your forks are to pick up pallets to other items on the ground.

Look at the first photo. Grapple tines are on or nearly touching the ground. Easily visible from operator's station.

Add another foot to each side of that grapple (=72") and the view of the tines would be blocked by the FEL arms. Unless you lean outboard of course.

As for arguing about narrow vs wide. I simply keep pointing out the obvious....that narrow grapples do just about anything you need to do with a grapple and often times more efficiently and always cheaper. YMMV

 

[case580c]

Re: The WICKED Root & Debris GRAPPLE!!!!!!!

Exactly. Which is why it is even more important with a cab tractor to be able to look directly ahead to see the edges of your grapple. Easy with a 48".

Thanks for the pictures "A picture is worth a thousand words" I am used to tractor buckets hadn't thought about the see through of the grapple.

Question: How is visibility of the Grapple bottom fork when when that are in the horizontal position as of you were to go under a log or 2 and curl the grapple back to lift & carry it off?

 

[case580c]

Re: The WICKED Root & Debris GRAPPLE!!!!!!!

Now, take same picture with grapple on the ground where it痴 normally used? I very seldom have to guide into objects floating in mid-air as shown in your pictures. You could see the ends of a 24 Grapple if it was raised above your hood.

Your continual argument that everyone only 渡eeds a narrow grapple is full of holes. I bought 2 wide grapples (84 & 73? specifically so, I had good visibility of both ends of the grapple.

Pallet forks, on tractors, prove this. Unless you have a camera, on front of your Tractor, you cannot see where your forks are to pick up pallets to other items on the ground.

Good Question as asked a similar one, Thinking about it after seeing IslandTractor picturea helped. Perhaps other could post pictures or a short video similar to his pics taken from the operators line of site. Bill

 

[IslandTractor]

Re: The WICKED Root & Debris GRAPPLE!!!!!!!

Thanks for the pictures "A picture is worth a thousand words" I am used to tractor buckets hadn't thought about the see through of the grapple.

Question: How is visibility of the Grapple bottom fork when when that are in the horizontal position as of you were to go under a log or 2 and curl the grapple back to lift & carry it off?

I think regardless of grapple width it is hard to see the middle tines as you push under a load. My personal technique is to line up with the target about 3 to 6 feet in front and to make a mental note where the left side of my grapple should be while I advance into the “blind spot”. When the left edge of the grapple is at that target spot I lower the grapple watching the exposed left edge until it is either resting on the surface and flat (if I’m scooping surface debris) or with the tip pointed down into the ground (if I’m grubbing for roots or a rock). I then drive forward to load the grapple or dig. I don’t monitor the left edge anymore but rather just watch over the hood as the grapple fills with brush or other debris or if I’m root grubbing I just push and curl until either the root/ stump pops or the tractor stops. Logs are pretty easy too. Sometimes I do just as for brush and other times I “dump” the open raised grapple and just drive forwards until the logs are under the open grapple maw. Then just drop the grapple on top of the logs and close the upper lid. Easy.

 

[4570Man]

Tractor visibility on the loader range from bad to awful. If that's a high priority you bought the wrong machine.

 

[case580c]

Re: The WICKED Root & Debris GRAPPLE!!!!!!!

I think regardless of grapple width it is hard to see the middle tines as you push under a load.

I never said I needed to see the middle tines! I just would like to be able to see a bit of it to determine it's exact position to the object I am trying to pick up if need be. Like some of us I am trying to get the RIGHT grapple and not be sorry I got one to wide or to narrow. Kinda like "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" I want one just right. Thanks

 

[IslandTractor]

Re: The WICKED Root & Debris GRAPPLE!!!!!!!

I never said I needed to see the middle tines! I just would like to be able to see a bit of it to determine it's exact position to the object I am trying to pick up if need be. Like some of us I am trying to get the RIGHT grapple and not be sorry I got one to wide or to narrow. Kinda like "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" I want one just right. Thanks

Well, in that case you can see from my photos that a narrow grapple is visible from the operator station when coming in contact with the ground. Honestly, once you get used to it you can be pretty accurate without even looking. Close is good for horse shoes, grenades and grapples. Doesn't usually matter that much if you start scraping up brush a foot or so before the pile and the same holds true for root digging.

 

[JW 31635]

I've operated a few larger grapples to test them. Never saw the benefit. I don't doubt a few tasks might be done more efficiently with a wider grapple such as carrying two bales of hay at once but for most uses the narrow is just as efficient and the narrow is clearly better for maneuvering in woods, digging and net lift capacity. Oh yeah, they are cheaper too and less likely to twist your FEL when used off center. I paid $500 for my grapple and it is still going strong 12 years later. I'd say it is up to the advocates of larger, heavier, more expensive grapples to justify why theirs are worth more.

$500??? What brand is that? I have been quoted $2300 plus $1000 for a third function valve set up.
Thanks in advance!

 

[IslandTractor]

$500??? What brand is that? I have been quoted $2300 plus $1000 for a third function valve set up.
Thanks in advance!

Millonzi but it was back in 2005. John Millonzi the owner died a few years later and the company (in Cleveland as I recall) almost immediately went out of business. They were one of the first grapple makers to really focus on CUTs (after WRLong) and one of the first to sell direct to consumer. They sold a bunch of the 48 and 60" models to guys here on TBN before going out of business. No complaints.

No way you should need to pay $2300 for a decent grapple. Even EA, which is premium priced, sells a perfectly fine grapple for around $1500-$2000 depending on model. Titan sells for way less than $2k also. $1000 for true third function installed is about right but if you want to save $$$ just run some hoses between your rear remotes and the grapple. I did that on my first tractor and liked it every bit as much as a diverter valve set up from WRLong. Costs about $150 to do the rear remote thing. Just fittings and hoses.