Weight of Bucket for T190

[Old Red]

So I'm about to purchase a grapple and most of what I am reading are about compact tractor owners who are worried about reducing their lift capacity of their machines. What is a good weight for the T190. For example, I am looking at a WildKat HD 72" root grapple. It weighs 920 pounds. What do you think? Too big, too small, or just right? Would the smaller opening regular root grapple be better at 760 pounds? The only difference in the two buckets is the length of the tines and the opening.

I rented an FFC 72" root grapple from sunbelt and I was picking up some really big stuff with it. That thing is $4 grand however. Too much for me....

 

[SSdoxie]

Track loader has far more hydraulic forces and traction capabilty than a tractor so HD (weight) would be a good thing in a grapple. With the lighter capablities of the tractor, a lighter weight is desired to compensate for the lighter lift capacity.

What style grapple depends on your primary use. If going to be doing mostly root ripping and log carry then the short bucket style works better for just pushing tines through the ground. Doing more brush & debris transport then the long tine would be better application.

 

[MoneyMark8040]

Yea it depends on what your MAIN purpose of use will be. So decide what kind of work you will be doing most.. As far as weight, keep your equipment weight in mind bc the heavier attachment means greater chances of tipping IF machine not heavy enough to support.. Track loaders are great with weight as opposed to wheel machines bc they have more balance surface (Tracks) on the ground.. #Just my opinion#

 

[SSdoxie]

You could also gain a little more net laod capacity by going to narrower grapple. Grapple work normally does not include finishing work so covering the width of the track pattern is not necessary. A narrower grapple will also help keep the stress of load more to center reducing twist on loader frame. I see Wildkat offers the same grapple in 68".

 

[Old Red]

The only one I have used is the FFC that I rented for the weekend. The WildKat HD looks to be closest to that one. It was great, but again it is the only thing I have used. I hired a T190 to come out and do the same type of work before I bought my T190 and he had the solid bottom bucket grapple made by Bobcat. It did everything we needed to as well.

So it sounds like the 900+ pound will be fine for my machine. Decisions decisions! It almost sounds like I can't go wrong with either the shorter one or longer one.

Thanks for the replies guys, if you think of anything else or have more opinions, please share them with me.

 

[yellowdogsvc]

Doxie makes a good point. I use a 66" grapple on a 3250lb ROC machine that's 72" wide. I use the grapple for rocks, brush, etc. It is extremely tough (Bobcat's industrial fork grapple). The narrower width saved me some weight but it also keeps me from tweaking the grapple. I use it for really big logs and prying/placing rocks. Have only owned two industrial grapples in 16 years and have gone through 12 large frame skids steers in that time. The extra weight means more steel. The few pounds you give up in ROC capacity with a heavier grapple won't affect you too much because the things you do with a grapple or different than your bucket anyway.