skid steer grapple

[gwiley]

I received our new skid steer grapple a few weeks ago and I have to say this is an amazing piece of equipment. We spent $1200 on it and I feel that it is easily worth twice that.

If you are looking for a grapple I recommend you check this guy out:

http://www.rootgrapple.com/singlegrapple.html

 

[KD57]

Thanks for the info, a grapple is next on my buy list for equipment.

 

[gwiley]

The big selling points for me on this were:

1. price - I have a tight budget and all the competitors were a lot more expensive

2. weight - I am running a 743DS, too many others are so heavy that they really cut into my capacity

3. fit - 60" is perfect for my machine

4. hydraulics - a single cylinder is plenty for my needs. It is simple and cycles fast with my 11gpm aux flow but still crushes stuff with a heart warming "CRUNCH"

They had a long lead time (4 weeks) but it was well worth it.

If you have an older skid steer you will need to swap out the hydraulic fittings for the newer "flat" faced ones. These guys sell a pair of fittings for $50 (compare to over $100 from Bobcat), for my machine I had to pick up $7 worth of adaptors to replace the old style fittings with the new ones.

If you have been using forks to move logs then you don't know what you are missing. The difference this makes to productivity is incredible...you have to see it to believe it.

I was using forks to load logs on my 16' trailer, tricky to not break the trailer stakes and get the logs to stay put - the grapple cuts loading time more than in half.

And don't get me started about what this does to my skidding operations! No more chokers and chains, how did I get by without this?

 

[Muffler Bearing]

http://picasaweb.google.com/dukesda...DvwE&feat=email#slideshow/5468983359753731714

I find it amazing how much time they will save you.

 

[benp]

Cool! Thanks!!!

I like how the bottom tines are all tied together. The cylinder guard is nice also.

I think that would be great for an RC30 as it looks more durable than other small grapples I have seen.

 

[gwiley]

Cool! Thanks!!!

I like how the bottom tines are all tied together. The cylinder guard is nice also.

I think that would be great for an RC30 as it looks more durable than other small grapples I have seen.

The protective sleeve over the hoses was a nice touch too, I did have to use a bungee cord to keep the hoses out of the pinch zone (when the "bucket" is rotated up fully).

I have used it to grab heavy stuff that torques it well (40-50' long trees with entire canopy still in tact) and even to uproot trees - works great, takes a beating without showing any signs of deformation.

 

[redprospector]

Grapple's are addictive. It's too late to warn you guy's though, it apears that you've already had a taste of this highly addictive substance.
I let a friend borrow my grapple bucket a few years ago, and I literally could not function while he had it. I had to buy another one so that I could function at all while he had it.
My friend got addicted to the grapple while he had it. It was ugly, this addiction can rip apart families and friendships. In the end he wound up trading me an 86 Chevy 3/4 ton 4x4 with a dump bed for the grapple (Yes I'm addicted to 4x4's, and dump beds too).
Be carefull guy's. Use these grapples in moderation. The longer you use them the less you'll be able to function without one.
My wife say's there must be some kind of grapple rehab facility available, but she hasn't found one yet.

Andy

 

[gwiley]

Grapple's are addictive. It's too late to warn you guy's though, it apears that you've already had a taste of this highly addictive substance.
I let a friend borrow my grapple bucket a few years ago, and I literally could not function while he had it. I had to buy another one so that I could function at all while he had it.
My friend got addicted to the grapple while he had it. It was ugly, this addiction can rip apart families and friendships. In the end he wound up trading me an 86 Chevy 3/4 ton 4x4 with a dump bed for the grapple (Yes I'm addicted to 4x4's, and dump beds too).
Be carefull guy's. Use these grapples in moderation. The longer you use them the less you'll be able to function without one.
My wife say's there must be some kind of grapple rehab facility available, but she hasn't found one yet.

Andy

I feel bad, the first person to use it was my 13 year old son. I started drooling but didn't want to make a scene so I let him finish the job for me. My 16 year old wants to learn to use the skid steer but I found that when a break in the weather came I didn't want to let him so I snuk out of the house and jumped in the seat before anyone could catch me.

This thing has already hindered me from being the good father that I strive to be. On the other hand I am helping my wife out more...."Honey, are you sure there isn't anything else in the yard or woods that you need moved?"

 

[gr8scott72]

Cool! Thanks!!!

I like how the bottom tines are all tied together. The cylinder guard is nice also.

I think that would be great for an RC30 as it looks more durable than other small grapples I have seen.

60" is probably too much for an RC30.

Here's what I have on my RC30:

I carry the bucket inside of the grapple to go to the job:

The lower tines on mine are not tied together and I thought that might be a problem but that is actually the toughest part of the grapple. lol

Just for fun, here's a few videos with the grapple:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7RrfxO_DEg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZW-L97_xOVU

moving a trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pzj1yYjAuQ



I'm actually in the process of replacing the screws on the grapple as some of them have rattle off or loosened over the last 300 hours of use. Darn Home Depot didn't have the Grade 8 bolts I needed so I'll have to make do with the regular crappy ones until I can find some grade 8 to replace them with.

 

[gink595]

I like the indendent grapples with 2 cylinderf for uneven stuff, I bought this one a few years back for 1900.00, it's is a 72" and weighs close to 1000#. Shipping tag on it was 900# and I welded 100# of 5/8" flat bars on it so debris wouldn't fall through as easily. They are worth their weight in gold, best attachment i have, best miney making attachemnt I have too.

 

[gr8scott72]

best miney making attachemnt I have too.

Good money makers also. :greenchainsaw:

 

[Manatarms]

gr8scott72,

How many pounds can you lift with that RC30? How much does it weigh?

-Mark

60" is probably too much for an RC30.

Here's what I have on my RC30:

I carry the bucket inside of the grapple to go to the job:

The lower tines on mine are not tied together and I thought that might be a problem but that is actually the toughest part of the grapple. lol


Just for fun, here's a few videos with the grapple:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7RrfxO_DEg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZW-L97_xOVU

moving a trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pzj1yYjAuQ



I'm actually in the process of replacing the screws on the grapple as some of them have rattle off or loosened over the last 300 hours of use. Darn Home Depot didn't have the Grade 8 bolts I needed so I'll have to make do with the regular crappy ones until I can find some grade 8 to replace them with.

 

[gr8scott72]

gr8scott72,

How many pounds can you lift with that RC30? How much does it weigh?

-Mark

It was about 1,000 lbs that I could lift before I added the weights to the rear. Now with about 300 lbs of weights I can lift right at 1,500 lbs.

The whole machine weighs about 3,500 lbs.

 

[Manatarms]

That's awesome. Does that 3500lbs. include the 300lbs. counterweight? So can that machine move a 1500lbs. pallet or just lift it and set it down? For example, if I wanted to move 1500lbs. pallets around on a level dirt surface, would I constantly be on the verge of tipping? How many lbs. can it lift at the max, regardless of wether or not it will tip. In other words, how strong is the loader? Could you put 500 off the rear and lift 1700?

I know if I really want an ASV for heavy lifting capacity I would go to the 50 or 60, but the light weight of the 30 has some nice advantages...and I have my Kubota for the big stuff.

Don't the 30s use special quick attach stuff?

I'm really thining picking up a 30

tx,

Mark

It was about 1,000 lbs that I could lift before I added the weights to the rear. Now with about 300 lbs of weights I can lift right at 1,500 lbs.

The whole machine weighs about 3,500 lbs.

 

[gr8scott72]

That's awesome. Does that 3500lbs. include the 300lbs. counterweight? So can that machine move a 1500lbs. pallet or just lift it and set it down? For example, if I wanted to move 1500lbs. pallets around on a level dirt surface, would I constantly be on the verge of tipping? How many lbs. can it lift at the max, regardless of wether or not it will tip. In other words, how strong is the loader? Could you put 500 off the rear and lift 1700?

I know if I really want an ASV for heavy lifting capacity I would go to the 50 or 60, but the light weight of the 30 has some nice advantages...and I have my Kubota for the big stuff.

Don't the 30s use special quick attach stuff?

I'm really thining picking up a 30

tx,

Mark

You could add more weight to the rear and the machine is def. capable of picking it up but I think I'm at the limit of what the drive motors are capable of moving and turning. It will lift, even with the weights on the rear, enough to pick the rear of the machine right off the ground with no problem.

3,500 is without the weights.

Don't know if it would pick up a pallet of equal weight as easily as a log because with a log, you can roll it to the inside of the grapple and get the center of gravity closer to the machine.

I think they do use a special quick attach.