Tractor grapple arm rams. What is worth considering and what to stay away from please

[KiwiBro]

I'm looking at having made up a sort of skeleton bucket with two independent grapple arms that will help me load split firewood and pick up logs and brush, etc.

But the costs of locally sourced rams that's been priced for it seem very expensive. Over NZ$1k (so about $800 ish US$) for the pair of them. I thought I'd ask around and see if it's just my ignorance of such matters and that's about what they cost.

Thanks in advance for any guidance.

 

[Walt41]

Do some poking around tractorbynet.com, pretty sure you can buy what you are looking for (grapple) all done for around $1,200

 

[VA-Sawyer]

I assume ( I know that's dangerous ) that you are talking about hydraulic cylinders. If so, I bought one for my grapple for a bit over $100 US. I think it is 3" bore with a 8 or 10" stroke.
If I assumed incorrectly, sorry.
Rick

 

[KiwiBro]

Do some poking around tractorbynet.com, pretty sure you can buy what you are looking for (grapple) all done for around $1,200

Thanks. Have been a lurker over there for a few months now. Some good ideas and leads ofn this sort of thing but not quite what i need and USA is 3 weeks away on a boat so i thought I'd look at having it made up here. But the price of the rams/cylinders surprised me.

 

[KiwiBro]

I assume ( I know that's dangerous ) that you are talking about hydraulic cylinders. If so, I bought one for my grapple for a bit over $100 US. I think it is 3" bore with a 8 or 10" stroke.
If I assumed incorrectly, sorry.
Rick

Anything like that price would be fantastic. I'll have to start digging around a little more.

 

[triptester]

I just picked up 2 rams today at $25 ea. They were new surplus 2.5" bore X 7"stroke. I am planning on making a grapple to use on forks. I am still in design and material gathering stage. Atached are two designs that are commercially made.

 

[treeoperations]

try a digger wreckers yard mate, thats when i got my ram for my digger log spliter im building if i ever pull finger and do it.

 

[KiwiBro]

try a digger wreckers yard mate, thats when i got my ram for my digger log spliter im building if i ever pull finger and do it.

Thanks for the good idea. Not sure they'll have 'small' stuff but wont know until I try.

 

[axetree]

try this place the guys are really helpfull and are great guys, also great prices, they could be able to help you out
daltonhydraulic.com/

 

[Rudolf73]

I used 2.5" bore 8" stroke rams on my grapple bucket. From memory they were around $300 each here in Oz.