New member here and I just ordered a LX3310 that will need a grapple. I am leaning towards an EA grapple as they seem very well made and aren't as heavy as some other ones. My problem is deciding what style to buy, the root grapple or the root rake grapple. I have a set of pallet forks so I wouldn't need the flat bottom root grapple for things I can do with the forks, as some people give as a reason to buy the root grapple. Where I live we have a lot of bittersweet, which is an invasive vine that climbs around trees and eventually kills them. The roots are very hard to dig and don't break easily. Besides trying to rip up the bittersweet I would be using the grapple for brush and small tree removal and moving rocks occasionally. Because of this I think the clamshell style root rake grapple would be the best choice but I would like to hear from people that actually own either stye to get your opinions. TIA.
What grapple to buy?
- Thread starter rAzkid
- Start date
Bmyers
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
Grand L3560 with LA805 loader, EA 55" Wicked Grapple, SBX72 BB, LP 1272 mower
From your stated use, that would probably be a good choice. I have used mine for basically the same thing and it works well.
I don't have any good photos, but I cleaned up a fence line that had a some small trees, saplings and Chinese privet as well as vines. It worked well for that.
I don't have any good photos, but I cleaned up a fence line that had a some small trees, saplings and Chinese privet as well as vines. It worked well for that.
Attachments
Bmyers, can you tell me why you chose the clamshell style over the flat bottomed style grapple? What you own is the one I'm seriously thinking of buying but would like to know why people bought one style over the other.
Bmyers
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
Grand L3560 with LA805 loader, EA 55" Wicked Grapple, SBX72 BB, LP 1272 mower
I had a lot of brush I'm clearing. I figured the clam shell style would work better for that and so far I have not been disappointed (a little over a years worth of use).
The root part goes two-three inches in and rips the stuff right out. I have also used it to move equipment around. Regardless of which one you go with or with manufacture, you will find that most people will tell you that once you get a grapple, you wonder how you ever did without it.
The one warning I will give you, look at enhancing your grill protection because you will end up putting something through your radiator if you don't.
The root part goes two-three inches in and rips the stuff right out. I have also used it to move equipment around. Regardless of which one you go with or with manufacture, you will find that most people will tell you that once you get a grapple, you wonder how you ever did without it.
The one warning I will give you, look at enhancing your grill protection because you will end up putting something through your radiator if you don't.
i7win7
Well-known member
Equipment
BX2370, B2650 grapple, tree puller, trailer mover, 3 point hoist, mower, tiller
If buying root grapple make sure it is self supporting (parking stand) similar to this one. https://www.landpride.com/products/680/sgc06-series-claw-grapples
After you have a working grapple, you may want to add one to the forks permanently or an add-on
After you have a working grapple, you may want to add one to the forks permanently or an add-on
The parking stand is one thing the EA Root Grapple lacks, although you can open the jaws up and lay it down on those opened up jaws. Not as convenient as those parking stands mentioned by i7win7. Since I try to leave my grapple inside when not in use I made this rolling stand for it so it can be shoved out of the way and then rolled right back up to the loader arms.
For working in and clearing brush the EA Root Grapple works great on the front of my B2650. With the jaws fully open and tilted forward you can place it atop a very large brush pile and compress it downward before closing the jaws. It's amazing how much brush you can pick up doing it that way. Thinking out of the box also enabled it to fetch my empty bulk fuel tanks for clean and repaint jobs.
It'll easily earn its keep in all kinds of different uses for you!!
For working in and clearing brush the EA Root Grapple works great on the front of my B2650. With the jaws fully open and tilted forward you can place it atop a very large brush pile and compress it downward before closing the jaws. It's amazing how much brush you can pick up doing it that way. Thinking out of the box also enabled it to fetch my empty bulk fuel tanks for clean and repaint jobs.
It'll easily earn its keep in all kinds of different uses for you!!
OMG! Its been decades since I seen one of those Budman stickers!
Bmyers
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
Grand L3560 with LA805 loader, EA 55" Wicked Grapple, SBX72 BB, LP 1272 mower
When I ordered mine, was told the same thing, yet I was lucky and mine came two weeks earlier than planned. Downside, I hadn't gotten my 3rd function installed when the grapple arrived, so I still had to wait to use it.I ordered the EA WIcked 55" Root Rake Grapple yesterdaybut it's going to be 8 weeks until delivery!
It seems all the different attachment are all at least 6 to 8 weeks out. I ordered from MTL attachments new 48 " pallet forks & from Homestead implements 72" landscaping rack and both are 6 weeks out.
ether they are very busy or only manufacture as you order.
ether they are very busy or only manufacture as you order.
Nice. Yeah, they often have lengthy wait times. My wait was similar. If you don't get to use it until spring/summer, that's OK. The paint will be fresh. Mine stunk badly. I didn't use mine for about a month after I received it, which gave time for the pain to cure. So, if you don't get to use it immediately, the paint will have time to cure better.I ordered the EA WIcked 55" Root Rake Grapple yesterday