New to the forum and I'm sure this has been discussed previously somewhere but has anyone with a grapple used their rear remotes instead of installing the 3rd function kit? I know the 3rd function kit would be much more convenient but running a line to the rear remote would be much easier on the wallet for the time being.
Grapple and Rear Remote
- Thread starter LazyP
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North Idaho Wolfman
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L3450DT-GST, Woods FEL, B7100 HSD, FEL, 60" SB, 743 Bobcat with V2203, and more
If you know that you are going to go to a 3rd function of some kind in the future, just get some 1/4" lines made up to go from front-back with the QD ends for now. That should be able to be done for about $100. 
Not really . I just bought a 14' 1/2 hose with ends for $115 . But then the used the wrong ends and I had to go to another place to get it fixed right and while there they told me that I if I would have bought it there I would have cost me half that or a little less . Heck there fitting where $3 . And the fittings that I got on the hose from the ones that jacked it up was $12 each . That got throwed in the trash .It will work fine... It's just going to cost you a mint for the hose set!
Go to a heavy Equipment place that works on dozers/ logging equipment . They will have better prices . That's where I had to go to get my hose right .
Yeah I just hooked up my grapple a few months ago and was completely blown away by the cost of the hoses. Could not believe it. I just went from the loader tower on my L3200 to the bucket with 3/8.
Using any hose larger than 1/4" to feed a small grapple cylinder is wasting valuable real estate and your money.
North Idaho Wolfman
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Staff member
Lifetime Member
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L3450DT-GST, Woods FEL, B7100 HSD, FEL, 60" SB, 743 Bobcat with V2203, and more
That might be true on a BX, but my L will take a little more to do the job efficiently!
I ran mine off the rear remotes for several months before adding the third function valve. It works well and if I didn't want the second rear remote for the back I would have left it that way. 4 1/4" hoses 90" long so I could disconnect one set with the loader were about $90 locally but a 1/4"x96" hose at surplus center is only $17 ea. but the QD's will be a bit more. If that's they way you want to run the grapple it works pretty well but it's only a bit cheaper than adding a 3rd function valve if you source all the parts yourself rather than the 6-$800 kits
Why? How much flow does a 2x8 cylinder need? IF you have to much then the grapple will just slam open and closed and you'll have to buy restrictors to slow it down anyway.That might be true on a BX, but my L will take a little more to do the job efficiently!
It's not like we are taking about running a hydraulic post hole digger or snowblower.
He already did, post #3.
If you know that you are going to go to a 3rd function of some kind in the future, just get some 1/4" lines made up to go from front-back with the QD ends for now. That should be able to be done for about $100.
North Idaho Wolfman
Moderator
Staff member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
L3450DT-GST, Woods FEL, B7100 HSD, FEL, 60" SB, 743 Bobcat with V2203, and more
See that is my point, I don't want to put my money into a poor 3rd function that can only be used for a slow set up only, I do want my 3rd function to run my snowblower!
Besides like you stated I can put a regulator on just the Grapple if I want it slow, kind of hard to put on a UNregulator to speed it up.
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