Another Grapple Thread

[RWey56]

I pick up a Land Pride SGC0554 tomorrow. 3rd fn valve is in place and ready to go. Difficult to find someone with small quick-attach grapples in stock, and it's going to be a 2 hr drive down and another 2 hrs back. Local dealer has them "on order", but is very sketchy as to when they're expected to arrive. I told him I wanted one of them, but I can't wait until "about the middle of June", which may turn into the end of June, then some time in July. I'll call him back, of course, and explain and say sorry. They'll understand and I continue to make them my 1st choice.

The grapple is a 2018, so it will be interesting to see if LP has improved any of the welds. I did call LP to straighten out the quick-attach question. Their 48" grapple ( preference for my BX23S ) does NOT support the quick attach. The 54" gives 3" on either side for room to mount the actuators ... which wouldn't be possible with a 48" and a quick-attach. I mention this distinction only because I'm surprised how many dealers (and websites) don't really know for sure. The 48" is a pin-on only ... which would be a giant pain in the butt.

My real preference would have been a EA 54" as they're better built, but they're 4-6 weeks out. By that time, summer will more than half over for me and my piles of brush will be killing even more grass.

So, if all goes well I'll have the LP by this time tomorrow.

 

[houser52]

I pick up a Land Pride SGC0554 tomorrow. 3rd fn valve is in place and ready to go. Difficult to find someone with small quick-attach grapples in stock, and it's going to be a 2 hr drive down and another 2 hrs back. Local dealer has them "on order", but is very sketchy as to when they're expected to arrive. I told him I wanted one of them, but I can't wait until "about the middle of June", which may turn into the end of June, then some time in July. I'll call him back, of course, and explain and say sorry. They'll understand and I continue to make them my 1st choice.

The grapple is a 2018, so it will be interesting to see if LP has improved any of the welds. I did call LP to straighten out the quick-attach question. Their 48" grapple ( preference for my BX23S ) does NOT support the quick attach. The 54" gives 3" on either side for room to mount the actuators ... which wouldn't be possible with a 48" and a quick-attach. I mention this distinction only because I'm surprised how many dealers (and websites) don't really know for sure. The 48" is a pin-on only ... which would be a giant pain in the butt.

My real preference would have been a EA 54" as they're better built, but they're 4-6 weeks out. By that time, summer will more than half over for me and my piles of brush will be killing even more grass.

So, if all goes well I'll have the LP by this time tomorrow.

My new M7060 is being delivered next week and I'm going to sell my EA Wicked 50" and get an EA grapple more suited for the bigger tractor.

Too bad you're so far away or I'd sell you my 2 year old 50" Wicked grapple.

 

[RWey56]

Picked up my LP grapple today and here's what I have to report about the 2018 build. With respect to older threads about LP weld and strength issues, it looks like they addressed them. First, the two lid pivot journals seem to be 3/8 steel now and are welded on 1-1/2 sides, which means they're now putting 1/2 bead on the inside of journal where it tends to tear loose from the upper frame lateral. Another area folks saw broken weld is the bottom of the quick-attach plate tearing away from the lower frame lateral, due to no welds on the bottom edge of the plate. LP is now running a full bead along the bottom of the plate.

This is good news as it says they're paying attention and resolving known issues. As such, I'm going to hold off on any reinforcements and just see how it stands up to use. I'll post some pics later.

 

[bearskinner]

I picked up s Grapple just over a year ago, and I agree, they seem to be paying attention and took care of the welding issues. I use the Grapple more than any other piece of equipment, from brush to hauling logs to the sawbuck to cut. No problems at all, no bent tines or broken welds. I absolutely love it

 

[RWey56]

The only problem I have with it is that LP delivered it with what seems some very non-standard female couplers made by SafeWay. None of the male Pioneer plugs I could find in stores around me were compatible, and further they used a male ORB on the hose, and finding a female ORB to NPT seems equally challenging. All the couplers I was looking at in the various stores around me use NPT female fittings for hose connection. Part of the problem is that I live in Podunk and there's not a lot of stores to choose from, but I'm sure I'll get it sorted out. I just wasn't planning on connection taking longer than picking it up.

 

[RWey56]

Finally got it hooked up and it worked well clearing brush. Considering that connection to equipment is an unknown from LandPride, they'd be better to just provided capped 3/8 NPT hose ends, which from what I found is the most common fitting. As it is, I have their hose to one adapter, to another, then to the female pioneer. I'm disappointed in this aspect of the purchase as it took half a day of monkeying around to complete a connection that should have been possible with one trip to the hardware store and 20 minutes of labor.