Bought a grapple

[Auafahrt]

I finally broke down and bought a grapple. I had been looking at several including the ones from Everything Attachments, MT, Titan and others. I ended up buying a grapple that I had never heard of before but was available from an equipment dealer in my area. My tractor is a B2650 that I bought two years ago to manage our 15 acres of wooded property in Vermont.

I didn't want or need a root grapple which is what most of these seem to be but rather a log and rock grapple. So I ended up buying a Frostbite.

This thing is stout.

 

[younker]

What's the weight of that bad boy? Looks rugged

 

[S-G-R]

Very heavy duty. 60" across?

 

[Auafahrt]

What's the weight of that bad boy? Looks rugged

359lbs

 

[Auafahrt]

Very heavy duty. 60" across?

No. It's got the ssqa attachment that my 60" bucket attaches to but it is narrower than that. I could measure it if you want.

 

[Auafahrt]

A few more pics.

 

[MOOTS]

That is a useful looking tool. I like it.

 

[D2Cat]

Nice set up. Are you going to need some counter weight?

 

[S-G-R]

No. It's got the ssqa attachment that my 60" bucket attaches to but it is narrower than that. I could measure it if you want.

No thanks, your additional pics cleared up my questions. Looks very able.

 

[Auafahrt]

Nice set up. Are you going to need some counter weight?

I have fluid filled rear tires and I figure that I will just need to put some time on the grapple to see if that's going to be enough.

 

[SidecarFlip]

I'm going to get one this winter but I'll get a weld on one and adapt it to my SSQA pallet forks for moving brush and limbs around. I've seen weld on ones for around 500 bucks complete and delivered.

 

[bearbait]

That thing looks bad $ss, congrats!

 

[D2Cat]

I have fluid filled rear tires and I figure that I will just need to put some time on the grapple to see if that's going to be enough.

Just a word of caution. It's easy to pick up a grapple full when you've been doing it for hours, then suddenly you're off balance. The grapple operator has to always be consciously competent.

 

[Kennyd4110]

Filled tires is NEVER a substitute for proper REAR ballast.

 

[Magicman]

It looks hungry and needs feeding.

 

[fruitcakesa]

Those bypass jaws are really versatile

 

[BigG]

As stated before the filled rear tires are not enough to keep that grapple under control. I have an L2501 with loaded tires and most of the time keep a 5 foot box blade on the back. On top of the box blade I have a 5 foot 4 x 4 - 1/4 in. walled square tube and a piece of 5 foot piece of 4 x 4 1/4 in. attached to the top of the box blade for extra weight and if you pick up something it will still make the ass end light. When I decide to add more weight I am going to cut rebar into 5 foot pieces and weld them inside the tube. That stuff gets heavy very quickly.

Add the weight to the rear before trouble comes to find you. We want to see more pictures with the shiny side up.

 

[Auafahrt]

I get it. When enough of you guys pile on, it eventually sinks into my thick skull. I have a 53" flail mower on order that is over 500 lbs. and if it isn't too bulky it may just stay on most of the time.

 

[Auafahrt]

I ended up having to switch to a 48" flail instead of the 53" that I originally wanted due to the fact that my B2650 only has 19.5 PTP hp and the 48" matched up better than the 53".

It's supposed to arrive tomorrow and I will update but in the meantime here's a link.

https://betstco.com/product/fh-efg125/

 

[Chad D.]

I ended up having to switch to a 48" flail instead of the 53" that I originally wanted due to the fact that my B2650 only has 19.5 PTP hp and the 48" matched up better than the 53".

It's supposed to arrive tomorrow and I will update but in the meantime here's a link.

https://betstco.com/product/fh-efg125/

View attachment 47326

That’s a mean looking grapple! Curious to hear how it works for you.
You’ll like having a flail, as well as the extra weight back there. I have a LP root grapple on my B2650 and rarely leave the back of the tractor naked. There is no comparison in performance and stability when you put a few hundred pounds on the rear. I also have loaded tires, and can’t imagine trying to do anything beyond mowing without more weight...

too bad you hadn’t received more input before buying the smaller mower! I’ve got a 62” WoodMaxx flail and rarely bog down enough to slow my speed. We’re talking waist-high grass that should have been cut for hay. Blackberries and other similar brush don’t even begin to slow it down. I’m very glad to have the extra width to speed up the other 97% of my mowing.